Years in preparation, The Merge was the largest coordinated upgrade in blockchain history. It ended Ethereum mining, eliminated ~13,000 tons of annual CO2 equivalent, and set the stage for subsequent upgrades (Shanghai for staking withdrawals, Dencun for L2 scaling). Critics predicted chaos; The Merge executed flawlessly. A landmark of engineering discipline in a space known for shipping chaos.
protocol·September 15, 2022
The Merge — Ethereum to Proof of Stake
Ethereum transitions from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake, reducing network energy use by 99.95%.