Core Protocol Chat, ETHval Website and More - The Daily Gwei Refuel #851 - Ethereum Updates

Anthony Sassano
Anthony SassanoJan 5, 2026

Why It Matters

These upgrades accelerate Ethereum’s scalability roadmap while reinforcing network security, directly influencing validator operations, dApp performance, and the ecosystem’s long‑term growth potential.

Key Takeaways

  • Dan returns to weekly Refuel, noting fiction novel progress.
  • Fusaka upgrade launches PAS, delivering data‑sharding for scalability.
  • Prism client bug offline 23% of nodes, stressing client diversity.
  • Blob‑parameter forks raise target from six to fourteen blobs per block.
  • Glamsterdam slated Q3 2026, potentially largest Ethereum upgrade ever.

Summary

The Daily Gwei Refuel #851 marks host Dan’s return to a weekly cadence while he updates listeners on his fiction novel progress and recent community engagements. The episode pivots to core Ethereum protocol news, focusing on the recent Fusaka upgrade that introduced the PAS (Proto‑Danksharding) EIP, enabling data‑sharding and advancing the long‑standing roadmap for scalable data availability. Key insights include the successful launch of PAS, which allows the network to store data shards rather than full data sets, and a recent Prism client bug that temporarily took roughly 23% of nodes offline. The incident underscored the critical need for client diversity, as Lighthouse now holds the majority share, preventing a loss of finality. Additionally, the discussion covered blob‑parameter‑only (BO) forks that have incrementally raised the blob target from six to ten and soon to fourteen blobs per block, with current usage hovering around 4.2 blobs. Notable quotes from Vitalik Buterin highlighted sharding’s evolution from execution to data‑only, emphasizing its role in Ethereum’s scaling vision. Dan referenced Dune Analytics data confirming modest blob utilization and cited the upcoming “Glamsterdam” upgrade—projected for Q3 2026—as potentially the largest Ethereum hard fork, featuring BLS signatures, EPBS, and a suite of 13‑14 candidate EIPs. The implications are clear: data‑sharding via PAS and incremental blob scaling lay the groundwork for higher throughput, while client‑diversity safeguards network resilience. Glamsterdam’s ambitious scope could reshape the protocol’s performance and security landscape, prompting developers and validators to prepare for substantial changes in the coming months.

Original Description

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The Daily Gwei Refuel gives you a recap every week day on everything that happened in the Ethereum and crypto ecosystems over the previous 24 hours - hosted by Anthony Sassano.
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Timestamps and links 👇
00:00 Introductory song
00:10 Happy new year
04:16 Fusaka recap
18:08 Stateless Ethereum is back
20:58 Protocol Guild launches 'Sponsor a Core Dev'
22:20 Encrypted Mempools
26:31 New Etherealize x Chainlink report
28:00 New ETH valuation website
41:46 zkEVMs coming in hot
46:23 New Forkcast feature
47:52 Brief market overview
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DISCLAIMER: All information presented across all of The Daily Gwei's communication channels is strictly for educational purposes only and should not be taken as investment advice.

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