Ethereum is on the brink of a major scalability evolution. Dankrad Feist, a core researcher at the Ethereum Foundation, has introduced Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP-9698)—a bold plan aimed at dramatically increasing the network’s transaction capacity by expanding its gas limit up to 100 times over four years. If implemented, this could push Ethereum’s throughput to an estimated 2,000 transactions per second (TPS), significantly closing the performance gap with high-speed competitors like Solana.
This proposal doesn’t require a hard fork or consensus-level changes, making it both backward-compatible and easier to adopt. Instead, EIP-9698 introduces a deterministic gas limit growth schedule built directly into client defaults—offering predictability and long-term scalability without sacrificing network security.
Understanding Ethereum’s Current Throughput Limitations
Today, Ethereum operates with a gas limit of approximately 36 million, according to on-chain data. This supports a real-world throughput of just 14–20 TPS, with a theoretical ceiling of around 119 TPS under optimal conditions. While Ethereum remains the dominant platform for decentralized applications (dApps), DeFi, and NFTs, its relatively low transaction speed has long been a bottleneck—especially during periods of high demand.
In contrast, alternative blockchains like Solana routinely achieve 800 to over 1,000 TPS, with theoretical maximums reaching 65,000 TPS due to their parallelized architecture and low-latency design. For Ethereum to maintain its leadership in smart contract innovation and global adoption, improving base-layer efficiency remains critical—even as Layer 2 solutions scale off-chain activity.
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What Is EIP-9698 and How Does It Work?
EIP-9698 proposes raising Ethereum’s gas limit from 36 million to a staggering 3.6 billion over a four-year period. This would allow individual blocks to process roughly 6,000 transactions, assuming average gas usage per transaction stays consistent.
The mechanism behind this growth is elegant in its simplicity: a predictable, exponential increase in the gas limit tied to beacon chain epochs. Starting at epoch 369017—expected around June 1—the gas limit would grow gradually, with a 10x increase occurring approximately every two years (or every 164,250 epochs). This phased approach ensures that node operators, developers, and infrastructure providers have ample time to adapt.
“Ethereum clients will vote to increase the gas limit according to an exponential schedule unless explicitly configured otherwise by the user,” explained Dankrad Feist in the proposal’s GitHub repository.
Unlike the current system—where miners or validators manually vote on gas limit adjustments—EIP-9698 introduces a default growth trajectory. This eliminates uncertainty and stagnation risks while still preserving full control for users who wish to customize their node configurations.
Crucially, this is a non-consensus change, meaning nodes that don’t implement the update will continue operating normally. There’s no forced upgrade or chain split risk. The only shift is in client software defaults, making adoption smoother and more organic.
Why Predictable Growth Matters for Scalability
One of Ethereum’s greatest strengths—decentralization—also presents one of its biggest challenges: coordination. Without centralized oversight, aligning thousands of independent node operators on technical upgrades can be slow and fragmented.
The existing gas limit adjustment mechanism relies on operator voting, which can lead to inconsistent updates, cautious conservatism, or even gridlock when stakeholders disagree. Over time, this has contributed to stagnant gas limits despite rapid improvements in hardware and networking capabilities.
EIP-9698 addresses this by introducing a transparent, algorithmic path forward—one that assumes steady progress in computational power and network efficiency. By baking predictable growth into client defaults, the proposal encourages broad alignment while reducing governance friction.
“The current gas limit mechanism lacks coordination and predictability,” Feist noted. “By introducing a predictable exponential growth pattern as a client default, this EIP encourages a sustainable and transparent gas limit trajectory.”
This model aligns with Moore’s Law-like expectations in tech advancement, ensuring Ethereum doesn’t fall behind due to artificial constraints.
Addressing Security and Node Performance Concerns
A common concern with increasing the gas limit is the potential strain on less-optimized nodes. Larger blocks require more processing power, memory, and bandwidth—risks that could centralize node operation if not managed carefully.
Feist acknowledges these risks but argues that the gradual nature of the proposed increases mitigates them effectively. With small, incremental adjustments per epoch, node operators gain years to upgrade infrastructure, optimize software, and test performance under higher loads.
“However, the exponential schedule with very gradual increments per epoch gives node operators and developers ample time to adapt and optimize,” he added.
Additionally, because each increase is opt-in via updated client defaults—not mandatory—operators retain full autonomy over their systems. Those running lightweight or archival nodes can choose not to follow the new default path without being excluded from the network.
The Bigger Picture: Ethereum’s Roadmap Beyond Layer 2
While Layer 2 rollups have become the primary engine for Ethereum scaling—handling over 70% of daily transactions—the importance of base-layer improvements cannot be overlooked. Enhancing mainnet capacity complements L2 ecosystems by:
- Reducing finality delays
- Lowering data publication costs
- Improving cross-layer interoperability
- Supporting broader validator participation
EIP-9698 arrives alongside other key upgrades like the upcoming Pectra hardfork, which enhances blob throughput, reduces Layer 1 fees, improves validator flexibility, and optimizes data availability storage. Together, these changes signal a multi-pronged strategy: scale off-chain and strengthen on-chain foundations.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the main goal of EIP-9698?
A: The primary goal is to enable Ethereum to scale sustainably by introducing a predictable, exponential increase in the gas limit—potentially boosting transaction throughput to 2,000 TPS over four years.
Q: Will EIP-9698 require a hard fork?
A: No. EIP-9698 is a non-consensus, backward-compatible change that modifies client defaults. Nodes do not need to hard fork to remain functional.
Q: How fast will the gas limit increase?
A: The gas limit will grow gradually with each beacon chain epoch, doubling periodically. A full 10x increase is expected approximately every two years, totaling up to 100x over four years.
Q: Can node operators opt out of the new default?
A: Yes. The change only affects client software defaults. Operators can manually configure their nodes to maintain lower gas limits if desired.
Q: Does this replace Layer 2 scaling?
A: No. EIP-9698 complements Layer 2 solutions by improving base-layer efficiency, reducing L1 congestion, and lowering data posting costs for rollups.
Q: When will EIP-9698 take effect?
A: The proposal is still under review. If accepted, implementation could begin at epoch 369017 (~June 1), depending on client adoption timelines.
A Strategic Step Toward Long-Term Competitiveness
EIP-9698 reflects a growing recognition that Ethereum must evolve not just through modular scaling (like rollups), but also through thoughtful base-layer enhancements. While radical overhauls like replacing the EVM with RISC-V have been floated in the past, EIP-9698 offers a pragmatic, low-risk path forward—one that leverages existing infrastructure while preparing for future demands.
As blockchain use cases expand—from real-world asset tokenization to global payment systems—network throughput will remain a key differentiator. With proposals like EIP-9698, Ethereum is positioning itself not just as a smart contract platform, but as a scalable digital economy backbone.
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