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5 Things to Know Before Ethereum’s Shanghai Upgrade

The upgrade will introduce several important changes to the Ethereum network, including improvements to the scalability and security of the network, as well as the introduction of a new type of transaction, called a zk-rollup. 

What is Ethereum’s Shanghai Upgrade?

The Ethereum Shanghai Upgrade, set to occur on March 2023, is a significant hard fork that has garnered much attention. One of its most notable features is the ability for stakers and validators to extract their assets from the Beacon Chain. This is a major development as staked Ether accounts for a large portion of the total supply of the token, approximately 16 million coins, which is equivalent to about one-seventh of the total. The combined value of all staked Ether is estimated to be over $26 billion, making the outcome of this hard fork a matter of significant importance.

What is EIP-4895?

The crucial aspect of the Shanghai upgrade, which enables validators to withdraw their staked tokens, is documented as Ethereum Improvement Proposal-4895 or EIP-4895. Around 16 million ETH has been staked by validators to help secure the system. The role of validators has become increasingly significant in the Ethereum blockchain since the Merge initiated the transition of Ethereum’s consensus mechanism from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake in September 2022. The new regulations after the Merge permit validators who stake 32 ETH in the network to take part in block validation and every staked ETH increases the chance of a validator receiving block rewards.

The Merge necessitated that validators secure their ETH and any rewards earned until a subsequent blockchain update. Despite the Merge occurring in 2022, validators have been participating in ETH staking since December 2020 when the Beacon Chain, utilizing proof-of-stake as its operating mechanism, was launched.

What Does it Mean for Validators?

The biggest change brought by the Shanghai hard fork for validators is the ability to finally retrieve their locked ETH. This means that validators have the option to claim back their staked tokens and remove them from the network. However, some experts doubt that this will occur as Ethereum still holds a strong position in the DeFi market and offers attractive staking rewards. Additionally, after the Shanghai upgrade, validators will be able to freely withdraw their staked assets without worrying about having a large amount of money (32 ETH, which was estimated to be worth around $150,000 at its highest point) locked for an indefinite period.

Validators that do wish to unstake ETH after the Shanghai fork can do so in a couple of ways. One is to create a “withdrawal credential” to unstake any rewards accrued in the last several years. The second and more consequential option is to exit the Beacon Chain completely by unstaking all 32 ETH.

How About Other Improvements?

The Shanghai fork holds a significant development in the form of EIP-4895, but it also comprises several other minor proposals known as EIPs. These proposals aim to minimize gas fees during peak periods, thereby providing advantages to Ethereum developers. To achieve this, EIP-3651 proposes reducing gas fees associated with payments through Maximal Extractable Value when accessing the COINBASE address. It is worth noting that COINBASE in this context refers to software that enables developers to receive new tokens, not the cryptocurrency exchange. Additionally, EIP-3855 aims to decrease general gas costs for developers, EIP-3860 limits gas costs for developers in specific situations, and EIP-6049 addresses similar concerns regarding gas fees.

The Shanghai upgrade is relatively modest, especially in comparison to the Merge. Despite its small scale, it has the potential to bring significant changes for ETH holders who have staked their tokens on the network. In 2023, there are plans for additional upgrades to the Ethereum protocol, including improvements to the Ethereum Virtual Machine and a proposed split of the Ethereum blockchain into various “shards” to increase scalability. The latter, known as EIP-4844, was initially planned to be part of the Shanghai upgrade but was later postponed.

Will Ethereum’s Shanghai Upgrade Affect the price of ETH?

Upgrades to the Ethereum network often result in increased demand for ETH as more users and developers flock to the network. The scalability improvements in particular are expected to greatly increase the speed and efficiency of the network, making it more attractive to users. This increased demand for ETH could lead to a rise in its price.

However, the introduction of zk-rollups could also have an impact on the price of ETH. Zk-rollups are a new type of transaction that allows users to combine multiple smaller transactions into one larger transaction, reducing the number of transactions that need to be processed on the Ethereum network. This could reduce the overall demand for ETH, as fewer transactions would need to be processed, leading to a potential drop in its price.

Another factor to consider is the overall market sentiment surrounding cryptocurrencies. The crypto market is highly volatile and is subject to rapid fluctuations based on news and events. A positive market sentiment could lead to increased demand for ETH, driving up its price, while a negative market sentiment could result in decreased demand and a drop in its price.

Finally, the impact of the Shanghai Upgrade on the price of ETH will also depend on the overall state of the Ethereum network. If the network is performing well and attracting users and developers, the upgrade is likely to have a positive impact on the price of ETH. However, if the network is facing challenges, such as high fees or slow transaction times, the upgrade may not have as significant an impact on its price.

In conclusion, the Shanghai Upgrade of Ethereum has the potential to impact the price of ETH, but the exact impact is uncertain and will depend on several factors, including the success of the upgrade, market sentiment, and the overall state of the Ethereum network. While the upgrade is expected to bring improvements to the scalability and security of the network, the impact on the price of ETH remains to be seen.

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