Catenaa, Monday, April 13, 2026- Polygon is scheduled to implement its Giugliano hardfork on the mainnet today, aiming to improve transaction finality and network performance. The upgrade will occur at block number 85,268,500, approximately 2:00 p.m. UTC.
The Giugliano hardfork introduces several key enhancements. Block producers will be able to announce blocks earlier, which reduces the time it takes for transactions to reach finality. Fee parameters are now incorporated directly into block headers, and new RPC endpoints for fee data are added to provide more granular network metrics. These changes are expected to streamline transaction processing and improve overall throughput.
The upgrade was previously tested on Polygon’s Amoy testnet, where it demonstrated a two-second reduction in finality, confirming the improvements before mainnet deployment. Node operators must upgrade to Bor v2.7.0 or Erigon v3.5.0 prior to the activation block to ensure smooth network operation.
This hardfork is part of Polygon’s “Gigagas” roadmap, focused on scaling throughput to enhance real-world applications, including payments and asset management. Faster finality and more efficient fee processing are particularly important as Polygon aims to support a growing number of decentralized applications and DeFi platforms.
The network has faced stability challenges over the past year, underscoring the importance of the Giugliano upgrade. In September 2025, a previous hardfork resolved a finality bug that delayed transactions, while a validator exit in July 2025 triggered a Heimdall system bug that disrupted the network for approximately one hour. These events highlighted the need for continuous network improvements and robust performance testing.
Polygon developers anticipate that the Giugliano hardfork will not only enhance user experience but also provide a stronger foundation for future upgrades and scaling initiatives. By integrating early block announcements and improved fee structures, the upgrade supports both high-frequency transactions and applications requiring fast settlement.
The Polygon Foundation has encouraged validators and ecosystem participants to complete the necessary node upgrades ahead of the hardfork. The activation is expected to be seamless for most users, with no downtime for end users or applications.
As the Giugliano hardfork goes live, the Polygon ecosystem is expected to see increased confidence from developers and institutional participants seeking reliable, high-speed blockchain infrastructure. Enhanced finality and efficiency can support broader adoption of Polygon-based applications in areas like decentralized finance, gaming, and real-world asset tokenization.
