Hegota Revolution: What Will Ethereum 2026 Become as a Network?

By the second half of 2026, Ethereum will witness one of the most important evolutions since The Merge. The core development team has just announced the official name for this landmark upgrade: Hegota upgrade. This is not a superficial improvement but a comprehensive overhaul aimed at addressing the structural issues that are making Ethereum increasingly cumbersome.

Why does Ethereum need an evolution like Hegota?

The problem Ethereum faces is very specific: state bloat. As the network operates, historical data continuously accumulates. Full nodes must store all this information, making running a node extremely resource-intensive. As a result, only those with powerful servers can participate, leading to centralization—contradicting the spirit of blockchain.

Hegota upgrade aims to eliminate this barrier. By restructuring how Ethereum stores and verifies data, it will enable anyone to run a node on a regular computer.

Two technologies that will change everything

Verkle Trees: Replacing Merkle Patricia Trees entirely

Merkle Patricia trees—currently used by Ethereum to organize state—are a legacy from the past. Verkle Trees will replace them with a much more efficient model.

In particular, Verkle Trees allow the creation of cryptographic proofs that are 1/100th the size of current ones. What does this mean? Stateless clients will be able to verify the entire chain without storing blockchain data. Instead, they only need these small proofs.

State expiry: Time-limited storage

In addition to Verkle Trees, Ethereum will implement a state expiry mechanism. The idea is simple: old data—states that are never used—will be “archived” into long-term storage, no longer part of the active state.

Imagine a computer hard drive: you don’t keep all files on the desktop but move old stuff into a separate storage. State expiry does the same with blockchain.

What does this bring to you?

Running a node becomes feasible for everyone

Currently, running a full node requires at least 1-2TB of storage and a fairly powerful computer. After Hegota, this requirement will drop to just a few GB, similar to a regular mobile app.

Faster node synchronization

Stateless clients can join the network in minutes instead of hours. This improves network resilience: if a node fails, new nodes can quickly replace it.

Platform for future scalability solutions

A lightweight layer 1 will create a solid foundation for rollups and sidechains. Ethereum will be able to process thousands of transactions per second without losing decentralization.

But what other challenges will there be?

From now until 2026, the development team must complete enormous tasks:

• Comprehensive testing: These changes affect Ethereum’s core. Any bugs could cause significant damage. Testing must last for years.

• Backward compatibility: No current applications should break. smart contracts must continue to operate normally.

• Clear communication: Node operators, service providers, and miners need to understand what’s coming. Otherwise, the upgrade process could be chaotic.

• Planned hard fork: Like The Merge, Hegota requires a hard fork. All software clients must be updated.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

When will the Hegota upgrade happen?
Targeted for the second half of 2026. However, this is only an estimate and may change.

Why is it called “Hegota”?
It’s a combination of “Heze” (consensus layer) and “Bogota” (execution layer). The name reflects the coordination between the two architectural layers.

Do I need to do anything?
If you are an ordinary user, nothing. Your wallet will still work. If you run a node or are a developer, you will need to update your software.

What about Layer 2 solutions?
Hegota will make Layer 2 more efficient. Existing rollups will also benefit from a lighter layer 1.

Will there be other evolutions after Hegota?
Very likely. Ethereum is a living project. After Hegota, the community will continue exploring ways to improve it.

Conclusion: Hegota is the final chapter of a long story

The announcement of the Hegota upgrade shows that Ethereum is continuously evolving. It’s not just adding features but addressing fundamental internal limitations.

Although the technical changes may seem complex, the goals are very clear: protect decentralization, maintain security, and enable Ethereum to scale in the future. Hegota is not just an update—it’s an evolutionary step toward making Ethereum a truly global payment layer.