Author: pastry & korpi | Compiled by Katie Gu for Odaily Planet Daily
On June 8, the Ethereum Ropsten testnet successfully completed its merge. While the transition date for Ethereum's mainnet Proof-of-Stake (PoS) remains unconfirmed, this marks a critical testing phase before the mainnet deployment. Following Ropsten, two additional testnets—Goerli and Sepolia—will transition to PoS, paving the way for the mainnet upgrade.
The Final Stage of Ethereum’s Merge Preparation
Developers have spent months testing clients on Kintsugi, Kiln, and shadow forks. Shadow forks are specialized devnets created by forking small node subsets from existing networks, replicating mainnet conditions to observe node behavior.
With successful shadow fork milestones achieved, the focus now shifts to testnet deployment. The new Ropsten Beacon Chain launched on May 30, providing the consensus backbone for the merge.
Key Phases of the Ropsten Merge
- Bellatrix Upgrade (Consensus Layer)
Triggered at slot height 24,000 on June 2, this introduced merge-compatible protocol rules. - Terminal Total Difficulty (TTD) Execution
Set at 50,000,000,000,000 on June 3, TTD marked the threshold for chain merging. Post-TTD, blocks were produced solely by Beacon Chain validators.
Implications of the Merge
1. End of PoW, Dawn of PoS
The merge eliminates energy-intensive Proof-of-Work (PoW), reducing Ethereum’s energy consumption by 99.5%. A greener blockchain era begins.
2. ETH Supply Shock
- Daily issuance drops 90% (from ~14,790 ETH to ~1,590 ETH).
- Equivalent to three Bitcoin halvings in one event.
- Miner sell pressure (~$19M daily) shifts to staker buy pressure (~$8.2M daily).
3. Economic Mechanics
- Fee Burns = Structural Demand: ~85% of fees are permanently removed (EIP-1559), creating sustained buy pressure.
- Net Effect: Even if stakers sell 100% of rewards, the merge results in net positive demand.
FAQ Section
Q: When will Ethereum’s mainnet merge happen?
A: After Goerli and Sepolia testnets transition successfully. No fixed date yet.
Q: How does PoS reduce energy use?
A: By replacing miners with validators, cutting energy needs by ~99.5%.
Q: Will ETH become deflationary post-merge?
A: Yes, if fee burns exceed issuance—likely during high network activity.
Q: What’s the impact on ETH price?
A: Reduced sell pressure + increased burn could drive long-term appreciation.
The Road Ahead
- Next Steps: Goerli/Sepolia testnet merges → Mainnet Bellatrix upgrade → TTD finalization.
- Client Readiness: Shadow forks, testnet stability, and final audits remain.
👉 Explore Ethereum’s PoS Transition
Disclaimer: Views expressed are independent and not financial advice. For updates, join the CoinVoice community.
Structural demand shifts post-merge may redefine ETH’s market dynamics—narratives and fundamentals align for a bullish case.