Ethereum Delays Glamsterdam Hoodi Test After Researchers Flag Contract Risk

Ethereum developers have called off Glamsterdam’s planned activation on the Hoodi testnet after researchers identified a risk to existing smart contracts. The concern is that changes to how the upgrade prices gas—the network’s transaction-processing fee—could let some contracts permanently record an operation as failed, even when that result should not be locked in.

Security firm ChainSecurity identified 13 real-world examples of contracts that could be affected, according to reports from CoinTelegraph and Decrypt. The team is coordinating responsible disclosure with the projects involved. Developers have not announced a new Hoodi activation date.

What did researchers find in the Glamsterdam changes?

The reported issue involves the interaction between Glamsterdam’s gas changes and how existing contracts handle failures. A contract that permanently records a failed operation could behave incorrectly later, so the concern is not simply that a transaction might cost more or fail once: it is that the failure could become lasting state on the contract.

The 13 examples give the warning a concrete scope, but the reports do not name the affected projects or say that any contracts have already been exploited. The work is being handled through responsible disclosure, which gives projects a chance to assess and address problems before details are made public.

Why pause a testnet upgrade?

Hoodi is a test network, so canceling its activation gives developers time to examine the issue before Glamsterdam proceeds through that testing step. That is especially relevant because the upgrade’s gas and capacity changes need to work safely with contracts already deployed under earlier rules—not just with new code written for Glamsterdam.

The delay follows Glamsterdam’s earlier test milestones: the upgrade reached Sepolia on October 6, and developers had scheduled a Hoodi activation afterward. Unlike a routine test adjustment, this pause responds to a compatibility risk identified in real-world contracts. For users, it is a reminder that an upgrade can affect how old applications behave even when their code has not changed.

What happens next for Glamsterdam?

Developers need to investigate the gas-rule interaction and determine whether changes to the upgrade or affected contracts are needed before rescheduling Hoodi. The next concrete milestone to watch is an updated Hoodi activation plan; the available reports provide no replacement date. Until the issue is resolved, the 13 identified examples are potential exposure, not evidence of confirmed losses.