How Much Is 1 Ethereum Going to Be Worth After Glamsterdam?

By Sam Daodu Published May 26, 7:59AM EDT

Quick Read

Ethereum has undergone 19 network upgrades and hard forks since 2015, evolving from a mining-based smart contract blockchain into a more scalable proof-of-stake network capable of hosting most of global DeFi.
Glamsterdam’s two major proposals—ePBS, which brings block-building into Ethereum’s protocol, and BALs, which will enable parallel transaction processing—directly target Ethereum’s congestion and centralization problems.
1 ETH could be worth between $2,500 and $3,300 after Glamsterdam, with a further rally toward the $4,000 to $5,000 range if the upgrade meaningfully brings activity back into Layer 1 at scale.
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Since 2015, Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) has undergone 19 network upgrades and hard forks, transforming it from a simple mining-based smart contract blockchain into a more scalable proof-of-stake network. Glamsterdam is the next hard fork, targeting mainnet by mid-2026, which raises the question of whether this could be Ethereum’s next major turning point.

Historically, Ethereum has rarely reacted until months after a network upgrade. The Pectra upgrade in May 2025 coincided with ETH climbing from $1,800 toward $4,946 over the following three months. Here’s why Glamsterdam is shaping up to be one of Ethereum’s most ambitious upgrades, and what it could mean for ETH in 2026.

Why Glamsterdam Could Be Ethereum’s Most Ambitious Upgrade Yet

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Ethereum’s Glamsterdam upgrade stands out from every upgrade since 2015 because it directly targets some of Ethereum’s biggest long-term problems: high fees, slow transactions, and heavy reliance on outside infrastructure.

Pectra and Fusaka, both 2025 upgrades, focused mainly on Layer 2 scaling, but Glamsterdam will turn attention back to Ethereum’s core Layer 1 network. While those upgrades expanded the ecosystem, the base chain still struggled with congestion and efficiency, which is what Glamsterdam tackles directly.

The upgrade centers on two major proposals: EIP-7732 (Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation, or ePBS) on the consensus layer, and EIP-7928 (Block-Level Access Lists) on the execution layer. ePBS brings block-building directly into Ethereum’s protocol instead of depending on external middleware or relays. This reduces censorship risks and makes Ethereum’s block-building process more transparent and decentralized.

The Block-Level Access Lists (BALs) could be the biggest breakthrough of the upgrade. Ethereum processes transactions sequentially within each block, which creates congestion when activity spikes. BALs change that by letting blocks declare in advance which data they need to access, making parallel execution possible without compromising security.

The Ethereum Foundation’s protocol update in May confirmed that the Glamsterdam devnets are now live, which keeps the mainnet launch on track. If it succeeds at scale, Glamsterdam could push Ethereum toward 10,000 transactions per second, a major leap from the network’s current capacity. That potential jump in speed and efficiency is a big reason the upgrade is drawing so much attention across the crypto market.

What Could 1 ETH Be Worth if Glamsterdam Delivers on Its Promise?

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Ethereum’s upgrades rarely trigger immediate ETH price spikes because the market usually takes weeks or months to digest what actually changed. The Merge triggered a historical shift to proof-of-stake, but ETH didn’t rally until months later.

Dencun followed a similar pattern, where fees dropped instantly but the ETH price only reacted once the market understood the longer-term impact on L2 growth. So Glamsterdam is likely to follow that same structure.

Here’s how much 1 ETH could be worth after the upgrade:

Scenario	ETH Price Range	Upside from $2,100
Bull	$4,000 – $5,000	+90% to +138%
Base	$2,500 – $3,300	+19% to +57%
Bear	$1,800 – $2,200	-14% to +5%

Bull Forecast: $4,000 – $5,000

In our bullish forecast, Glamsterdam would revive Layer 1 activity without disrupting ETH’s burn mechanics, where a portion of each transaction fee is permanently destroyed. With fees cut by roughly 78%, mainnet could become more attractive for users again, while ePBS and parallel execution improve efficiency and fairness across the network.

Together, those developments could rebuild demand for Ethereum’s base chain over three to 12 months. If transaction volume rises fast enough, the network could burn more ETH than it issues and tip back into a deflationary rhythm, where usage strengthens long-term scarcity pressure rather than letting supply grow.

Ethereum’s price action would likely be gradual rather than explosive, rising as on-chain activity confirms the upgrade’s impact. But if capital rotates back into Layer 1, ETH could break past previous levels and move toward the $4,000 to $5,000 range.

Base Forecast: $2,500 – $3,300

Our base forecast assumes Glamsterdam works as intended, but without a major shift in market structure. Fees fall by 78%, throughput improves, and the user experience gets better, but most activity would likely stay on Layer 2s and competing networks.

In this scenario, ETH’s price would gradually increase over three to six months after the upgrade as the market absorbs the improvements. Spot Ethereum ETF inflows and steady institutional accumulation would provide support, but without a strong surge in demand. Positioning would stay balanced, with many holders taking profits rather than chasing upside.

That would keep ETH in a broader range, with upside capped around $2,500 to $3,300, a 19% to 57% gain from today’s levels.

Bear Forecast: $1,800 – $2,200

Our bear forecast assumes Glamsterdam improves performance on paper but fails to generate meaningful new demand for Layer 1 blockspace. Users would keep preferring Layer 2s or alternative Layer 1 chains, which would limit activity growth on Ethereum mainnet.

With lower fees reducing burns, ETH could become less scarce and price momentum could fade. The market would likely stay in a low-growth state, with ETH holding the $2,200 mark or slipping toward $1,800, a level last tested on April 4, 2026.

What Is the Most Likely Price Range for Ethereum Post-Glamsterdam?

The base forecast of $2,500 to $3,300 is the most realistic outcome for ETH after Glamsterdam, with a further rally toward $4,000 to $5,000 if the upgrade meaningfully brings activity back into Layer 1 at scale.

The journey to those levels won’t happen overnight, though, because Ethereum upgrades rarely show their full impact immediately. Even if the technology works on day one, ETH may keep trading within its existing range around the upgrade period while the market slowly digests what has actually changed.

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About the Author Sam Daodu →

Sam Daodu is a crypto analyst who's spent nearly a decade making blockchain understandable—no easy task when most whitepapers read like fever dreams. He writes for 24/7 Wall St., covering Bitcoin, altcoins, and crypto market analysis for investors. Before crypto, he was a tech writer (back when explaining "the cloud" was peak innovation). Since 2018, he's written for CoinTelegraph, Yahoo Finance, The Block, Cryptonews, Zypto, Rain, and more—basically anywhere people want crypto news without the headache. Sam runs MacLabs Marketing, a content agency for crypto brands tired of sounding like AI wrote their website. He also publishes free crypto education on his site for Web3 enthusiasts who think "gas fees" is a typo. When he's not writing or staring at charts, Sam's either: - Watching anime (currently convinced One Piece has better tokenomics than most altcoins) - At the gym sculpting himself into a Greek god - Listening to the music your mum warned you only bad boys listen to Connect: LinkedIn | Email | MacLabs Marketing