Ethereum Testnet Shutdown Confirmed as Active Addresses Surge

• Ethereum will shut down its Holesky testnet in November due to technical problems and validator outages. 

• The new Hoodi testnet launched in March to replace Holesky with better functionality. 

• Ethereum’s main network hit 19.45 million active addresses in August, the highest since 2021.

Ethereum developers have confirmed plans to shut down the Holesky testnet following significant technical challenges and declining utility. The announcement comes as the main Ethereum network experiences unprecedented growth, with active addresses reaching levels not seen since 2021.

Holesky Testnet Faces End After Technical Struggles

The Ethereum Foundation announced Holesky’s decommissioning in a recent blog post. The testnet, launched in 2023 as Ethereum’s largest public testing environment, served as a crucial platform for staking operations and validator testing on a large scale.

Holesky played a vital role in testing major network upgrades, including the Dencun update and the Pectra upgrade launched in May 2025. However, the testnet encountered severe technical problems following the Pectra implementation. Validators began experiencing frequent outages, creating substantial exit queues that hampered development work.

The network will officially shut down two weeks after the Fusaka upgrade completes in November 2025. Once decommissioned, client teams, testing groups, and infrastructure providers will cease all maintenance and support for the network.

Ethereum developers introduced Hoodi in March 2025 to address Holesky’s operational challenges. The replacement testnet features a completely new validator set and full Pectra compatibility. Hoodi’s architecture supports upcoming network improvements, including the planned Fusaka fork.

The transition represents a strategic move to maintain robust testing capabilities while eliminating the technical bottlenecks that plagued Holesky. Developers working on decentralized applications and smart contracts continue using Sepolia as their primary testing environment.

Ethereum Network Experiences Record Activity Levels

Despite testnet challenges, Ethereum’s mainnet demonstrates remarkable growth. Data from Everstake reveals 19.45 million monthly active addresses in August 2025, marking the highest level since May 2021’s peak of 20.27 million addresses.

Source: X; Ethereum Active Addresses Data

This metric encompasses all network interactions, including decentralized finance transactions, NFT trading, standard transfers, and staking activities. The surge indicates renewed institutional and retail interest in Ethereum’s ecosystem.

Recent institutional activity supports this trend. Tom Lee’s BitMine disclosed holdings of 1.71 million ETH, representing a 12% increase from earlier in the year. BlackRock’s Ethereum ETF recorded a substantial $314 million inflow on August 25, with daily trading volumes exceeding $2.4 billion.

CME Ethereum futures open interest reached a record $10 billion, while the number of large position holders hit an all-time high of 101 in August. These developments reflect growing institutional confidence in Ethereum’s long-term prospects.