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.
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.
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.