The Ethereum Network will soon be upgraded in a planned manner. Block number 9,069,000 is expected to occur on Saturday, December 7, 2019. Please bear in mind that variable times and time zones may cause changes in the exact date.
Please ensure that your node is upgraded before Sunday, December 1. 2019 to account for potential block time delays
etherenodes.org have donated a Node statistics page and countdown clock located at https://ethernodes.org/istanbul. etherscan.io have provided an additional countdown clock located at https://etherscan.io/block/countdown/9069000. For real-time monitoring of the network updates, visit http://forkmon.ethdevops.io/.
What is Istanbul?
Istanbul is the name of the upcoming network update. Previous network updates were known as: constantinople, spurious dragon and Byzantium.
What do I need to do as an Ethereum user?
If you use an exchange (such as Coinbase, Kraken or Binance), a web wallet service (like Metamask, MyCrypto or MyEtherWallet), a mobile wallet service (such as Coinbase Wallet, Status.im, or Trust Wallet), or a hardware wallet (for example Ledger, Trezor or KeepKey), you don’t need to do anything unless your wallet or service requires you to.
What should I do as a node operator or miner?
Download the latest version of your preferred Ethereum client:
NOTE: ethereumJ (formerly Harmony) is now an obsolete client and will no longer be supported after Istanbul. Besu is a mainnet compatible Ethereum client written in Java.
What happens if I’m a node operator or miner and don’t take part in the upgrade?
If you are running an Ethereum client that isn’t updated to the current version (mentioned below), the client will sync with the pre-fork blockchain when the update occurs. You will be locked in an incompatible chain and will not be able to send ether or trade on the Ethereum network post-update.
What is a network upgrade in Ethereum-land?
Network upgrades are modifications to the underlying Ethereum protocol that create new rules which improve the system. Blockchain systems are decentralized, making it difficult to upgrade them. Network upgrades on a blockchain are only possible if there is cooperation with the community and the developers of the various Ethereum applications. To ensure that the transition goes smoothly, all clients must be updated.
What changes are occurring in Istanbul?
The changes that are being made in Istanbul are defined by the Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs). EIPs are standards used to determine the Ethereum Platform, including core protocol specifications and client APIs. For a list of changes going to Istanbul, please refer to the EIP-1679. For more information, see This article from Ethereum Cat Herders
