Ethereum's Hegotá upgrade is the network's next major protocol change after Glamsterdam, which is currently targeted for Q4 2026. Where Glamsterdam focuses on scaling and base-layer efficiency, Hegotá is aimed at something harder to market but arguably more fundamental: making Ethereum more resistant to censorship, more flexible for users, and better prepared for long-term security challenges.

FOCIL: The Confirmed Headliner

The upgrade's anchor feature is FOCIL, or Fork-Choice Enforced Inclusion Lists, formalised as EIP-7805. A few sophisticated block builders have come to dominate block production on Ethereum, which has weakened the network's censorship resistance properties. FOCIL is the direct response to that problem.

In practical terms, FOCIL works by selecting a committee of validators each slot. Those validators each submit a list of transactions they believe should be included in the next block. Block builders are then required by protocol to honour those lists. Attesters will only vote for blocks that satisfy the inclusion requirements, meaning a non-compliant block simply will not become canonical. FOCIL is the only EIP formally scheduled for Hegotá so far.

What Else Is Being Considered

Beyond FOCIL, several other proposals are under active discussion, though none are formally scheduled. Core developers are currently reviewing as many as 66 proposals to define Hegotá's full scope, with each being assessed for implementation complexity, security implications, and the readiness of reference implementations.

EIP-8141, known as Frame Transactions, is one of the more consequential candidates. The proposal could allow accounts to define how transactions are validated, how gas is paid, and how multiple actions are executed. That would move Ethereum closer to native account abstraction, making smart contract wallets first-class citizens on the protocol and reducing the external infrastructure developers currently need to build advanced wallet features. EIP-8141 also has a longer-term implication: by allowing accounts to adopt different signature schemes, it could provide a migration path toward quantum-resistant cryptography without requiring an immediate network-wide change.

Verkle Trees are another significant area under consideration. The data structure would replace Ethereum's existing state model and make it considerably easier for the network to support stateless clients, reducing the storage and computational burden of running a node.

The distinction between confirmed and under-consideration matters here. As things stand, FOCIL is the only locked-in feature. Native account abstraction and Verkle Trees remain part of the broader development process and could shift before any final scope is agreed.

Hegotá is currently targeted for 2027, following Glamsterdam's expected Q4 2026 mainnet launch. As with all Ethereum upgrades, timelines remain subject to development progress. The upgrade's core ambition, however, is clear: harden the protocol against censorship at the block-production level, push toward programmable accounts, and lay the groundwork for a more lightweight and quantum-resilient network.

Sources:
Ethereum Improvement Proposals: EIP-7805 (FOCIL)
Cointelegraph: Ethereum Devs to Narrow 66 Proposals Tied to Hegotá Upgrade
CoinDesk: Ethereum's Hegotá Upgrade Slated for Late 2026 as Devs Accelerate Roadmap