BNB Chain will activate the Fermi hard fork on its mainnet on 14 January 2026 at 02:30 UTC, according to BNB Chain Developers. The Hard Fork marks a major network upgrade aimed at improving block times, throughput, and overall execution performance. The hard fork introduces a significant reduction in block intervals alongside a bundle of execution and consensus-level enhancements. Validators and node operators are required to upgrade their clients ahead of the activation.
At the core of the Fermi upgrade is a shift toward shorter block times, which reduces latency for transactions and improves confirmation speeds across the network. The changes are designed to support more time-sensitive activity, including decentralised finance trading, liquidations, and high-frequency on-chain interactions. The upgrade also bundles several protocol improvements intended to optimise execution efficiency and validator coordination. BNB Chain developers have positioned Fermi as part of a broader roadmap focused on scaling performance rather than expanding block size or altering economic parameters.
The timing of the hard fork is notable given current on-chain conditions. Data tracking BNB Chain’s activity through 2025 shows that stablecoin market capitalisation on the network has remained elevated. Stablecoin supply climbed steadily from early 2025 and remained near the $12–13 billion range toward year-end. This suggests sustained transactional demand rather than purely speculative capital.
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