BNB Chain Pasteur Hard Fork Activates August 25, Doubles Throughput to 2,324 TPS
In brief
- Pasteur hard fork activates August 25 at 02:30 AM UTC on BNB Smart Chain mainnet
- Three upgrades: BEP-682 bridge verification, BEP-695 validator keys, BEP-675 block capacity
- BEP-675 boosts throughput from 1,237 to 2,324 TPS in testnet benchmarks
- Node operators must upgrade to v1.7.7 before activation
- Part of H2 2026 roadmap targeting 10x throughput improvement
Pasteur's Three-Part Architecture
The Pasteur hard fork implements three distinct improvements via new BEPs (Binance Enhancement Proposals). BEP-682 strengthens bridge verification, BEP-695 improves validator key retirement, and BEP-675 increases block capacity. The capacity workstream is the most visible: BEP-675 fills blocks more fully, boosting throughput from 1,237 to 2,324 TPS in testnet benchmarks.
The validator improvements address operational security. BEP-695 ensures validator keys properly retire, closing a pathway where operators could retain unintended authority. BEP-682's bridge verification strengthens cross-chain safety. Together, these changes shift the network's focus from raw speed to consolidating gains made earlier in 2026.
Speed Progression and H2 2026 Targets
BNB Chain's throughput journey accelerated sharply this year. The Fermi hard fork, which activated in January, brought block times down to 0.45 seconds, followed by the Osaka/Mendel hard fork in April, which steadied the network at that pace. In the first half of 2026, BSC cut block intervals to 450 ms and nearly doubled benchmark throughput to about 5,200 TPS.
The H2 objective is to double mainnet throughput again, on a stated path toward a 10x improvement across BNB Chain. Pasteur's capacity gains position BNB Chain closer to that target without requiring further latency reductions.
Activation and Node Requirements
The Pasteur hard fork has been live on the BSC testnet since July 21. Node operators are urged to upgrade to v1.7.7 before this date to ensure seamless transition. The community countdown is underway with just two days left.
