The Ethereum Merge—once a distant milestone—has now become reality. What was once theoretical is now operational: Ethereum has successfully transitioned from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS). This historic upgrade marks one of the most significant transformations in blockchain history, reshaping Ethereum’s energy consumption, security model, and future roadmap.
In this comprehensive recap, we explore key moments surrounding the Merge: the final PoW block, Vitalik Buterin’s reflections, insights from his father Dmitry Buterin, network performance post-transition, and even the first NFT minted under the new PoS consensus.
Whether you're a long-time Ethereum supporter or new to the ecosystem, understanding these pivotal developments helps illuminate how this upgrade sets the foundation for a more scalable, secure, and sustainable blockchain.
The Last Proof-of-Work Block on Ethereum
As the clock ticked toward the Merge, anticipation built around which miner would mine Ethereum’s final PoW block. That honor went to F2Pool, one of the largest mining pools in the network’s history.
Block 15,537,393 stands as the last PoW block ever mined on Ethereum. Embedded within it was a powerful message—a quote from American ethnobotanist and philosopher Terence McKenna:
“Commit yourself to something. Commit yourself to a life of action, and the world will respond to that. It will open up for you. It will come to your aid in ways you could never dream of. That's the secret of life.”
This poetic note symbolizes not just the end of an era but also the beginning of a new chapter—one driven by participation, innovation, and sustainability.
With this block, Ethereum officially closed the door on energy-intensive mining and ushered in an age where validators—not miners—secure the network using staked ETH.
Vitalik Buterin Speaks: A New Era Begins
Just before the Merge went live, Vitalik Buterin shared a tweet quoting Ethereum researcher Justin Drake:
“The Merge will reduce global electricity consumption by 0.2%.”
That number might sound small, but it represents a massive environmental win—equivalent to removing the entire annual energy usage of a medium-sized country like Portugal.
After the successful transition, Vitalik took to Twitter with a simple yet profound message:
“We’re finally here! Happy merge everyone! This is a momentous occasion for the Ethereum ecosystem. Everyone who helped make this happen should feel very proud today.”
His words reflect not only personal relief but also collective achievement across thousands of developers, researchers, node operators, and community members who contributed over nearly a decade.
One often-overlooked technical benefit highlighted by Vitalik is improved EIP-1559 performance. With fewer blocks hitting the 2x gas limit cap, full-block rates have dropped from ~20% to ~10%. This means more predictable transaction fees and smoother user experiences moving forward.
“One important corollary of this is better EIP 1559 performance (because fewer blocks bump up against the 2x limit). So far, the percentage of full blocks has dropped from ~20% to ~10%.”
— Vitalik Buterin
This subtle improvement underscores how foundational upgrades can compound into real-world usability gains.
Dmitry Buterin on Ethereum’s Environmental Milestone
Dmitry Buterin, father of Vitalik and an economist and journalist in his own right, spoke with The Block about the significance of the Merge. He emphasized that addressing energy consumption was critical for blockchain technology to gain mainstream legitimacy.
He called the Merge a “huge milestone” in tackling one of crypto’s most persistent criticisms: its carbon footprint. Prior to the upgrade, Ethereum’s PoW mechanism consumed roughly as much electricity as an entire nation.
According to Dmitry:
“The Ethereum community brought together brilliant and passionate developers. The Merge is the culmination of years of research, hope, deadlocks, disappointments, and lost patience—until finally reaching this point.”
He believes this moment isn’t just technical—it’s cultural and philosophical. It proves that decentralized communities can execute complex, long-term visions without centralized control.
Moreover, he sees the Merge as a foundation for future upgrades like sharding and layer-2 scaling solutions, which will further enhance throughput and reduce costs.
👉 Explore next-generation blockchain platforms supporting eco-friendly consensus mechanisms.
Post-Merge Hashrate Surge: Where Did Miners Go?
With Ethereum no longer rewarding PoW mining, many miners redirected their hardware elsewhere. Two major beneficiaries emerged: Ethereum Classic (ETC) and Ravencoin (RVC).
According to data from 2Miners, both networks saw dramatic increases in hashrate immediately after the Merge:
- ETC: Jumped to 128.12 TH/s, more than doubling its pre-Merge levels.
- RVC: Rose to 14.47 TH/s, reflecting over 100% daily growth.
This migration demonstrates market dynamics at work—mining capital is fluid and follows profitability. While some miners exited the space entirely due to rising electricity costs and declining returns, others adapted quickly by switching chains.
However, experts caution that such sudden influxes can temporarily destabilize smaller networks through centralization risks or increased difficulty adjustments.
Still, this shift highlights the resilience and adaptability of blockchain ecosystems—even in the face of major protocol changes.
The First NFT Minted on Proof-of-Stake Ethereum
Shortly after consensus flipped to PoS, digital artist Cirrus made history by minting what is widely recognized as the first NFT on post-Merge Ethereum.
The project, titled The Transition V2, consists of 100 unique generative art pieces combining panda imagery with visualizations of blockchain data. Each piece represents a symbolic bridge between old and new Ethereum eras.
But here’s where things get attention-grabbing: the very first mint cost a staggering 36.82 ETH—over $60,000 at the time—in gas fees.
Why so high? Likely due to extreme network congestion caused by celebratory transactions flooding the chain during those first minutes. Users rushed to mint commemorative NFTs, send symbolic messages, or simply be part of history.
“Someone just paid 36 ETH in gas to mint this. The first minted NFT on proof of stake.”
— Cirrus (@CirrusNFT)
While controversial, this event illustrates both excitement and inefficiencies that can arise during pivotal moments—even on an upgraded network.
It also reminds us that user behavior plays a crucial role in shaping network economics.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What exactly changed during the Ethereum Merge?
A: The Merge transitioned Ethereum from Proof-of-Work (mining-based) to Proof-of-Stake (staking-based), eliminating energy-intensive mining and reducing carbon emissions by ~99.95%.
Q: Did Ethereum’s price change significantly after the Merge?
A: While short-term price movements were modest, the long-term impact centers on fundamentals—reduced issuance, improved scalability roadmap, and stronger institutional appeal due to sustainability.
Q: Can I still mine Ethereum after the Merge?
A: No. Mining ceased when PoW ended. However, miners can redirect hardware to other PoW chains like ETC or RVC.
Q: How does staking work now?
A: Users lock up 32 ETH to become validators or delegate smaller amounts via staking pools (e.g., Lido, Coinbase). Validators propose and attest to blocks in exchange for rewards.
Q: Is Ethereum fully scalable after the Merge?
A: Not yet. The Merge focused on consensus efficiency. Scalability will come with future upgrades like sharding and enhanced Layer-2 rollups.
Q: Was there any downtime during the transition?
A: Remarkably, no. The Merge executed seamlessly with zero transaction interruptions—a testament to rigorous testing and developer coordination.
👉 Start exploring staking opportunities on leading blockchain networks today.
Final Thoughts: A Foundation for the Future
The Ethereum Merge wasn’t just an upgrade—it was a transformation. By shifting to PoS, Ethereum has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable blockchain innovation.
Beyond environmental benefits, this change lays the groundwork for upcoming enhancements: lower fees, faster transactions, and broader adoption across finance, gaming, identity, and more.
Developers continue working toward Ethereum’s Surge, Verge, Purge, and Splurge phases—all aimed at making Ethereum faster, lighter, and more accessible.
For users, investors, and builders alike, now is an exciting time to engage with one of the most dynamic ecosystems in web3.
Core Keywords: Ethereum Merge, Proof-of-Stake, Vitalik Buterin, EIP-1559, first PoS NFT, Ethereum staking, PoW to PoS transition