Ethereum Foundation Outlines 62 Proposals for Hegotá Upgrade

The Ethereum Foundation’s Protocol Cluster has released a ranked tier list of 62 Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) under consideration for the Hegotá upgrade, currently slated for 2027 [1]. This scoping process marks a critical phase in Ethereum’s long-term roadmap, as developers aim to balance immediate network improvements with the multi-year challenge of achieving post-quantum security [2].

Defining the upgrade scope

The Protocol Cluster’s assessment involved 60 researchers and engineers who produced 397 individual grades to categorize the 62 candidate proposals [2]. Of these, only two proposals received an "S" grade, designating them as essential for inclusion [2]. The remaining pool includes 15 "A" grade proposals expected to ship, while 28 have been declined [2].

The primary technical priorities for Hegotá center on censorship resistance and cryptographic resilience. FOCIL (EIP-7805), which aims to prevent block builders from excluding specific transactions, is a top-tier priority [1]. Alongside it, Frame Transactions (EIP-8141) is being fast-tracked to introduce account abstraction and begin the transition toward quantum-resistant cryptographic foundations [2]. While the full transition to a quantum-safe Layer 1 is targeted for December 2029, the Hegotá upgrade serves as the necessary foundation to keep that multi-fork roadmap on schedule [2].

Governance and implementation

The selection process is designed to be decentralized, with the Protocol Cluster actively soliciting ranked preferences from various client teams by a September 10, 2026 deadline [1]. This approach contrasts with independent research labs like Ethlabs, which have released their own public tier lists to influence the conversation [1].

The current roadmap requires the successful deployment of the Glamsterdam upgrade, which is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, before Hegotá can proceed [1]. Historically, major Ethereum upgrades include between 5 and 15 EIPs, meaning the vast majority of the current 62 candidates will likely be deferred or removed from the final release [1].

What to watch

• September 16, 2026: The Ethereum Foundation will host a public Reddit AMA to discuss the upgrade’s direction and field community questions [1].
• Client Preferences: Monitor the aggregated feedback from client teams following the September 10 deadline, which will serve as the primary indicator for which proposals remain in contention [1].
• Quantum Readiness: Watch for further updates on the "MV-PQ" (Minimum Viable Post-Quantum) milestone, which could allow the network to operate through "Q-day" if quantum computing threats emerge faster than anticipated [2].

The final composition of Hegotá will determine whether Ethereum can maintain its aggressive 7.2-month average fork cadence required to reach full post-quantum readiness by 2029 [2]. With the scoping phase now underway, the upcoming developer calls will solidify the network's technical trajectory for the next several years [3].