Ethereum Introduces Transaction Gas Cap to Unlock Parallel Execution

The Ethereum Foundation has announced a major upgrade called Fusaka, which introduces a novel per-transaction gas limit on the network. This innovation sets a ceiling of 16,777,216 gas units per transaction, marking the first time the network limits individual transactions in this way. This change, formalized as EIP-7825, is being tested on testnets and will be deployed on mainnet after Fusaka activates.

Why the Change?

The Foundation believes this limit paves the way for parallel execution capabilities, which could significantly boost network efficiency. Currently, large transactions can monopolize entire blocks, causing delays and inefficiency. The new ceiling requires those workloads exceeding the threshold to split into smaller sequential operations.

What Does This Mean for Users?

While most users will not notice a difference in their typical transaction experience, developers working with batch-heavy contracts or specialized routers may encounter challenges as these types of operations can now hit the new gas limit and require adjustments. The Foundation emphasizes that this change is primarily about preparing the network for greater scalability through parallel execution and future upgrades.

Technical Details

EIP-7825 separates transaction complexity from system-level throughput. This separation allows the network to handle multiple independent transactions simultaneously in a more efficient manner, reducing contention and simplifying scheduler design.

How Does This Affect Ethereum?

The implementation of this new limit is considered a significant step forward for Ethereum. The change reflects the core principles of scalability and efficient execution that are key drivers behind future developments in the Ethereum ecosystem.

Looking Ahead

With EIP-7825, Ethereum sets a precedent for handling computational complexity more effectively, paving the way for larger transactions and more efficient processing on the network.