Ethereum developers Acceded February 28th is the date set for the Sepolia testnet (testnet), to be pushed through the Shanghai upgrade. This is the big move by the blockchain to allow withdrawals from staked ethers (ETH)
Sepolia is a closed testnet that Ethereum developers can use only. It’s the second such network to be upgraded. The Zhejiang testnet conducted its own simulation of staked ETH withdrawals earlier this week. One more test network is scheduled to receive the upgrade. The main Ethereum blockchain will then undergo the Shanghai hardfork next month.
Developers who have validators on the Sepolia network are not allowed to access the Sepolia testnet. Zhejiang, however, is a public testnet that allows anyone to use the release of staked ETH.
After Sepolia has completed its testing, Goerli is the last testnet that will receive the Shanghai upgrade. Goerli is expected to be the most popular test, as it is the largest Ethereum public testnet and represents the last chance for staking provider to make sure that staked ETH withdrawals are working before Shanghai goes live.
Barnabas Busa is a DevOps Engineer at the Ethereum Foundation. He explained to CoinDesk the differences between the three tests are due to the “number of visitors participating” and the network load.
Shanghai will be Ethereum’s first hard fork since the Merge in September. This Merge switched Ethereum’s old energy-intensive proof of work (PoW), for a proof to stake (PoS), consensus mechanism. PoS allows ETH to be “staked” on blockchain as a mechanism to verify and secure transactions.
Continue reading: What is the Ethereum Blockchain’s Shanghai Hard Fork and Why Is It Important?