Ethereum’s Ropsten public testnet will undergo a “Merge” next month ahead of a rollout on the main network, developer activity on GitHub shows.
The Merge refers to Ethereum’s long-awaited move to a proof-of-stake network from its current proof-of-work design. After the shift, transactions on the Ethereum blockchain would be processed and validated by stakers instead of miners, which would, in turn, create a faster and “eco-friendly” network.
Switching the blockchain from one consensus mechanism to another is a complex change, which requires multiple tests on testnets like Ropsten before they are finally deployed on the mainnet.
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The Ropsten merge is expected to take place on June 8. Estimates for a rollout on mainnet are in the final quarter of this year. A few features, such as the ability to withdraw staked ETH, however, will have to wait for until after the Merge is complete.
The new development failed to provide much of a bid for ether, however, as broader macro fears continue to hold sway on all risk markets. Ether is down 5% over the past 24 hours to $1,960 alongside a nearly 5% decline in the Nasdaq on Monday, and a 1% drop in Nasdaq futures ahead of Thursday's market open.