Ethereum's Pectra Test Faces Another Hurdle, Will the April Upgrade Proceed as Planned?

By: blockbeats|2025/03/06 08:45:02

Original Article Title: "Ethereum Pectra Test Faces Another Failure! Mainnet Upgrade in April May Be Delayed, ETH Market Sentiment Hits Bottom"

Original Article Author: DaFi Weaver, from BlockTempo at Dooqu

Following the successful launch of the Holesky testnet, the Ethereum Pectra upgrade was scheduled to be activated on the Sepolia testnet yesterday (5). This was the final crucial stage before the mainnet upgrade. However, after several hours of testing, Sepolia started experiencing errors, leading some developers to call for a delay in the mainnet upgrade scheduled around April 8. This may further dampen the already low Ethereum sentiment.

Sepolia Testnet Encounters Empty Block Issue

The reason for the failure was that developers noticed the Sepolia testnet starting to experience empty block issues.

The Ethereum Foundation stated that this was due to a configuration error in the Sepolia testnet's deposit contract, causing many execution layer clients to be unable to include transactions in blocks. It was emphasized that this was only a testnet configuration issue and not a flaw in Pectra itself. In other words, this issue will not impact the Ethereum mainnet and only occurred in the Sepolia test environment.

Developers from the Ethereum Foundation stated that they "identified the root cause of the problem within minutes" and promptly deployed a fix to restore normal network operation. As of last night at 10:00 (UTC+8), validators had successfully resolved the issue, and network throughput returned to normal.

Despite this, the test still raised concerns about whether Pectra has been thoroughly tested. This is because a previous test on Ethereum's Holesky testnet also experienced issues with chain fork, caused by misconfigured validators.

· Holesky Testnet was the first stage of testing

· Sepolia Testnet is the second stage of testing, which should proceed to mainnet upgrade if no issues arise

Galaxy Digital Research Vice President: Mainnet Upgrade Needs to Be Delayed

Galaxy Digital's Research Vice President, Christine Kim, stated in an interview with CoinDesk:

I do think the issues on the Holesky and Sepolia testnets necessitate a delay in the Pectra mainnet upgrade.

Kim pointed out that while developers may be ready, the entire Ethereum ecosystem, including smart contract applications and wallet service providers, also needs to prepare accordingly. He suggested that Ethereum developers should use this time to establish additional testing infrastructure to ensure the stability of the upgrade.

Ethereum core developers will hold a meeting on March 7 to determine the official launch date of the Pectra upgrade. If a delay is announced, it may trigger further community unrest, especially given the current low ETH price, significant restructuring within the Ethereum Foundation, and competition from public chains like Solana, all putting pressure on the Ethereum ecosystem.

Ethereum Market Sentiment Hits Annual Low

Blockchain data analytics platform Santiment noted that Ethereum's market sentiment has dropped to a one-year low, primarily due to its recent underperformance compared to other major crypto assets.

However, for ETH investors with patience, Santiment is optimistic:

The prevailing pessimism in the community might actually be a precursor to a market bottom and recovery. Once the crypto market stabilizes, ETH could have the opportunity for a rebound.

Ethereum's Pectra Test Faces Another Hurdle, Will the April Upgrade Proceed as Planned?

ETH Surges Over 4%

As of the time of writing, ETH, driven by Bitcoin's rise, is currently trading at $2,275, hitting a 24-hour high of $2,288, up 4.67%. It has rebounded nearly 15% from its recent low of $1,993.

Original Article Link

Peeling back its smooth trading interface to examine the underlying legal relationships and settlement processes, you will find that this is far from a simple "RWA asset revolution," but rather a complex game of interests involving spot pricing, rights ownership, and the monopoly of underlying custo...

In such a crowded cross-border payment arena, where is the next stop for the future?

Only by stepping into the mud can one have the chance to touch gold.

