Ethereum's Next Leap? Developers Propose Halving Block Time to Accelerate DeFi
Author: Ritika Gupta
Translated by: Jessica
Can Shortening Block Confirmation Time Speed Up DeFi and Rollups?
- The Ethereum proposal of a 6-second slot time aims to achieve faster transaction confirmation and more efficient DeFi cycles.
- Is this the next major breakthrough in blockchain, or just a marginal adjustment to block time?
As a Layer 1 blockchain, the value of Ethereum ETH goes far beyond price speculation. Its true core competitiveness lies in having the largest DeFi ecosystem on the chain, with a total locked value (TVL) of $60.92 billion.
Today, developers seem to be doubling down on this core scenario. According to the upcoming "Glamsterdam" upgrade proposal EIP-7782, they plan to reduce Ethereum's block time from 12 seconds to 6 seconds.
With the implementation of the Pectra upgrade and the advancement of this new proposal, 2025 may become the most transformative year in Ethereum's history. But is this just an ordinary technical adjustment or a true evolution of the on-chain ecosystem?
Ripple Effect of Underlying Adjustments
Interestingly, the upgrade advocates have called this block time reduction the "largest Rollup solution in Ethereum's history". This claim is not without merit - currently, each block takes 12 seconds to complete the proposal, verification, and on-chain process, and after halving the time, it can significantly optimize the feedback efficiency of the L1 layer without increasing the gas limit or throughput.
In other words, Ethereum will not process more transactions, but will process them faster. Assuming the blockchain runs continuously for an hour, the number of blocks generated will double from 300 to 600.
The key point is: the gas limit remains unchanged, with each block still carrying the same computational load, and this change alone could make fees more stable.
As transactions are packaged more frequently, users will no longer need to pay excessive fees for quick confirmation. The actual effect may be a decrease in the average cost per transaction.
Source: Artemis Terminal
From a technical perspective, the EIP-7782 proposal may be a deep and subtle transformation. The reduction in fees alone could significantly improve network participation - especially when L1 blockchains are experiencing the strongest actual demand since their inception.
But Ethereum is not just an ordinary L1, it is the cornerstone of DeFi. Therefore, the core question is: Will this upgrade's reshaping of the DeFi ecosystem be as significant as its optimization of user experience?
Shorter Block Time, More Precise DeFi Execution
The essence of DeFi is to complete transactions, lending, and yield generation without banks or intermediaries. However, all these functions are still constrained by Ethereum's block rhythm. Currently, each transaction requires an average of 12 seconds for confirmation.
Taking token exchange on Uniswap as an example: a 12-second delay in a volatile market could mean a significant price difference, forcing users to pay higher fees to avoid transaction queuing. If the time is halved to 6 seconds, the system's response will be more agile, price synchronization more timely, and user execution efficiency naturally improved.
Its derivative impact is: more efficient transactions may attract deeper liquidity, thereby driving more user staking.
Data Source: defillama
Therefore, shortening block time seems like a minor adjustment, but its impact is far-reaching: faster blocks mean a more compact market, better experience, and stronger incentives for holding and using ETH. Overall, this is a structural transformation that strengthens fundamentals and on-chain activity.
