Ethereum to Close Its Largest Testnet, Holesky, After Fusaka Upgrade
Ethereum is set to shut down its largest testnet, Holesky, following the Fusaka upgrade later this year. Launched in 2023, Holesky was designed to stress-test Ethereum's proof-of-stake mechanism and became popular among validators for trialing upgrades before they were deployed on the mainnet. Notable upgrades such as Dencun and Pectra were initially tested on Holesky. However, the network faced issues like 'inactivity leaks,' where numerous validators went offline after upgrades, causing significant backlogs and delays in testing. In response, Ethereum introduced the new Hoodi testnet in March 2025, which aims to solve these problems while continuing to serve its role in the validator and staking provider testing ecosystem. Sepolia and Ephemery will continue to serve specific testing functions, ensuring that development work can proceed smoothly despite the closure of Holesky. Ether (ETH) was reported to be trading at $4,380 as of the latest update.
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