Platåberget Testnet Launches by Ethereum Foundation—How to Participate?

The Ethereum Foundation launches the Platåberget testnet as part of the testing process for Ethereum's upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade, giving developers, validators, builders, and infrastructure operators a public environment to test the network's next major changes.

The Platåberget testnet went live on August 13, 2026, and is designed specifically to test the Gloas fork and the features planned for Glamsterdam. One of its most important changes is enshrined proposer-builder separation (ePBS), alongside changes to gas pricing, block-level access lists, and other protocol improvements.

Unlike Sepolia, which is intended for general application and smart contract testing, Platåberget is focused on testing the Ethereum protocol itself and the infrastructure that will need to support Glamsterdam.

So, what is Platåberget testnet by Ethereum Foundation, and how can developers and validators participate? This guide explains what the network does, what is being tested, and the steps required to join.

Key Takeaways

• Platåberget is Ethereum's public Gloas testnet, launched on August 13, 2026, to test features planned for the Glamsterdam upgrade.

• The testnet focuses on ePBS, gas repricing, block-level access lists, and other protocol changes before Glamsterdam reaches Ethereum mainnet.

• Anyone can participate by running a compatible node, obtaining test ETH, and, where applicable, depositing test validators through the network's permissionless validator set.

What Is Platåberget Testnet by Ethereum Foundation?

Source: Platåberget testnet

Platåberget is a public Ethereum testnet created for testing the Gloas fork and the broader Glamsterdam upgrade. It provides a live environment where Ethereum clients, validators, builders, staking infrastructure, and other network tools can be tested against the upcoming protocol changes.

The network launched on August 13, 2026, with a Chain ID and Network ID of 7091047534. It uses Proof of Stake and currently runs the Osaka execution-layer version and Fulu consensus-layer version before the Glamsterdam fork activates.

The testnet is expected to remain active until the Glamsterdam upgrade reaches Ethereum mainnet.

This makes Platåberget different from a conventional Ethereum testnet used primarily to deploy decentralized applications. Its main purpose is to help the ecosystem identify and resolve issues before the new protocol rules are deployed on mainnet.

For developers testing regular EVM applications, smart contracts, or decentralized applications, the network documentation recommends using Sepolia instead.

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How Does Platåberget Testnet Work?

The answer to how does Platåberget testnet work starts with its role as a fork-testing environment.

Platåberget runs the protocol changes associated with the Gloas fork, allowing participants to test how Ethereum's execution and consensus infrastructure behaves under the new rules.

The network includes:

• Proof-of-Stake consensus

• An open and permissionless validator set

• Enshrined proposer-builder separation (ePBS)

• New builder deposit and exit mechanisms

• Gas repricing under the Glamsterdam specification

• Block-level access list changes

• New testing infrastructure for builders and validators

• Public RPC and checkpoint-sync services

• Explorers and network monitoring tools

At launch, Platåberget had more than 84,000 active validators and approximately 2.70 million ETH in total testnet stake, according to the network information provided.

The network also provides a public faucet, explorer, RPC endpoint, checkpoint-sync provider, and several testing tools, making it possible for participants to interact with the testnet without using real ETH.

What Features Are Being Tested on Platåberget?

Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation

ePBS is one of the central features being tested on Platåberget.

Under ePBS, builders become a separate on-chain actor with their own registry and deposit mechanisms. This changes how block construction interacts with Ethereum's consensus layer.

The testnet allows builders and validators to test the new architecture before it reaches mainnet.

Amsterdam Gas Repricing

Glamsterdam also changes the cost of several Ethereum operations to better reflect their impact on network state.

Some of the key changes include:

The changes are particularly important for applications that frequently create accounts or storage slots.

Operations such as token launches, airdrops, minting, factories, and transactions involving first-time token holders may become substantially more expensive under the new pricing model.

Developers should therefore benchmark these operations on Platåberget rather than relying on gas estimates based on the current Ethereum mainnet rules.

Higher Block Gas Limit

Another important change is the planned increase in the block gas limit to 200 million after the relevant Glamsterdam fork activation.

This gives developers and infrastructure operators additional room for load testing and helps them evaluate how clients behave under higher execution workloads.

Platåberget Fork Schedule

The Platåberget network has a defined schedule for the Glamsterdam-related changes.

The Glamsterdam (Amsterdam/Gloas) fork is scheduled for August 20, 2026, at 07:50:24 UTC, corresponding to epoch 1,536.

A subsequent gas-limit change to 200 million gas is scheduled for August 20 at 11:02:24 UTC, corresponding to epoch 1,566.

This timing makes Platåberget particularly useful for developers and infrastructure operators who want to test their systems before and after the fork.

How to Participate in Platåberget Testnet

If you are wondering how to participate Platåberget testnet, the network is designed to be open and permissionless.

