Deep Dive
1. v0.14.1 Mainnet Upgrade (10 December 2025)
Overview: This minor but important upgrade made transaction fees more predictable and tied them directly to network congestion. It also allows blocks to close faster during quiet periods, improving responsiveness.
The update implements a working EIP-1559-style fee mechanism, ensuring gas prices trend toward a predictable target. It reduces the portion of each block used for internal data, freeing up more space for user transactions. A key technical shift is migrating compiled class hashes from the Poseidon to the more efficient BLAKE hash function, which is better optimized for Starknet's next-generation "Stwo" prover.
What this means: This is bullish for STRK because it creates a more sustainable and efficient network economy. Users benefit from more consistent, low fees (simple transfers remain sub-cent), while the foundation is laid for future performance gains.
(Starknet)
2. Grinta (v0.14.0) Mainnet Launch (1 September 2025)
Overview: This was Starknet's largest upgrade, dramatically speeding up the network and taking the first major step toward decentralizing its operation.
It reduced block time from ~30 seconds to ~6 seconds and replaced the single, centralized sequencer with three sequencers that rotate block production using the Tendermint consensus protocol. It also introduced a mempool for transaction ordering and a fee market based on Ethereum's EIP-1559.
What this means: This is extremely bullish for STRK as it transitions the network toward being credibly neutral and trustless. Users experience much faster transactions and pre-confirmations, making DeFi and gaming apps feel nearly instantaneous.
(Starknet Documentation)
3. STRK Staking v2 Launch (17 June 2025)
Overview: This update refined Starknet's staking mechanism to ensure validator accountability and provide more transparency for delegators.
It introduced "block attestation," requiring validators to prove they are actively synced with the network. It also allowed validators to set a maximum commission cap for up to a year, giving delegators fee predictability.
What this means: This is bullish for STRK because it strengthens network security ahead of full consensus decentralization. Stakers gain clearer performance data and protection from sudden fee hikes, making the ecosystem more robust and attractive for long-term holders.
(CoinMarketCap)
Conclusion
Starknet's development trajectory is clearly focused on achieving performance parity with leading chains and building a decentralized, secure foundation through its core protocol upgrades. Will the network's reliability match its ambitious technical roadmap in 2026?