Ethereum Inches Closer to 45 Million Gas Limit as Throughput Rises
Ethereum is entering a new phase of layer-1 scalability, with its gas limit crossing 37.3 million units, according to Etherscan data from July 21. The move reflects growing validator support to raise the cap further to 45 million, which would reduce transaction costs and improve on-chain capacity.
Validators have the power to increase the gas limit by ~0.1% per block, and 47.2% of staked validators are now signaling support for the 45M target, as tracked by GasLimit.pics. This initiative is part of the “Pump the Gas” campaign launched in March 2024 to relieve congestion and improve performance on Ethereum’s base layer.
Why Gas Limit Matters for Ethereum Users
The gas limit defines how much computation can be packed into each block. A higher gas ceiling means more transactions or complex smart contracts can be processed per block, directly influencing throughput and user costs.
Over the weekend, Ethereum’s TPS (transactions per second) rose to 17.8, up from 15 TPS after the last increase in February. If the network hits the 45M mark, analysts estimate that TPS could approach 20+, bringing smoother DeFi, NFT, and L2 settlement experiences.
Vitalik Buterin Endorses the Move
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin acknowledged the momentum, noting, “Almost exactly 50% of stake are voting to increase the L1 gas limit to 45 million.”
He also highlighted that recent updates to Geth, Ethereum’s most widely used client, include archive node optimizations, making it safer to increase the gas limit without risking node performance.
ETH Price and Activity Trending Higher
The scaling narrative aligns with a broader uptick in network activity. Daily transactions jumped from 1.1M in April to 1.4M in July, per Etherscan. This rise in usage correlates with a 54% monthly price rally, pushing ETH above $3,800—its highest level in over seven months.
Institutional interest, including ETF inflows and treasury allocations, continues to support Ethereum’s upside potential as the base layer becomes more efficient and cost-effective.
Conclusion
Ethereum’s latest gas limit increase is more than a technical tweak—it’s a clear step toward scalable, low-fee L1 performance. If validator support tips past 50%, the jump to 45 million gas units could be just days away.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves risk and may result in financial loss.