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Ethereum's Holesky testnet goes live on first anniversary of The Merge

Published date:

February 2, 2026

Ethereum's Holesky testnet goes live on first anniversary of The Merge

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Ethereum developers have deployed the Holesky testnet to improve the testing capabilities of the ETH blockchain. The launch of the new testnet coincided with the one-year anniversary of The Merge, a landmark update that transitioned the Ethereum blockchain from a Proof-of-Work (PoW) to a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) model.

The largest public testnet in Ethereum's history, Holesky, is launching today!

Monitor the launch here: https://t.co/NVcpgpKifT
— sassal.eth (@sassal0x) September 15, 2023

Data from beaconcha.in revealed that the first block was proposed on the new Holesky testnet on Friday, 10 am ET. As its name suggests, a testnet is a separate network where developers can freely test new features without impacting the live blockchain network, or the “mainnet.”

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The Ethereum blockchain currently has two testnets: Goerli and Shapella. Initially named Holli, the Holesky testnet will address the scaling issues of Ethereum, with developers estimating the test network will support as many as 1.4M validators.

Developer Tim Beiko claimed that around 1.6B Holesky testnet Ether (HETH) tokens will be sent to validators to increase their participation in the Holesky testnet. The high scalability of the Holesky testnet will allow developers to test the upcoming Dencun update in a realistic environment. The Holesky testnet will replace Goerli by early 2024.

Written by

Ayush Pande

Ayush Pande is a hardware, gaming, and crypto writer based in India. He's a tech enthusiast who's fascinated by the potential of blockchain technology.

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Ayush Pande

Written by:

Ayush Pande

Writer

As a tech enthusiast who's always on the prowl for the latest developments concerning crypto and hardware, you can find him covering news stories or tinkering with PCs.

About the Author

As a tech enthusiast who's always on the prowl for the latest developments concerning crypto and hardware, you can find him covering news stories or tinkering with PCs.

About the Author

Radica Maneva

Reviewed by:

Radica Maneva

Senior Editor

Radica is a Senior Editor at Bitcompare. She has worked for more than a decade at leading publications as an Editor across various industries, including crypto and finance.

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