BNB Chain has activated the Fermi hard fork on the Binance Smart Chain mainnet, reducing the block time from 750 milliseconds to 450 milliseconds. The upgrade introduces BEP proposals designed to optimize throughput, finality, and overall user experience. The testnet update occurred on November 10, 2025, and mainnet validators and builders are urged to upgrade to versions v1.6.4 or v1.6.5 before activation to avoid network issues.
Key BEPs under Fermi include BEP-590 for extended voting rules to stabilize fast finality, BEP-619 continuing the block interval reduction to 0.45 seconds, BEP-592 introducing a non-consensus access list at the block level, BEP-593 enabling incremental snapshots, and BEP-610 implementing EVM super-instructions. These changes aim to increase transaction speed, lower latency, and improve user experience across DeFi, NFTs, and gaming on the BNB Chain.
Industry experts note that upgrades like Fermi could boost BNB Chain’s competitiveness relative to Ethereum and Solana by delivering higher throughput with lower fees. The upgrade aligns with BNB Chain’s 2026 strategy, which also references opBNB with a 250 ms interval to accelerate the network further. Developers recommend following official channels for updated guidance and client version requirements.
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