Ethereum Offers $2M to Hackers Before Fusaka Upgrade

The Ethereum Foundation has opened a four week audit contest for its upcoming network upgrade, Fusaka. Security researchers can earn up to 2 million dollars in rewards by finding vulnerabilities before the hard fork goes live, which could happen as early as the fourth quarter of 2025.

Ethereum Fusaka Upgrade: Contest Details and Backers

The program is being hosted on Sherlock, a web3 security platform, and co sponsored by Gnosis and Lido. It runs from September 15 through October 13. To boost early participation, rewards carry a two times multiplier in the first week and one and a half times in the second.

Sherlock has managed large scale Ethereum audit contests before, including the review of the Pectra bytecode changes in 2024. This effort reflects a broader push to combine community driven audits with standing bounties for stronger pre mainnet assurance.

Ethereum Fusaka Upgrade: What Fusaka Brings?

Valid bug reports will be collected and summarised in an official report. Outside the contest window, Ethereum’s Bug Bounty program remains active, offering up to 250,000 dollars for wider protocol vulnerabilities.

Fusaka bundles around a dozen Ethereum Improvement Proposals aimed at improving security, throughput, and efficiency. The headline feature is Peer Data Availability Sampling. This technique spreads blob data checks across multiple nodes, boosting capacity for rollups and easing network pressure.

Fusaka is Ethereum’s next major upgrade after Pectra, expected to roll out in late 2025 or possibly 2026. Its name combines Fulu, a star in the Cassiopeia constellation, and the city of Osaka. The goal of Fusaka is to push Ethereum further on scalability, efficiency, and overall performance, with improvements landing directly on its Layer 1 blockchain.

Key Features of Ethereum Fusaka Upgrade

PeerDAS (Peer Data Availability Sampling)
At the centre of Fusaka is PeerDAS, introduced in EIP 7594. This new networking protocol lets nodes confirm that data is available without downloading it in full, cutting down validator workloads. PeerDAS also raises the blob data target from the Dencun upgrade’s 3/6 to a proposed 48/72. Since blobs are critical for Layer 2 rollups, this change will increase throughput and reduce transaction costs, making rollups more efficient.

EVM Object Format (EOF)
Fusaka is also expected to refine the Ethereum Virtual Machine with the EVM Object Format. EOF separates code from data, adds versioning, and introduces new instructions. The result is bytecode that is easier to verify, more secure, and more efficient, giving developers stronger tools for building smart contracts.

Deferred Pectra Features
Several Ethereum Improvement Proposals originally meant for Pectra will be folded into Fusaka instead. These include EIP 7549 for rollup scalability, EIP 3670 for stricter code validation, and EIP 4750 for functional improvements, alongside a broader set of proposed code changes.

Focus on Scalability and Decentralisation
The upgrade continues Ethereum’s drive to expand capacity while keeping the network decentralised and secure. PeerDAS reduces validator strain, while EOF tightens contract execution. Together, they help prepare Ethereum for rising DeFi traffic and new decentralised applications.

Development Timeline

Vitalik Buterin has suggested Fusaka should follow Pectra closely, ideally with a testnet ready the day after Pectra’s planned April 8, 2025 release. Still, given the technical scope, many developers believe 2026 is more realistic. Some, including the Geth team, have warned that pushing too much too fast could be risky and even suggested leaving out features like EOF if delays become unavoidable.

Ethereum Fusaka Upgrade: What Fusaka Means?

For users and developers: Cheaper and faster rollup transactions will strengthen Ethereum’s position in decentralised finance and make applications more affordable to use.
For validators: By lowering the amount of data validators must handle, PeerDAS makes it easier to participate in securing the network, supporting decentralisation.
For the market: If Fusaka delivers on its promises, it could drive greater adoption and possibly influence demand for ETH. The exact price impact is uncertain, but the upgrade signals a strong commitment to Ethereum’s long term growth.

Timelines and Caution

The upgrade is targeted for late 2025. However, Foundation co executive director Tomasz Stańczak has noted that the timeline could slip if coordination across teams does not tighten.