Key Points:
- Ethereum Institutional has backed Ethlabs’ proposal to reduce Ethereum block times, arguing that faster processing is increasingly important as institutional activity moves onchain.
- EIP-8198, known as “Quick Slots,” initially proposes reducing Ethereum block times from 12 seconds to 10 seconds.
- The proposal comes as Ethereum competes with networks including Solana and Zcash that are also pursuing shorter block or slot times to improve transaction speed and confirmation latency.
Ethereum Institutional Supports Faster Blocks
Ethereum Institutional has expressed support for Ethlabs’ proposal to reduce Ethereum’s block times, citing the growing volume of institutional activity moving onto blockchain infrastructure.
In a Friday post, the nonprofit organization called for Ethereum to “Make Ethereum faster,” arguing that shorter block times are becoming increasingly important as more institutional activity moves onchain.
The comments came after Ethlabs published an article highlighting support for EIP-8198, also known as “Quick Slots.”
The proposal seeks to initially reduce Ethereum’s block time from 12 seconds to 10 seconds, potentially improving the speed at which transactions are included and confirmed on the network.
DeFi Founders Back Quick Slots
Ethlabs said its proposal has received support from 20 decentralized finance founders.
EIP-8198 was authored in March and was subsequently proposed for consideration for inclusion in Ethereum’s Hegotá upgrade during a core developer meeting on Aug. 6.
Ethlabs said it is integrating the proposal’s specifications with the Ethereum codebase while investigating potential downstream dependencies. The organization said the work is intended to help the proposal meaningfully enter the scope of Hegotá.
The proposal remains part of the broader development process, meaning its eventual implementation depends on Ethereum’s technical review and upgrade decisions.
Ethereum Faces Faster Blockchain Competition
The push to reduce Ethereum’s block times comes as other blockchain networks pursue similar improvements.
Zcash token holders recently backed a proposal to reduce the network’s target block time from 75 seconds to 25 seconds. The change is intended to reduce the expected waiting period for a transaction’s first confirmation.
Solana has also been working to reduce its slot times.
In August, Solana reduced its slot time from 400 milliseconds to 350 milliseconds. Earlier in June, the Solana Foundation outlined plans to reduce slot times further to 200 milliseconds, arguing that shorter intervals could improve network latency and accelerate transaction confirmations.
These developments reflect an ongoing focus among major blockchain networks on transaction speed and responsiveness as decentralized applications and financial activity increasingly operate onchain.
Institutional Activity Raises Performance Requirements
The Ethereum Institutional endorsement places institutional adoption at the center of the block-time debate.
Institutional users can have different infrastructure and execution requirements from smaller onchain participants, particularly when blockchain networks are being used for financial applications.
Shorter block intervals could reduce the time between transaction submission and inclusion, although network upgrades also need to account for technical dependencies, validator operations and overall network stability.
For Ethereum, the challenge is therefore not simply increasing speed but doing so while maintaining the reliability and security of the mainnet.
Hegotá Could Address Further Network Improvements
Ethereum developers could begin implementing the Hegotá upgrade in late 2026 following Glamsterdam.
Glamsterdam is designed to improve Ethereum’s scalability and strengthen the mainnet, making the sequence of upgrades an important part of Ethereum’s longer-term development roadmap.
If EIP-8198 advances into Hegotá, the Quick Slots proposal could become part of Ethereum’s broader effort to improve transaction responsiveness and maintain competitiveness as other networks continue optimizing their block-production systems.
Outlook
The debate over Ethereum’s block times reflects a broader shift in blockchain infrastructure as institutional and financial activity increasingly moves onchain. EIP-8198’s proposed reduction from 12 to 10 seconds would represent a targeted improvement rather than a fundamental redesign of Ethereum’s consensus system. Its progress will depend on technical evaluation and inclusion decisions for Hegotá, while the parallel efforts by Solana and Zcash underscore the competitive focus on faster transaction processing across major blockchain networks.
Comparison, examination, and analysis between investment houses
Leave your details, and an expert from our team will get back to you as soon as possible
