Ethereum activated the 'Pectra' upgrade on May 7, 2025, marking its most significant update since the Merge in 2022. This upgrade focuses on streamlining staking and enhancing wallet functionality, raising the maximum stake from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH. This change allows stakers to consolidate their operations under a single node rather than maintaining multiple validators, easing the process for both small and large operators. Key components of the upgrade include EIP-7251 for increased staking limits and EIP-7702 for improved crypto wallet functionalities. Pectra features a total of eleven Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) that aim to optimize the network's efficiency and security. These enhancements come amid increasing competition from platforms like Solana and ongoing internal discussions about Ethereum's future direction.

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