The third major network upgrade of the Ethereum Classic (ETC) blockchain—dubbed Phoenix—has been successfully executed, marking another milestone in the platform’s ongoing evolution. As confirmed by the Ethereum Classic team via their official social channels, the hard fork activated at block 10500839, integrating critical protocol improvements originally developed for Ethereum (ETH) during its Istanbul upgrade in late 2019.
This upgrade follows two previous forks—Atlantis and Agharta—making Phoenix the third major consensus change within just one year. These iterative upgrades are part of a broader strategic initiative by the Ethereum Classic development community to align ETC more closely with Ethereum’s technical advancements while preserving ETC's core principles of immutability and decentralization.
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What Is the Phoenix Fork?
The Phoenix hard fork implements ECIP-1088, an Ethereum Classic Improvement Proposal designed to modernize the network’s gas mechanics and improve overall efficiency. By incorporating a suite of Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), Phoenix brings ETC’s execution environment closer to parity with ETH, enhancing compatibility and developer experience.
Key technical upgrades introduced in this fork include:
- EIP-152: Adds the Blake2 compression function F as a precompiled contract, enabling faster cryptographic operations.
- EIP-1108: Reduces gas costs for alt_bn128 precompiles, lowering the cost of zero-knowledge proofs and privacy-preserving transactions.
- EIP-1344: Introduces the
CHAINIDopcode, improving transaction replay protection across different networks. - EIP-1884: Reprices opcodes that depend on trie size, mitigating potential spam attack vectors.
- EIP-2028: Lowers calldata gas costs, making data-heavy smart contracts more affordable to deploy.
- EIP-2200: Adjusts SSTORE gas metering to better reflect storage changes, promoting more efficient state management.
These changes collectively enhance network security, reduce transaction costs for developers, and future-proof Ethereum Classic against emerging scalability and interoperability challenges.
Network Readiness and Adoption
According to real-time tracking data from etcnodes.org/phoenix, over 55% of nodes were already upgraded and fully compliant at the time of the fork. The remaining nodes are actively synchronizing with the new chain rules, indicating strong community coordination and preparedness.
Major mining pools and wallet providers have also been transitioning to Phoenix-compliant software. While most leading platforms had completed their updates ahead of the fork, some smaller services—including certain niche exchanges—are still in the process of full integration. Notably, Kraken has not yet released an official statement regarding its support timeline for the upgrade.
For users, it is crucial to ensure that their wallets, dApps, and infrastructure tools are running Phoenix-compatible client versions. Legacy systems such as Parity Ethereum and Multi-Geth, which no longer receive active support, may become incompatible or expose users to operational risks like failed transactions or fund loss.
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Why Forks Matter: The Road to Interoperability
Forks like Phoenix are not merely technical exercises—they represent strategic steps toward long-term sustainability. By adopting proven EIPs from Ethereum’s Istanbul upgrade, Ethereum Classic strengthens its ecosystem without compromising its foundational philosophy: code is law.
This alignment also benefits developers who work across both ecosystems. With similar opcode behaviors and gas models, building decentralized applications (dApps) on ETC becomes more intuitive for teams already familiar with ETH tooling. Over time, this can attract more builders to the platform, increasing innovation velocity and user adoption.
Moreover, regular, well-coordinated upgrades signal maturity and resilience—qualities increasingly valued in a competitive smart contract landscape dominated by platforms like Ethereum, BNB Chain, and emerging Layer 2 solutions.
Market Reaction: Short-Term Dip Amid Long-Term Potential
Shortly after the fork activation, Ethereum Classic’s market price experienced a temporary decline—from $7.35 to $6.84—within a few hours. While this suggests limited immediate bullish sentiment around the upgrade, such dips are common during network transitions due to uncertainty, exchange maintenance, or short-term profit-taking.
However, technical upgrades rarely drive instant price surges. Their impact is typically observed over weeks or months through improved network usage, lower fees, increased developer activity, and stronger node distribution—all indicators of organic growth.
Historically, assets that undergo successful upgrades tend to regain momentum once stability is confirmed. For investors focused on fundamentals, Phoenix represents a positive step toward making ETC a more robust and viable alternative in the smart contract arena.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did Ethereum Classic implement the Phoenix fork?
The Phoenix fork was implemented to integrate essential gas optimizations and security enhancements from Ethereum’s Istanbul upgrade. This improves transaction efficiency, reduces costs for developers, and aligns ETC with modern blockchain standards.
Do I need to take any action after the Phoenix fork?
Yes. If you run a node, wallet service, or dApp on Ethereum Classic, ensure your software is updated to a Phoenix-compatible version. Users holding ETC on supported exchanges or wallets generally do not need to act unless notified otherwise.
Was there a risk of a chain split during the fork?
While any hard fork carries theoretical split risks, the Ethereum Classic community achieved strong consensus ahead of Phoenix. With over half the network upgraded before activation and broad support from miners and developers, a sustained chain split was highly unlikely.
How does Phoenix affect transaction fees?
Several EIPs in Phoenix—like EIP-2028 (calldata cost reduction) and EIP-2200 (SSTORE rebalancing)—directly lower gas consumption for complex transactions and smart contracts. This results in lower average fees, especially for data-intensive operations.
Is Ethereum Classic becoming identical to Ethereum?
No. While ETC adopts certain technical improvements from ETH for compatibility, it maintains key philosophical differences—particularly its commitment to immutability and resistance to post-launch protocol interventions. The goal is technical convergence where beneficial, not ideological alignment.
Will exchanges suspend ETC deposits or withdrawals?
Some exchanges temporarily paused ETC services around the fork window to ensure safe integration. Most major platforms resumed operations within hours. Always check your exchange’s status page for real-time updates during network upgrades.
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Final Thoughts
The successful completion of the Phoenix fork underscores Ethereum Classic’s ability to evolve through collaboration, technical rigor, and community-driven governance. While short-term price movements may reflect skepticism or caution, the long-term value lies in a stronger, more efficient network capable of supporting next-generation applications.
For developers, investors, and enthusiasts alike, staying informed about such upgrades is essential. As blockchain technology advances rapidly, networks that adapt—without sacrificing their core values—stand the best chance of enduring relevance.
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