I've been following the discussions around the upcoming Ethereum upgrade, and honestly, what's being prepared behind the scenes is quite fundamental. We're talking about Hegota, scheduled for very soon now, and at the heart of it all is EIP-7805 — also known as FOCIL.

For those following, here’s the challenge: Ethereum has grown, but there’s this persistent problem. A small group of block builders controls the order of transactions. It’s efficient, but it creates a bottleneck. If a builder decides to block a transaction — perhaps for regulatory compliance reasons — it can be significantly delayed. FOCIL changes the game by decentralizing this inclusion power.

How does it work? The protocol will select multiple validators (up to 17 according to the latest discussions) to contribute to a public inclusion list. If a block ignores this list, the network treats it as invalid. It’s enforced by consensus, not just a suggestion. This is different from previous inclusion list attempts — EIP-7805 is applied directly through the network’s fork choice.

What’s interesting is the synergy with other improvements. Vitalik mentioned that FOCIL works better with native account abstraction and privacy protocols. Together, they enable faster transactions for privacy tools, gas sponsorship, and all that without complex intermediaries.

But of course, there are debates. Supporters — developers like those from Layer 2 — see this as essential for Ethereum to function as a truly neutral global settlement layer. If transactions can be censored at the protocol level, the idea of a permissionless system is over.

On the other side, legal experts are concerned. If a validator based in the U.S. is technically forced to include a transaction involving a sanctioned address, where does that place it legally? Ameen Soleimani raised this question: will institutions really run nodes if the protocol requires them to process every transaction?

For the average user, the benefits are tangible. Confidential transactions or certain DeFi protocols that used to take time will now be included in one or two slots (12-24 seconds max). More control by builders means as long as you pay market fees, your transaction is guaranteed to be included. And the network becomes more resilient without these centralized points of failure.

Hegota follows Glamsterdam and completes what’s called the “Censorship Resistance Trinity.” We’re approaching 2026, and honestly, this is a key moment for Ethereum. The question now is how it will unfold with the regulatory landscape continuing to evolve. Stay tuned.