Ethereum's Full Transition to Proof of Stake Closer Through This Upgrade

Ethereum developer Tim Beiko announces the launch of the Ethereum Merge Kintsugi testnet on Monday. The Merge is Ethereum's transition from proof-of-work (PoW) to proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus, with the primary goal of maximizing the Ethereum ecosystem's scalability, security and sustainability. When Kintsugi has been upgraded and is stable, Ethereum's final journey to PoS (proof-of-stake) commences.

Over the past few months, client teams have been working tirelessly to implement a new set of merge milestones. They are now live on a new testnet: Kintsugi ?!

Here's how you can join the testnet and help with testing: https://t.co/ARDezguzXE ?

Christmas came early?!

— Tim Beiko | timbeiko.eth ? (@TimBeiko) December 20, 2021

The Ethereum blockchain initiated several network upgrades this year to prepare for the biggest transition in the coming year of 2022: The Merge. This upgrade marks the official transition of Ethereum blockchain to proof-of-stake consensus. At this point, the current Ethereum Mainnet (PoW) is to merge with the Beacon Chain (PoS). The Merge, or Kintsugi mainnet, is expected to debut in Q1/Q2 of 2022 and would bring the end of Ethereum's proof-of-work (PoW) consensus to finalize the next block.

Ethereum roadmap

According to Ethereum's roadmap annotated by Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin, The Merge is the next milestone followed by The Surge, The Verge, The Plurge & The Splurge. Ethereum's proof-of-work (PoW) chain has already deployed network upgrades: Berlin, London and the Arrow Glacier.

Happy birthday beacon chain!

Here's an updated roadmap diagram for where Ethereum protocol development is at and what's coming in what order.

(I'm sure this is missing a lot, as all diagrams are, but it covers a lot of the important stuff!) pic.twitter.com/puWP7hwDlx

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) December 2, 2021

The Arrow Glacier network upgrade delayed the EIP-4345 Difficulty Bomb to June 2022. This will push the difficulty bomb on the Ethereum PoW chain to next summer. The Ethereum community expects to have "The Merge" activated in mainnet before June 2022.