Following the Pectra upgrade, Ethereum has seen a notable surge in its price, driven by significant reductions in blob transaction costs, which fell from around $16,000 daily to a fraction of a penny. This dramatic drop has facilitated cheaper operations for layer-2 networks like Arbitrum and Optimism, allowing them to process transactions at very low costs. However, while blob usage increased by 33%, rollups have not fully capitalized on this expanded capacity, creating a data burden on smaller validators who may struggle to keep up with processing requirements. As a result, some are merging with larger operations to manage costs and enhance stability. The Ethereum network continues to grapple with challenges related to validator consolidation, raising concerns about decentralization, even as the ecosystem grows. Overall, the Pectra upgrade highlights Ethereum's ongoing evolution and adaptability in the ever-changing cryptocurrency landscape.

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