Ethereum to end support for Holesky testnet by September 2025

The Ethereum Foundation has announced plans to phase out the Holesky testnet by September 2025 due to recurring issues that have hindered testing for the upcoming Pectra upgrade.

In a statement released on March 19, the network confirmed that a new testnet, Hoodi, would take over Pectra-related testing.

Holesky issues

Holesky encountered major issues during the Pectra upgrade test last month.

Several execution clients, including Geth, Nethermind, and Besu, used incorrect deposit contract addresses, causing a bug in the execution layer. This caused chain splits, weakening network stability.

Sepolia, another Ethereum testnet, faced similar issues due to custom deposit contracts. However, it recovered swiftly.

In contrast, Holesky struggled with inactivity leaks that complicated validator exits.

Although the network has since been finalized, removing exited validators would take nearly a year. This delay made it impractical to test the complete validator lifecycle within a reasonable timeframe.

The Foundation noted that while Holesky still allows stakers to test deposits and other Pectra features, its exit queue limits broader testing. As a result, Ethereum decided to shift Pectra testing to the Hoodi testnet.

Despite this change, Holesky will remain available for select tests, including gas limit increases, until its support officially ends in September 2025.

Transition to Hoodi

The Hoodi testnet will take over Pectra upgrade testing, with activation set for March 26, 2025, at epoch 2048, around 7:37 UTC.

Staking operators and infrastructure providers are expected to migrate their validator tests to this new environment.

Ethereum Testnets Lifespan (Source: Ethereum Foundation)

Additionally, Ethereum announced that the Sepolia testnet will be replaced in March 2026, with support ceasing by September 2026.

Hoodi is expected to remain active until September 2028, after which Ethereum will discontinue support.

These updates mark Ethereum’s continued efforts to refine its testing infrastructure and ensure smoother protocol upgrades.

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