In a significant shift toward collaborative governance, the Ethereum Foundation’s (EF) Protocol cluster has released its first-ever unified tier list for the upcoming "Hegot" network upgrade. This milestone represents a departure from the historical practice of siloed, team-specific opinions, bringing together approximately 60 researchers and engineers from across the ecosystem to provide a singular, transparent roadmap for Ethereum’s future technical evolution.
The document evaluates 62 Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), assigning them grades based on a rigorous assessment of their necessity, technical depth, and alignment with the current long-term priorities of the protocol. While individual clients—such as Geth—may still publish independent perspectives, this unified view serves as a "steelman" argument for the direction of the Hegot upgrade, offering a clear signal to developers, stakers, and the broader community about which features are likely to reach mainnet.
The Methodology: Building a Consensus-Driven Hierarchy
The process behind the Hegot tier list was exhaustive. To arrive at the final rankings, nine distinct teams and several domain experts participated in a standardized evaluation process. Participants submitted 16 individual contribution templates, resulting in 397 unique grade points across the 62 proposals—an average of 6.4 expert reviews per EIP.
The scoring system was structured to provide actionable feedback:
- S-Tier (4 points): Must-ship, foundational improvements.
- A-Tier (3 points): Highly recommended, expected for the upgrade.
- B-Tier (2 points): On the bubble, requiring specific technical hurdles to be cleared.
- C-Tier (1 point): Below the line; unlikely to proceed in this cycle.
- D/DFI-Tier (0 points): Declined, with explicit justifications provided.
This quantitative approach was bolstered by qualitative debate. Following two major retrospectives on the previous "Glamsterdam" upgrade, the team identified critical lessons: complexity compounds over time, integration depth must be carefully managed, and the testing surface remains the ecosystem’s most constrained resource. These insights were pressure-tested during six group calls and a 90-minute working session, where contested EIPs were debated and re-graded to reflect the collective expertise of the cluster.
Chronology of the Evaluation Process
The journey toward the Hegot tier list began in late August 2026, initiated by a formal process post published on August 28. This document set the ground rules for how proposals would be evaluated, emphasizing that an abstention would never negatively impact an EIP’s standing.
Throughout early September, the Protocol cluster engaged in a series of rigorous reviews. The objective was to ensure that every grade reflected the current reality of the Ethereum roadmap rather than legacy preferences. By September 7, the team had finalized their assessment, accompanied by a companion document titled EF Protocol: Current and Emerging Priorities. This companion piece acts as the "North Star" for the cluster, outlining the strategic commitments that dictated the scoring of each proposal.
On September 8, an update was issued to the tier list documentation, specifically refining the notes for EIP-7716 (Anti-Correlation Attestation Penalties). This adjustment highlighted the ongoing need for further research into the impact of such penalties on the staker landscape, demonstrating that the tier list is a living document subject to refinement as technical discussions evolve.
Supporting Data: The Hegot Landscape
The proposals have been categorized into two primary buckets: the Consensus Layer and the Execution Layer.
Consensus Layer Highlights
The Consensus Layer is dominated by a focus on decentralization and efficiency. EIP-7805 (FOCIL) has emerged as the clear "Headliner," achieving an unanimous S-tier rating. By providing users with a reliable path to transaction inclusion without relying on centralized builders, FOCIL represents a core pillar of the Hegot vision. It is slated to ship alongside EIP-8369 (VOPS Profiles for FOCIL Eligibility), which ensures that these inclusion guarantees extend to "Frames," Ethereum’s next-generation approach to account abstraction.
Other notable Consensus Layer inclusions involve cleanup and deprecation efforts, such as EIP-8015, which removes obsolete deposit and eth1data fields, and EIP-8365, which begins the retirement of vulnerable BLS withdrawal credentials.
Execution Layer Highlights
On the Execution Layer, EIP-8141 (Frame Transactions) stands out as the primary headliner. This EIP introduces native account abstraction, providing a sustainable path toward post-quantum signature schemes and improved transaction aggregation. It is paired with EIP-8250 (Keyed Nonces) and EIP-8272 (Recent Roots), forming a cohesive package that aims to modernize how users interact with the network.
A significant portion of the Execution Layer proposals focuses on "Repricing" and "Cleanup." For example, EIP-3298 (Removal of Refunds) received strong support for eliminating a class of metering edge cases that have historically plagued testing cycles.
The "DFI" (Declined) Category
Success in protocol development is often defined by what is left out. A total of 28 proposals were declined for the Hegot cycle. Many of these, such as EIP-7645 (Alias ORIGIN to SENDER) and EIP-7807 (SSZ Execution Blocks), were rejected due to concerns regarding breaking changes or the lack of an immediate, urgent necessity. The Protocol cluster maintained a strict "necessity bar," ensuring that only the most impactful changes proceed to the testing phase.
Official Responses and Strategic Implications
The implications of this tier list are far-reaching. By creating a unified view, the EF Protocol cluster is effectively signaling its development capacity to the community.
"Success here is determined as much by what we decline as by what we ship," the cluster noted in their closing statement. This philosophy reflects a maturity in Ethereum governance; the ecosystem is moving away from a "feature-at-all-costs" mentality toward a more sustainable, security-focused roadmap.
The cluster has also been proactive in inviting critique. Recognizing that a tier list is an inherently subjective exercise, the team has scheduled a Reddit AMA on r/ethereum for September 16 at 2:00 PM UTC. This session is specifically designed to address pushback from the community, with a focus on those who championed EIPs that did not make the A-tier cut.
Implications for the Future of Ethereum
The Hegot upgrade is not merely a collection of patches; it is a strategic maneuver to prepare the network for the next decade of challenges. By prioritizing features like FOCIL and Frame Transactions, the cluster is actively addressing the risks of centralization in block building and the complexities of account management.
Furthermore, the emphasis on "decoupled consensus" and post-quantum readiness indicates a long-term view that transcends immediate gains. The decision to defer complex proposals—even those with potential merit—shows that the Protocol cluster is prioritizing the stability of the mainnet over the rapid integration of unproven features.
As the community prepares for the upcoming AMA, the conversation is likely to center on the trade-offs between innovation and stability. While some developers may feel that their preferred EIPs were unfairly sidelined, the rigor of the evaluation process provides a clear, defensible logic for the path forward.
Ultimately, the Hegot tier list serves as a blueprint for a more resilient Ethereum. By aligning the efforts of researchers and engineers under a single banner, the EF Protocol cluster has taken a critical step toward ensuring that the network remains both agile and robust in the face of evolving technological threats and increasing global demand. The upcoming months of development and testing will be the final judge of these decisions, but for now, the path toward Hegot is clearer than ever.
