One last hurdle for Ethereum developers after successful testnet transition to proof of stake

What 

Ethereum developers have successfully transitioned the Sepolia testnet from proof of work to proof of stake 

Why 

Developers are running numerous fail-safe tests on so-called testnets before the actual merge of the Ethereum Mainnet with the Beacon Chain, which will transition the network from proof of work to proof of stake

What next 

One last practice run on the Goerli testnet is planned for the coming weeks, after which the actual Merge will be rolled out

The story 

The penultimate Merge on a testnet leaves Ethereum developers with one last hurdle to clear before the final rollover from proof of work to proof of stake. 

The Ethereum Merge is similar to the discontinuation of an old computer operating system and replacing it with a new one. The network is currently running two of these operating systems, old and new, at the same time: the Mainnet, running on proof of work, and the Beacon Chain, operating on proof of stake, the latter being the new system. 

Currently, stakeholders have a choice in whether they want to use the old network or the new one. When the Merge finally happens, there will no longer be a choice in the matter, as the two chains will be docked and the entire one network will run on proof of stake. 

When the Merge will eventually take place continues to be uncertain. “As of the publication of this post, the date for the Ethereum mainnet proof-of-stake transition has not been set,” a note on the Ethereum blog reads. “Any source claiming otherwise is likely to be a scam. Updates will be posted on this blog.” 

Unless you’re a node validator, developer or miner, the Merge won’t impact investors in a technical way, but the markets may react to the Merge, depending on its success.

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