Ethereum is now preparing to launch the highly anticipated major update, Shanghai-Capella or Shapella, on the main network on April 12th.
The main feature of the update is the proposed Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4895, which aims to enable withdrawals of validator deposits on the main network. This critical function was not completed during Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake consensus in September to ensure a secure transition.
In addition to withdrawals, developers have planned three additional improvements aimed at improving gas costs for certain activities with the Shapella update.
The update is scheduled for April 12th at 10:27 am UTC, according to core developers in a meeting held on Thursday.
Since February, developers have conducted several stages of public testing on three test networks, including Sepolia, Zhejiang, and Goerli. On Tuesday, Shapella was launched on the Goerli network as a final dress rehearsal before the main network launch. All three networks have successfully processed ETH withdrawals from their respective validator pools.