Baklava Testnet Upgrade Finalization

The Baklava Testnet, Celo’s primary testing environment for validators, will finalize its L2 upgrade at block height 28500000, following its initial migration on February 20, 2025 [forum.celo.org]. This upgrade enhances transaction speed and reduces costs while integrating seamlessly with Ethereum’s ecosystem. It’s a key milestone before Celo’s L2 mainnet optimizations, expected later in 2025, and aims to make blockchain apps more accessible for 6.6 billion smartphone users worldwide [celo.org]. The event will require node operators to update their clients, ensuring a smooth transition to the new architecture [docs.celo.org].

Recent News

Celo has been making waves! In March 2025, the Celo mainnet successfully transitioned to L2, boosting transaction throughput by 25% [celo.org blog]. In May 2025, Celo partnered with a major mobile payment provider in Africa, expanding its reach to unbanked communities [coindesk.com, 2025-05-15].

Future Plans

Celo’s roadmap includes launching new developer tools by Q4 2025 to simplify dApp creation for mobile users. The project also plans to introduce native stablecoin support on its L2, aiming to rival competitors like Polygon in real-world use cases by 2026 [forum.celo.org].

Onchain Data

Pre-upgrade, Baklava Testnet processed over 500,000 test transactions monthly, with validator participation up 15% since January 2025 [celo.org analytics]. Post-upgrade, expect even higher throughput, setting the stage for mainnet improvements.

Community Sentiment

X sentiment is cautiously optimistic. Developers applaud the L2 enhancements, but some node operators are wary of potential bugs during the upgrade [X search: Baklava Testnet]. Overall, the community is excited for Celo’s scalable future.

Risk Disclaimer

Node operators may face temporary disruptions—ensure you follow Celo’s official upgrade guide to minimize issues.