Are you wondering why Ethereum’s latest upgrades keep promising faster and cheaper transactions? This article explains the core concepts behind the recent “proposer‑builder separation” and block‑level access lists, how they work, and what they mean for anyone trying to earn or use crypto on the network.
What proposer‑builder separation and block‑level access lists actually are
Ethereum processes transactions in blocks. In the current system, a single entity – called a validator – both proposes a block (decides which transactions to include) and builds the block (arranges the transactions and calculates the resulting state). This “single‑lane” approach creates a bottleneck because the validator must do both tasks sequentially, limiting how many transactions can be packed into a block.
Proposer‑builder separation (PBS) splits these two roles. A block proposer is still a validator that earns the right to propose a block, but it outsources the actual construction of the block to a specialized block builder. The builder assembles the most profitable set of transactions, runs the execution code, and returns a signed block to the proposer. The proposer then adds the block to the chain after a quick verification step.
This separation brings three main benefits:
- Parallelism: Builders can work on many candidate blocks at the same time, while proposers focus on selecting the best one.
- Economic efficiency: Builders compete to offer the highest “MEV” (maximal extractable value) to the proposer, which can increase overall rewards for validators.
- Security: By separating consensus validation from execution validation, validators have more time to check that the block’s execution results match the builder’s claims, reducing the risk of malicious blocks.
Block‑level access lists (BALs) are another piece of the scaling puzzle. When a block is executed, the client must read and write many pieces of state (account balances, contract storage, etc.). Traditionally this is done sequentially, which slows down validation. A BAL records, for each block, exactly which accounts and storage slots are accessed. With this list, a client can read the needed data from disk in parallel and validate multiple transactions at once, dramatically speeding up the process.
Real‑world illustration: the Glamsterdam testnet launch
On October 6 2026, the Ethereum community announced that the “Glamsterdam” upgrade went live on the Sepolia testnet at 1:53 pm UTC. The upgrade introduced enshrined proposer‑builder separation (EIP‑7732) and enforced block‑level access lists (EIP‑7928), along with a higher gas‑limit floor of 200 million. This testnet deployment served as a final rehearsal before the upgrade’s mainnet activation, allowing developers to verify that the new mechanisms work as intended under real network conditions.
What this means for you as a crypto earner
If you earn passive income by staking ETH, running a validator, or providing liquidity on Ethereum‑based protocols, the upgrade can affect your returns in several ways:
- Higher throughput: More transactions per second means lower congestion, which can reduce the gas fees you pay when interacting with DeFi or NFT platforms.
- Potentially higher validator rewards: Validators that successfully propose blocks will receive the builder’s MEV payment in addition to the standard block reward, increasing overall earnings.
- Increased competition for block building: Specialized builders may capture a larger share of MEV, so the extra income for proposers could become more variable.
For those who use cloud‑mining or other “green crypto” services, the efficiency gains translate into less computational waste per transaction, aligning better with sustainability goals.
How to evaluate whether the upgrade benefits your strategy
- Check validator performance metrics: After Glamsterdam’s mainnet launch, monitor the average block proposal time and the amount of MEV received per epoch. A noticeable improvement indicates the upgrade is delivering its promised efficiency.
- Review builder marketplaces: Services that connect validators with builders (often called “PBS relays”) publish fee structures. Compare the relay fees against the additional MEV you earn to see if the net reward is higher.
- Assess gas price trends: Look at the average gas price before and after the upgrade. A sustained drop suggests that the higher gas limit and parallel processing are easing network congestion.
- Consider hardware and energy usage: If you run your own validator, the new parallel validation may allow you to use less powerful hardware while maintaining performance, reducing electricity costs.
FAQ
What is MEV and why does it matter?
MEV stands for “maximal extractable value.” It is the profit a block builder can earn by ordering, including, or excluding transactions in a way that benefits them. With proposer‑builder separation, this profit is shared with the validator who proposes the block, potentially boosting staking rewards.
Will proposer‑builder separation make the network less secure?
No. By giving validators more time to verify execution payloads and by separating consensus from execution validation, PBS actually adds a layer of security. Validators still check that the builder’s block follows the protocol rules before finalizing it.
Do I need to change anything in my staking setup?
Most staking services will handle the upgrade automatically. If you run a solo validator, you may need to update your client software to a version that supports EIP‑7732 and EIP‑7928. Follow the client’s official release notes for the exact steps.
How soon will the upgrade affect transaction fees?
The impact on fees depends on network demand. In practice, the higher gas limit and parallel processing can reduce congestion, which often leads to lower fees, but market dynamics also play a role.
This article references reporting from cointelegraph.com.