Participants can run a node using a compatible execution-layer and consensus-layer client pair, synchronize with the network, obtain test ETH from the faucet, and interact with the network.

Validators can also join the testnet by generating validator keys and depositing test ETH through the testnet's deposit contract.

Run a Platåberget Node

To participate at the infrastructure level, users can run a compatible client pair using the designated Glamsterdam development images:

ethpandaops/<client>:glamsterdam-devnet-8

Participants can use one of the available checkpoint-sync providers to speed up synchronization.

Because Platåberget is a testing environment, users should use testnet credentials and assets only. Never use a mainnet wallet seed phrase or mainnet validator keys for testnet experimentation.

Get Test ETH

Platåberget provides a public faucet for obtaining test ETH.

Test ETH is required for activities such as validator deposits and other network testing. It has no real monetary value and should not be treated as an investment asset.

Use the Platåberget Explorer

The network provides a Dora-based block explorer where participants can monitor blocks, validators, deposits, and other network activity.

The explorer is also used for certain validator and builder deposit processes.

Become a Validator

The Platåberget validator set is open to participants.

To deposit a validator, users need to generate validator keys using a compatible deposit tool and provide the appropriate network parameters. The testnet documentation recommends using ethstaker-deposit-cli with the Platåberget chain settings.

A standard test validator requires at least 32 test ETH.

Participants should be extremely careful with validator keys and withdrawal credentials. Testnet credentials should never be reused with Ethereum mainnet infrastructure.

How to Participate in Glamsterdam Testnet as a Builder

The process is different for users who want to test the new builder architecture.

Under ePBS, builders become a distinct on-chain role. Builder deposits use 0xB0 withdrawal credentials, which distinguish builders from regular validators.

Before the Gloas fork activates, there is an important timing consideration.

A builder deposit submitted before the fork could be processed as a normal validator if it leaves the pending deposit queue before Gloas activates. Therefore, participants should check the live builder-deposit projection before submitting a pre-fork builder deposit.

After the Gloas fork, builders can use the dedicated EIP-8282 builder deposit contract, removing the same timing issue.

This makes the post-fork process considerably more straightforward for participants testing builder infrastructure.

Why Is Platåberget Important for Ethereum Developers?

Platåberget gives developers a chance to test their software against changes that could affect application behavior, gas calculations, and infrastructure.

The gas repricing is particularly important.

Applications that create substantial amounts of Ethereum state may experience significantly different transaction costs after Glamsterdam. Developers should therefore test:

• Account creation

• Storage-heavy transactions

• Token minting

• Airdrops

• Smart contract factories

• First-time token interactions

• Calldata-heavy transactions

• Access-list optimization

• Wallet gas estimation

• Bundler infrastructure

Testing these scenarios before the upgrade reaches mainnet can help developers identify compatibility issues early.

Why Participate in Platåberget?

Participating in Platåberget can be valuable for anyone building or operating infrastructure that could be affected by Glamsterdam.

Developers can identify compatibility issues before mainnet deployment. Validators can test new client configurations. Builders can experiment with ePBS. Infrastructure operators can evaluate synchronization and performance, while researchers can observe how the new protocol behaves under live conditions.

For participants, the biggest advantage is the opportunity to discover problems before they become mainnet problems.

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Conclusion

The Platåberget testnet is an important testing environment for Ethereum's upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade. Launched on August 13, 2026, the network is designed to test Gloas-related changes including enshrined proposer-builder separation, new builder infrastructure, gas repricing, and other protocol improvements.

The network is open to participants, allowing developers, validators, builders, and infrastructure operators to run nodes and test their systems with test ETH.

For general smart contract and dApp testing, Sepolia remains the recommended option. However, anyone who needs to prepare for Glamsterdam should consider testing on Platåberget before the upgrade reaches Ethereum mainnet.

As Ethereum's protocol continues to evolve, testing environments such as Platåberget provide an important opportunity for the ecosystem to identify compatibility issues, benchmark new behavior, and prepare infrastructure before major changes go live.

FAQ

What is Platåberget testnet?

Platåberget is Ethereum's public testnet for testing the Gloas fork and Glamsterdam upgrade features.

When did Platåberget launch?

Platåberget launched on August 13, 2026.

How to participate Platåberget testnet?

Users can run compatible Ethereum clients, sync a node, obtain test ETH, and participate as validators or infrastructure testers.

What is the Glamsterdam testnet?

Glamsterdam testing covers Ethereum's upcoming upgrade, with Platåberget serving as the public Gloas testnet.

Can I use Platåberget for dApp testing?

For general dApp and smart contract testing, Sepolia is recommended instead of Platåberget.

Disclaimer: The views expressed belong exclusively to the author and do not reflect the views of this platform. This platform and its affiliates disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy or suitability of the information provided. It is for informational purposes only and not intended as financial or investment advice.