Ethereum Inches Closer to the Merge with Bellatrix Upgrade

The Ethereum community is buzzing with anticipation as the highly anticipated Merge draws nearer! The Bellatrix upgrade, a crucial step in the transition, has been generating significant excitement and momentum. Think of the Bellatrix upgrade as preparing the Beacon Chain – the consensus layer – to be merged with the Ethereum mainnet, and the Paris upgrade as when that actually happens.

Bellatrix Upgrade: Setting the Stage for the Merge

The Bellatrix upgrade is not live yet, but with it, we are one step closer to the merge – a shift that will redefine not just ETH, but many Dapps. Prysmatic Labs co-founder and Ethereum Protocol Developer Preston Van Loon breaks down the Bellatrix upgrade, Ethereum's final upgrade ahead of the Merge, or the transition from a Proof-of-Work (PoW) to a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism.

According to data, as many as 73.5% of Ethereum nodes are now marked as “Merge ready” ahead of the upcoming Bellatrix upgrade for Ethereum. Ethereum developer Tim Beiko has announced that the Bellatrix upgrade is expected June 2. Following the Bellatrix upgrade, a Terminal Total Difficulty (TTD) will be set, signaling the final switch to Proof-of-Stake.

What to Expect After Bellatrix

Following the Bellatrix upgrade, the network will be closely monitored as it approaches the Paris upgrade. This final step will officially trigger the Merge, moving Ethereum to its new, energy-efficient consensus mechanism.

Bellatrix Upgrade and Epoch Values

The Bellatrix update for the Ethereum network is expected to spruce up the Epoch value. It would reportedly surge to 144,896 on the PoS chain. It should be noted that one epoch is the time the network takes to mine 30,000 blocks. This upgrade is considered to be vital for the Merge process.

Stay tuned for further updates as Ethereum inches ever closer to this landmark event. The Merge promises to be a transformative moment for the entire cryptocurrency ecosystem!