The Ethereum Merge—one of blockchain's most anticipated events—is set to occur around September 15, as announced by co-founder Vitalik Buterin. This historic upgrade transitions Ethereum from energy-intensive Proof-of-Work (PoW) to eco-friendly Proof-of-Stake (PoS), reducing energy consumption by ~99.95% while paving the way for future scalability solutions like sharding.
Despite widespread excitement, misconceptions persist. Below, we clarify eight major myths using verified data from Ethereum’s official sources.
Myth 1: "Running a Node Requires Staking 32 ETH"
Reality: Anyone can sync a self-verified copy of Ethereum (i.e., run a node) without ETH—pre- or post-Merge. Staking 32 ETH is only required for block-producing nodes (validators in PoS). Non-producing nodes validate transactions and enhance decentralization freely.
👉 Discover how node operation strengthens Ethereum’s security
Myth 2: "The Merge Will Reduce Gas Fees"
Reality: Gas fees reflect demand vs. network capacity. The Merge alters consensus—not capacity—so fees remain unaffected. Scalability gains will come via Layer2 rollups (e.g., Optimism, Arbitrum) post-Merge.
Myth 3: "Transactions Will Speed Up Post-Merge"
Reality: Layer1 transaction speeds stay comparable. Key changes:
- Block time: ~12 seconds (PoS) vs. ~13.3 seconds (PoW).
- PoS introduces finality: Transactions confirm securely within ~15 minutes (vs. probabilistic confirmation in PoW).
Myth 4: "Staked ETH Becomes Withdrawable Immediately After Merge"
Reality: Withdrawals unlock during the Shanghai Upgrade (expected 6–12 months post-Merge). Until then, staked ETH and rewards remain locked.
Myth 5: "Validators Earn No Liquid ETH Before Shanghai"
Reality: Validators receive tips/MEV (Miner Extractable Value) in liquid ETH on execution layer (mainnet), separate from locked consensus-layer rewards.
Myth 6: "Validators Can Exit Instantly Once Withdrawals Enable"
Reality: Exit rates are throttled for security (~1,350 validators/day). This prevents mass withdrawals and "slash-and-attack" scenarios.
👉 Learn why Ethereum’s staking mechanics prioritize long-term security
Myth 7: "Staking APR Will Triple Post-Merge"
Reality: APR increases ~50% (not 200%). Drivers:
- ETH issuance drops ~90%.
- Validators earn fees previously paid to miners (~7% projected APR).
Myth 8: "The Merge Will Cause Network Downtime"
Reality: The upgrade is designed for zero downtime. Transition triggers at Terminal Total Difficulty (TTD: 58,750,000,000,000,000,000,000), swapping miners for validators seamlessly.
FAQ Section
Q1: How does PoS improve Ethereum’s sustainability?
A1: By replacing GPU mining with ETH staking, energy use drops ~99.95%.
Q2: Can I unstake ETH during the Shanghai Upgrade?
A2: Yes—but exits are rate-limited to maintain network stability.
Q3: Will Layer2 solutions be affected by the Merge?
A3: No. Rollups (e.g., zkSync) continue operating normally.
Q4: How does PoS finality differ from PoW confirmations?
A4: PoS epochs (6.4 minutes) provide irreversible confirmations vs. PoW’s probabilistic security.
Q5: Are hardware requirements lower for PoS nodes?
A5: Yes! Consumer-grade hardware suffices (vs. expensive ASICs for mining).
Q6: What happens to miners post-Merge?
A6: Many may transition to mining other PoW chains (e.g., Ethereum Classic).
Final Note: The Merge is a foundational upgrade—prioritizing security and scalability over short-term fee reductions. Stay informed via Ethere’s official blog.