In Brief:
- BNB Chain will activate Pasteur on August 25, introducing stronger bridge verification, validator key management, and improved network capacity features.
- BEP-675 increased testnet throughput from 1,237 TPS to 2,324 TPS while maintaining BSC’s existing 450-millisecond block interval for network efficiency.
- Pasteur supports BNB Chain’s broader scaling roadmap, which targets doubled mainnet throughput and substantial long-term performance improvements across its ecosystem.
BNB Chain will activate its Pasteur hard fork on August 25, introducing major security, validator, and network capacity improvements. The upgrade will strengthen bridge verification, improve validator key management, and increase block capacity across BNB Smart Chain.
Mainnet activation is scheduled for 02:30 AM UTC, with node operators required to upgrade to version 1.7.7 beforehand. Pasteur has already operated on the BSC testnet since July 21, allowing developers to assess its performance.
Unlike previous upgrades centered primarily on speed, Pasteur targets better utilization of BSC’s existing network performance. Developers have grouped its three main changes under BEP-673.
Earlier network improvements reduced BSC block intervals to 450 milliseconds during the first half of 2026. Additionally, in-memory finality dropped to 650 milliseconds, while benchmark throughput increased to approximately 5,200 TPS.
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Pasteur Strengthens Validator Security and Expands Block Capacity
Pasteur introduces BEP-682, BEP-695, and BEP-675, with each proposal addressing a different area of BSC infrastructure. BEP-682 strengthens bridge verification, adding stronger protections around cross-chain operations.
Meanwhile, BEP-695 changes how validator keys retire when operators rotate their credentials. This prevents outdated validator keys from retaining authority beyond their intended lifecycle.
Consequently, the proposal strengthens validator operations while supporting safer staking and governance processes. BEP-675 addresses capacity by allowing builders to submit blocks they have already executed.
Validators can check these blocks against consensus rules before signing and broadcasting them across the network. They then complete full verification without delaying the initial block propagation process.
Significantly, testnet benchmarks showed throughput increasing from 1,237 TPS to 2,324 TPS using the BEP-675 implementation. This approach allows BSC to process fuller blocks while maintaining its existing 450-millisecond block interval.
BEP-675 also forms part of BNB Chain’s capacity plans for the second half of 2026. Moreover, developers aim to double mainnet throughput as the network pursues broader performance improvements.
The capacity push builds upon changes introduced through earlier upgrades, including Fermi and Osaka-Mendel. Fermi reduced block times to 0.45 seconds in January, while Osaka-Mendel stabilized that performance in April.
BNB Chain has outlined a longer-term target of achieving a tenfold performance improvement across its ecosystem. Pasteur supports that objective by increasing block utilization without requiring another reduction in block intervals.
BNB Chain Moves Toward Higher Mainnet Throughput
Pasteur represents a shift from simply reducing block times toward extracting more capacity from the existing network architecture. Additionally, its security proposals address validator authority and bridge verification alongside performance improvements.
The August 25 deployment will therefore serve as another stage in BNB Chain’s 2026 scaling roadmap. Its results could influence how developers approach further capacity improvements planned for BSC.
Conclusion
BNB Chain’s Pasteur hard fork combines security improvements with higher block capacity while preserving the network’s current block speed. The upgrade also prepares BSC for its broader objective of doubling mainnet throughput during the second half of 2026.
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