Status, September 2026: Ethereum’s Holesky testnet is deprecated. For staking, validators, and protocol testing, use the Hoodi testnet (ethereum-hoodi.gateway.tatum.io). For dApps, smart contracts, and EVM testing, use Sepolia (ethereum-sepolia.gateway.tatum.io). Get endpoints from the Tatum Dashboard and find faucets in the faucets directory. The article below is a historical record of the Goerli-to-Holesky transition.

In September the Ethereum community was introduced to the Holesky testnet - a name inspired by a vibey Prague neighbourhood in the Czech Republic. As Ethereum continues its evolution, this new testnet brings a realm of possibilities and improvements over its predecessor, Goerli. Holesky is slated to replace Goerli as the prime testnet for staking, infrastructure, and protocol development. Meanwhile, for those diving into the testing of decentralized applications, smart contracts, and other EVM-related functions, Sepolia remains the go-to testnet.

Initially, expected to be launched September 15th, the Holesky testnet was delayed to September 28th due to technical issues. The testnet launched in September 2023. Holesky’s dedicated explorer is no longer available; current Ethereum testnet status is tracked on networks such as Hoodi and Sepolia.

What is Holesky Testnet?

Holesky is Ethereum's latest merged-from-genesis public testnet. Set to take over from Goerli, Holesky is specifically designed for thorough staking trials, infrastructure assessments, and direct protocol developer testing, mirroring mainnet functionalities for precise evaluations.

Why Holesky?

Short answer - a multitude of reasons. 

Holesky aims to increase the number of validators on the Ethereum mainnet and test how changes affect its stability. The Ethereum Foundation’s DevOps team has several plans for Holesky. 

  1. Test the network more thoroughly by having twice as many active validators as the main Ethereum network.
  2. Improve the way inflation works using methods from the Sepolia testnet.
  3. Start with a strong base of 1 million validators for better testing.
  4. Encourage teams to run many of these validators, aiming for each team to handle around 100,000, ensuring the testnet works as intended.

You can deep dive into Ethereum testnets and the reasons behind replacing Goerli in this EthStaker video featuring devs from the Foundation itself. 

What This Meant for Tatum

Ethereum is a top priority chain. When Holesky launched, Tatum added RPC access alongside Sepolia. Holesky is now deprecated, so current Tatum Ethereum testnets are Hoodi and Sepolia via the RPC gateway and SDK.

Find testnet tokens in the faucets directory. There is no dedicated Holesky faucet anymore.

Access Ethereum Hoodi and Sepolia RPC

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What Happens to Goerli? 

Goerli was sunset at the end of 2023, and Tatum discontinued Goerli support. 

Image courtesy of Ethereum Foundation

The Goerli testnet has seen a marked increase in demand for Goerli Ether, primarily driven by the need to test staking setups, with each validator necessitating 32 Ether. Following the discontinuation of the Rinkeby testnet, a significant portion of projects transitioned to Goerli, bypassing Sepolia, perhaps due to compatibility or architectural considerations. This shift, however, has not been without complications. Many faucets have been exhausted or compromised, undermining the testnet's functionality for numerous developers. Surprisingly, even though Goerli Ether was intended to be freely accessible, its availability in trading channels has complicated its acquisition.

Closing Remarks

If you still have Holesky URLs in scripts, switch them to Hoodi (ethereum-hoodi.gateway.tatum.io) or Sepolia (ethereum-sepolia.gateway.tatum.io). Follow updates on Discord, LinkedIn, and X.