• Ethereum developers will soon tackle the issue of staked ether withdrawals, which have been locked up since the network’s switch to proof-of-stake in September.
• The upcoming Ethereum upgrade, Shanghai, is set for March and is expected to bring scalability and a more user-friendly experience.
• Other events to look forward to include the Ethereum Hackathon, the Devcon conference, and more cool events on the horizon.

Ethereum is set to have a big year in 2023, with developers tackling the issue of staked ether withdrawals, the upcoming Ethereum upgrade, Shanghai, and other exciting events on the horizon.

The Merge, which took place in September, switched Ethereum’s consensus mechanism from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, meaning that validators, instead of miners, must approve and add blocks to the Ethereum blockchain. When validators joined the network, they were made aware that their staked ETH and any accrued rewards would remain locked up until Ethereum’s next upgrade, known as Shanghai, which is now set for March. Those that have been accruing rewards, some as early as December 2020 when the Beacon Chain went live, will finally be able to access these funds.

The Shanghai upgrade is expected to bring scalability and a more user-friendly experience to Ethereum. It is anticipated to improve performance by allowing for sharding, which is a process that breaks up a blockchain into smaller, more efficient parts. This will allow for faster transactions and a lower cost for users. Additionally, the upgrade will make Ethereum easier to use and give it more features, such as improved privacy and smart contracts.

Ethereum fans have plenty of events to look forward to in 2023, including the Ethereum Hackathon, which will bring together developers from around the world to develop and test innovative solutions on Ethereum. The Devcon conference, which is the annual Ethereum developers’ conference, will also return in 2023. This event allows developers to share their work, discuss new ideas, and collaborate on upcoming projects. Additionally, there are many other cool events on the horizon, such as the ETHGlobal hackathon series, which will bring together developers to build on Ethereum.

Overall, Ethereum is set to have a great year in 2023. With staked ether withdrawals, scalability improvements, and plenty of exciting events, there is plenty to look forward to.