Ethereum Foundation Confirms Shutdown of Holesky Testnet After Fusaka Upgrade

TLDR:

• Ethereum Foundation confirmed Holesky testnet shutdown two weeks after the Fusaka upgrade finalized, marking its planned end-of-life.
• Holesky launched in 2023 as Ethereum’s largest validator testnet but faced validator exit issues after Pectra testing.
• Developers are advised to migrate testing to Sepolia for dapps or Hoodi for validator and staking operations.
• Hoodi, launched in March 2025, supports Pectra features and will activate upcoming Ethereum upgrades like Fusaka.

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The Ethereum Foundation has confirmed the shutdown of its Holesky testnet, closing one of the network’s largest testing environments. 

Holesky was first introduced as a staging ground for validators and developers, providing a space for large-scale upgrade testing. Its closure comes just two weeks after the completion of the Fusaka upgrade, signaling a move to a new phase in Ethereum’s testing landscape. 

Developers and validators now face a clear path for where to continue operations, with guidance provided on migration. The end of Holesky opens the door for Ethereum’s newer testnets to carry the load moving forward.

Ethereum’s Holesky Testnet Shuts Down 

In an announcement, the Ethereum Foundation confirmed that Holesky reached its scheduled end-of-life. 

According to a post shared by Crypto Patel, validator nodes began shutting down two weeks after Fusaka finalized. The foundation advised developers to switch to Sepolia or Goerli for ongoing application and tooling work.

Launched in 2023, Holesky was Ethereum’s largest public testnet, designed specifically for validator lifecycle and staking trials. It supported upgrades such as Dencun and Pectra, giving developers space to simulate network behavior under stress. 

After the Pectra upgrade, however, Holesky ran into validator inactivity issues, leaving a large backlog of exits. This limited its ability to handle full validator operations at scale.

The closure coincides with the launch of the Hoodi testnet earlier this year. Hoodi was designed to avoid Holesky’s limitations by offering a fresh validator set and tighter upgrade support. The foundation stated that Hoodi will now be the main environment for staking and validator testing.

Application developers, by contrast, are encouraged to continue using Sepolia. This network remains stable for smart contract testing and decentralized application development. 

With Holesky out of the picture, the testing ecosystem is being simplified to meet Ethereum’s broader upgrade goals.

Ethereum’s Current Testnet Ecosystem

Ethereum’s testnet structure has now shifted to three main networks. Hoodi serves validator and staking providers, Sepolia covers application and tooling testing, and Ephemery handles lightweight validator lifecycle trials with resets every 28 days.

The launch of Hoodi in March 2025 marked an important update for Ethereum’s roadmap. It provides an environment tailored for Pectra features and will support future upgrades like Fusaka. This ensures validators can operate without the extended exit queues that troubled Holesky.

The Ethereum Foundation noted that Holesky played an important role during its active phase. It allowed developers to test how validators would behave under heavy activity and network upgrades. The lessons gained from Holesky informed the design of Hoodi, shaping a more efficient and scalable environment.

With Holesky now retired, the focus shifts to these newer networks. Developers are expected to adapt quickly, moving testing operations in line with the foundation’s guidance. The ecosystem is now set up for a streamlined process as Ethereum prepares for future protocol updates.

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