Why Is Bitcoin Down in 2026? What We Can Learn From 2022

Why is Bitcoin down in 2026? Bitcoin has just recorded its worst first half since 2022, with back-to-back quarterly losses, record ETF outflows, and extreme fear. Here's what history says, how 2026 differs from the last bear market, and the three signals traders should wat

The large models in the United States are moving towards closure in the name of security

The government successfully inserted itself as an approver between commercial AI models and their users for the first time.

From the white-haired stock god to the billionaire fund mogul, the smart people shorting Nvidia are all getting rich using the same framework

Give up on heavily investing in Nvidia's "nine major bottlenecks"! This article analyzes the underlying logic behind top AI investors making billions: physical infrastructure such as electricity, HBM, and optical interconnects are the true keys to wealth in AI hardware.

Morning Report | CoinEx becomes a key hub for Iran to evade sanctions, involving over $3.8 billion in funds; Kalshi seeks a new round of financing, with a valuation potentially rising to $40 billion

Overview of Important Market Events on June 25

Global Launch: As predictions become the most scarce asset in the AI era, Manadia is defining the next generation of the value internet

The trusted AI prediction ecosystem Manadia, which has secured $7 million in funding from well-known institutions like OKX, will globally launch in June. The core token UMXM has already been listed on multiple mainstream platforms, inviting you to seize the new blue ocean of the trillion-level predi...

Why do cryptocurrency projects always like to change their names?

In many cases, the old names of encryption projects have no competitive advantage, only historical baggage.

Who is footing the bill for the $64 billion accounting frenzy?

Affected by Bitcoin falling below $60,000, publicly listed companies heavily invested in this asset are facing huge paper losses and valuation discounts, and their debt structure and accounting standards may trigger structural liquidity risks in the future.

I never expected that the first application of AI x Crypto would be in security auditing

AI has accelerated attack efficiency and also promoted the upgrade of defense systems. The security audit sector is undergoing a transition from a dividend model to a competitive model.

What is your view on Binance's competitive advantages?

When the dividends of rule arbitrage gradually approach zero, can we produce product strength, governance capability, and trust that are commensurate with its scale?

ETH has entered a non-consensus phase, and the turning point is approaching!

This has nothing to do with the Ethereum Foundation or Ethlabs; Ethereum needs to win by solving real problems.

The shift in the cloud of the air: from despising stablecoins a year ago to the high-profile entry of capital today

It can continue to question the cost-effectiveness of stablecoins in the G10 currency corridor, but it cannot ignore the structural opportunities of stablecoins in emerging markets, corporate finance, and on-chain settlements.

The survival dilemma of small and medium exchanges behind the withdrawal anomalies exposed by AscendEX

The living space is constantly being compressed.

Why Is Bitcoin Falling Below $60K? 5 Key Market Drivers Explained

Bitcoin has dropped sharply amid ETF outflows, Strategy stock weakness, AI stock rallies, and changing Fed expectations. Explore the key forces driving BTC’s latest correction and what traders should watch next.

Bitcoin vs. Gold in 2026: Which Asset Performs Better in Different Markets?

Bitcoin vs. gold in 2026: Why are both assets falling, and what does their changing correlation mean? Discover what drives Bitcoin and gold prices and how traders can navigate different market conditions.

The cryptocurrency industry has entered the "Show Me" era: merely relying on vision is no longer enough

The awareness level of the audience in the cryptocurrency industry—including media, institutions, and retail investors—is steadily increasing, and this trend has become a foregone conclusion.

Morning Report | Samsung announces a 265.5 trillion won investment plan, focusing on semiconductor and AI computing power data centers; Vitalik publishes an article detailing the entire technology tree behind the confusion protocol (iO) mainline

Overview of Important Market Events on June 29

What you bought on CEX is really not US stocks: Analyzing the 94% liquidation monopoly and the evaporation of equity under a five-layer pipeline

From the white-haired stock god to the billionaire fund mogul, the smart people shorting Nvidia are all getting rich using the same framework