MultiversX has provided node operators with a nine-day window to ready themselves for a network upgrade intended to multiply its blockchain’s speed tenfold.
Set to go live on Sept. 10 during epoch 2233, the Supernova upgrade will reduce block times from six seconds down to 600 milliseconds. This transition requires over 5,000 nodes to update to software capable of handling the new protocol rules.
The changes introduced by Supernova extend beyond merely shortening block intervals. The upgrade reorganizes the consensus pipeline of MultiversX, allowing validators to cast votes on a block simultaneously with parallel transaction execution. This modification takes transaction processing off the critical path that previously bottlenecked block creation.
Additionally, the architecture aims to maintain deterministic finality while reducing intra-shard finality to under 250 milliseconds and speeding up cross-shard settlement from roughly 18 seconds down to about 2.4 seconds.
At the same time, MultiversX is leaving its epoch duration untouched and keeping backward compatibility intact for balances, keys, and addresses.
This countdown coincides with a resurgence in momentum for the native EGLD token. Figures from CryptoSlate indicate that EGLD climbed past $4 over the weekend for the first time since May, touching roughly $4.05 before dipping back beneath that mark.
Most MultiversX nodes are still on the old software
Preliminary metrics suggest validators are still gearing up for the shift.
A mainnet configuration release candidate launched on Aug. 31 pinpointed round 32157661 as the intended activation trigger, establishing a synchronized migration timeline between Sept. 1 and Sept. 10.
An audit of public network telemetry on Sept. 1 revealed no active Supernova migration underway, with 95.35% of the 5,171 total nodes still operating on version v1.11.11.0.
While this status does not mean the network is lagging at the beginning of the nine-day preparation period, it does set the initial benchmark to track the migration’s progress.
The pressure intensifies the moment Supernova launches.
According to validator instructions from MultiversX, the updated processing logic mandates that operators upgrade so that all nodes interpret transactions identically. Although legacy and updated binaries can run concurrently prior to activation, any outdated node left running once the new rules initiate risks generating conflicting transaction outcomes and falling out of sync with the majority of the chain.
The switchover will also involve a brief pause prior to the launch of the accelerated network.
MultiversX anticipates that the mainnet will temporarily halt new pool transactions for approximately 240 rounds under the current six-second cadence—translating to about 24 minutes—while backlog transactions in flight are processed. Any new transactions sent during this window are expected to stay queued until the Supernova system starts handling them.
Consequently, the primary metric to watch ahead of Sept. 10 is whether the distribution of network software versions migrates decisively to Supernova prior to round 32157661.
Should this coordination happen on time, focus will shift toward whether the upgrade successfully achieves its advertised speed improvements on the mainnet. Conversely, if a substantial portion of operators fail to update, MultiversX will need to navigate the fallout of launching significantly faster throughput across a network operating out of sync.
