Prysm, an Ethereum consensus-layer client developed by Offchain Labs, has released version 7.2.1 with changes aimed primarily at the upcoming Gloas portion of the Glamsterdam upgrade on the Sepolia testnet. The release was published on October 5, one day before Sepolia’s scheduled Glamsterdam activation at epoch 353,024.
The update changes how Prysm handles Gloas builder configuration, enables partial data-column dissemination by default, and adds a 200 million gas-limit schedule for Sepolia after the fork. The release also includes fixes for Gloas block production, historical state replay, and several validator and beacon-node behaviors. Prysm’s release notes specifically advise users testing Gloas builders to update to version 7.2.1 so builder authentication settings are interpreted correctly.
Key Takeaways
- Prysm v7.2.1 updates builder configuration handling for Ethereum’s upcoming Gloas fork.
- Partial PeerDAS data-column dissemination is now enabled by default in the Prysm client.
- Sepolia validators receive a 200 million gas-limit schedule after the Gloas activation.
- The release also includes fixes covering Gloas block production and historical state replay.
Prysm Changes Builder Configuration For Gloas
The main focus of Prysm v7.2.1 is compatibility with Gloas builder configuration in the validator client. Prysm said users testing Gloas builders should update to the release because proposer settings now expect builder auth_data and builder_pubkeys in 0x-prefixed hexadecimal format rather than base64.
The change brings proposer settings in line with the format used by the keymanager API. Prysm also changed how it generates default builder authentication data. Instead of using the complete builder URL, the authentication data is derived from the URL’s hostname, following the relevant builder specification. Builder URLs without a hostname are rejected under the new implementation. The release also introduces several validator-client options for Gloas builders. These include –builder-urls, –builder-min-bid, –builder-boost-factor and –builder-max-execution-payment. These options let you supply builder-related settings through the validator client rather than relying only on proposer settings files.
Another change affects how long Prysm waits for builder bids. The default –builder-bid-timeout has increased from 300 milliseconds to 600 milliseconds. The setting controls how long the beacon node waits for execution-payload bids from builder relays once Gloas is active. Prysm has made the timeout configurable, so operators can adjust the setting as needed for their setup. The release also changes PeerDAS data handling. Partial data columns are now enabled by default, meaning data columns are disseminated at the cell level rather than requiring nodes to gossip entire columns. Prysm says operators can return to full-column gossip with –disable-partial-data-columns, while the previous –partial-data-columns option is now deprecated and has no effect.
These changes are tied to Gloas support rather than representing a general change for Ethereum mainnet operators. Prysm’s previous v7.2.0 release had already scheduled Gloas for Sepolia, while noting that the fork had not yet been scheduled for Hoodi or mainnet.
Sepolia Gets A 200M Gas Limit Schedule With The Update
Prysm 7.2.1 also changes Sepolia’s default gas-limit behavior after Gloas activation. The release adds the network’s GAS_LIMIT_SCHEDULE, setting the default gas limit at 200 million from epoch 353,024. This change matters because Prysm 7.2.0 was released before the updated Sepolia gas-limit schedule was incorporated upstream. As a result, Prysm 7.2.0 could support the Gloas fork but defaulted to a 60 million gas limit unless validators configured another value. Version 7.2.1 incorporates the 200 million setting into the client.
The Ethereum Foundation’s Glamsterdam testnet announcement confirms that Sepolia’s Glamsterdam activation combines the Amsterdam execution-layer changes with the Gloas consensus-layer upgrade. The activation is scheduled for October 6 at 13:53:36 UTC, with both execution- and consensus-layer clients required to support the upgrade. For Prysm validators, the new release notes state that the 200 million gas limit requires no additional action if you follow the network schedule. Operators who want to use a different limit can instead specify gas_limit in proposer settings, use the keymanager API, or set –suggested-gas-limit.
Beyond the gas-limit change, v7.2.1 includes several fixes related to the first Gloas block and historical state handling. Prysm also addressed an issue where data columns on topics a proposer was not subscribed to could fail to reach peers, along with changes affecting execution-payload handling and validator-client responses. The update therefore serves primarily as a compatibility and configuration release for operators preparing for Sepolia’s Glamsterdam activation. The official Prysm release notes do not indicate that this release activates Gloas on Ethereum mainnet, and the Ethereum Foundation has not announced mainnet or Hoodi activation dates in its current Sepolia announcement.
