cryptojournalist
Rising Support for Gas Limit Increase
As of December 19, 10% of Ethereum validators are now backing an increase in the network’s gas limit, up from just over 1% earlier in the month. This shift comes as part of a growing movement within the Ethereum community to raise the maximum gas that can be used for transactions within a single block.
Why Increase the Gas Limit?
The push to raise the gas limit aims to reduce transaction fees. Ethereum core developer Eric Connor and others argue that a higher gas limit could cut transaction costs by 15% to 33%. In March, they launched a campaign to increase the limit to 40 million, and more validators have joined the cause since then.
Ethereum researcher Justin Drake also supports the idea, suggesting that a modest increase to 36 million would improve network performance without compromising safety. The goal is to provide more space for transactions and lower fees, making the network more efficient.
Challenges and Concerns
While the push for a higher gas limit is gaining momentum, there are some concerns. Some experts warn that increasing the limit too quickly could affect the network’s stability and security. Ethereum Foundation’s Toni Wahrstätter cautioned that too large a gas limit could make it harder for solo node operators to keep up with the blockchain’s growth, potentially harming decentralization.
Despite these risks, advocates believe that gradually raising the gas limit is necessary to support the growing demand for Ethereum applications and ensure smoother user experiences.
