• BNB Chain's Pascal Hardfork launches on March 20, enhancing EVM compatibility, smart contract wallets, and gasless transactions.
• Node operators and developers must update to the latest versions before the deadline to avoid sync issues and ensure seamless operations.
• Future upgrades, including Lorentz (April 2025) and Maxwell (June 2025), aim to significantly boost transaction speed and network performance.

BNB Chain announced a major upgrade, the Pascal Hardfork, slated for March 20. The upgrade improves Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility, smart contract wallets, and developer flexibility.

This upgrade follows the recent Ethereum Sepolia Testnet upgrade to Pectra, highlighting the rapid pace of blockchain development.

BNB Chain Announces Pascal Hardfork

BNB Chain revealed the update in a post on X (Twitter), noting that the Pascal Hardfork will improve user experience and developer efficiency on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC).

One of its most significant implementations of the Pascal Hardfork is EIP-7702 (Ethereum Improvement Proposal 7702). The upgrade potentially puts the network at the forefront of EVM-compatible chains.

“This makes it [BNB Chain] one of the earliest chains to adopt this EVM upgrade,” the network stated.

According to the announcement, Pascal Hardfork will allow wallets to function as smart contracts. This would unlock several benefits, including delivering gasless transactions.

With this upgrade, users can pay for gas fees more flexibly, improving accessibility.

The Pascal upgrade will also deliver batch approvals and swaps, meaning transactions can be grouped. This would reduce costs and make DeFi interactions smoother.

Further, EIP-7702 would simplify web3 onboarding, delivering an easier user experience for those new to crypto.

Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) acknowledged the Pascal upgrade, calling it an “Important Hardfork.” Meanwhile, BNB Chain hinted that beyond Pascal Hardfork, other upgrades are in the pipeline.

It cited the Lorentz Hardfork, slated for April 2025 and expected to deliver faster blocks at 1.5 seconds transaction speed.

Additionally, the Maxwell Hardfork, due in June 2025, would make the BNB Chain significantly faster, with a transaction speed of 0.75 seconds.

“Lorentz at 1.5s blocks? Solana already does 0.4s. But Maxwell at 0.75s… BNB’s roadmap is evolution on crack,” a user on X quipped.

In a broader context, this announcement comes only days after Ethereum’s Sepolia Testnet implemented the Pectra upgrade. BeInCrypto reported that this upgrade enhances Ethereum’s EVM functionality and smart contract capabilities.

Therefore, BNB Chain’s timing signals growing competition among blockchain networks.

Despite the positive developments, BNB price remains largely unaffected today.

However, BNB remains a more resilient asset among the top cryptocurrencies. The altcoin saw a 2% gain in the past month, while all the major tokens, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, saw double-digit losses.