Ethereum developers are evaluating 66 proposals for the Hegotá upgrade, with privacy-focused changes and the FOCIL mechanism among the leading candidates to shape the network's next major evolution
Ethereum's core developers are weighing 66 proposals as they work to define the scope of Hegotá, the network's next major upgrade targeted for 2027. Among the proposals under review are several Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) that aim to embed privacy features at the protocol level, a shift that could have significant implications for application developers and users seeking more confidential transaction flows.
Privacy and Inclusion on the Table
While only one proposal-FOCIL, or Fork-choice enforced Inclusion Lists-has been confirmed for Hegotá so far, privacy-focused EIPs are drawing attention as top candidates for inclusion. FOCIL would allow a committee of validators to require that certain transactions be included in blocks, limiting the ability of block producers to exclude specific activity. This mechanism is designed to address concerns about censorship and selective transaction processing on Ethereum's base layer.
Ethereum Foundation contributor Toni Wahrstätter has advocated for the addition of three privacy-related proposals: Frame Transactions (EIP-8141), Keyed Nonces (EIP-8250), and Recent Roots for Frame Transactions (EIP-8272). These EIPs are intended to provide foundational tools for developers to build privacy-preserving applications directly on Ethereum, reducing reliance on external intermediaries. However, these proposals would not deliver end-user privacy features by themselves; instead, they would enable developers to construct more private transaction flows on top of the protocol.
Upgrade Timeline and Process
Core developers are aiming for a 2027 launch for Hegotá, with the next developer call scheduled for August 17 at 2:00 pm UTC. The proposals discussed during this call are expected to shape much of Ethereum's technical roadmap through the end of the decade. Proposals that are not selected for Hegotá may still be considered for future upgrades, reflecting the network's iterative approach to protocol development.
Before Hegotá, Ethereum's development team is finalizing the Glamsterdam upgrade, which is planned for the second half of 2026. According to Ethereum's public roadmap, Glamsterdam will focus on improving layer-1 scalability and usability, setting the stage for the more ambitious changes proposed for Hegotá.
Implications for Developers and Users
If privacy-focused EIPs are included in Hegotá, developers building on Ethereum could gain new low-level tools to support confidential transactions and privacy-enhanced applications. This could reduce the need for off-chain privacy solutions or third-party intermediaries, but would also require developers to implement privacy features at the application layer. For end users, the impact would depend on how widely these tools are adopted and integrated into wallets, dApps, and other services.
As of June 2026, Ethereum remains the largest smart contract platform by total value locked and active developer participation. According to data from L2BEAT, the network processes millions of transactions daily, with over $50 billion in total value locked across layer-1 and layer-2 protocols. The outcome of the Hegotá proposal review could influence Ethereum's competitive position as privacy and censorship resistance become more prominent concerns for users and regulators.
Embedding privacy features at the protocol level is a complex undertaking that involves trade-offs between transparency, compliance, and user confidentiality. While privacy tools can help protect sensitive information and support new use cases, they may also raise regulatory questions about anti-money laundering and transaction monitoring. The debate over privacy on public blockchains is likely to intensify as Ethereum's roadmap advances, with developers, users, and policymakers all playing a role in shaping the network's future direction.
