Solana Lifts Block Capacity to Manage More Traffic
Solana has increased its block capacity by 20 percent in response to growing transaction volume. The change bumps the limit from 50 million to 60 million compute units per block, giving the network more room to process activity during busy periods. The update was proposed and approved under SIMD-0256 and went live on July 23.
Why Compute Units Matter
Compute units measure how much work a transaction requires. A simple token transfer takes up very little. Something more complex, like a multi-swap or an advanced DeFi interaction, uses more. The more units per block, the more transactions that can fit before things start getting congested. Raising the ceiling means fewer hold-ups when usage spikes.
The SIMD-0256 proposal to increase Solana's block limit to 60M CU has been activated on the mainnet. The block space may increase to 100M CU by the end of this year. Compute Unit (CU) is similar to Ethereum's Gas. https://t.co/CFHxGK0Y2D pic.twitter.com/ZVIL3H0G6d
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) July 24, 2025
Performance Gains During High Demand
Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius Labs, said the increase should lead to lower fees during steady traffic and improve consistency across the board. Others in the developer community agreed, pointing out that events like major NFT launches or airdrops often push the network to its limits. By increasing the capacity, the network can handle those moments with less friction.
Still a Trade-Off for Validators
More room in each block sounds great for users, but it also means more work for the machines running the network. Bigger blocks require more powerful hardware, which not every validator has. That’s part of the ongoing discussion behind the scenes. Brennan Watt from Anza noted that developers are already talking about whether future limits should go to 100 or even 120 million compute units, but nothing has been finalized yet.
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Small Steps After Past Congestion
This is not the first capacity change Solana has made. In June, the network quietly increased the limit from 48 to 50 million units as a precaution during volatile trading. The jump to 60 million is a more noticeable step and continues a pattern of gradual upgrades. These decisions are often based on lessons from periods of extreme congestion, like those caused by meme coin trading in the past.
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Bigger Plans Still Under Debate
Some developers are pushing for more ambitious upgrades. One proposal, SIMD-0286, suggests increasing the limit to 100 million compute units. That kind of change would prepare the network for much heavier use, but it also raises concerns about whether all validators would be able to keep up. Right now, the idea is still under review and hasn’t been put forward for a vote.
Price Response Was Uneventful
Solana’s token, SOL, didn’t show much movement after the change. Some reports mentioned a slight dip, while others pointed out that the token is still trading far above where it was a few months ago. This reaction is in line with how infrastructure updates usually play out. They’re important for long-term performance, but they rarely cause big price swings on their own.
The Bigger Picture
Solana’s latest upgrade reflects an ongoing effort to manage higher traffic without compromising performance. By increasing the block size now and testing what the network can handle, developers are laying the groundwork for future improvements. The move to 60 million compute units is a step forward, but the bigger changes are still being weighed carefully.
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Key Takeaways
- Solana raised its block compute limit from 50 million to 60 million units to better handle network congestion.
- Compute units define how much work each transaction requires. Increasing the limit allows more activity per block.
- The upgrade is meant to reduce fees and delays during high-traffic periods like airdrops or NFT launches.
- Validator hardware demands may increase, prompting discussions about future upgrades to 100 million units or more.
- SOL’s price remained steady after the update, highlighting how infrastructure changes rarely cause short-term market moves.
The post Solana Raises Block Capacity to 60M Units to Ease Congestion appeared first on 99Bitcoins.
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