EIP-8368 CPSB recalibration for the new gas limit (CPSB Recalibration for New Gas Limit)
Proposed for Inclusion · Fees & gas · EIP status Draft · created 2026-08-05
A proposal to recompute the cost per state byte (CPSB) introduced by EIP-8037 for a higher block gas limit. The new reference limit and values are placeholder drafts that are not yet decided.
Why it is needed
In Ethereum, data that every node must keep storing, such as account balances and contract storage values, is called state. EIP-8037 introduced CPSB (cost per state byte), the gas cost charged for each new byte of state, and this value was calculated on the assumption that the block gas limit, the cap on how much computation a single block can hold, is 150M. If the block gas limit rises past this reference, each block processes more, and state can accumulate that much faster. The EIP-8037 text itself notes in advance that if a gas limit increase significantly changes the expected state growth rate, CPSB can be re-derived in a follow-up EIP. This proposal is that follow-up EIP. Even if the gas limit is raised further, it recalibrates the single CPSB value to the new reference to keep the state growth rate within the target range. The proposal was also accepted at the core developer call on the grounds that raising the gas limit further requires readjusting the constants in EIP-8037.
What changes
Today
- CPSB is a value derived from a block gas limit of 150M
- If the gas limit rises past the reference, state growth can drift from the target rate
After EIP-8368
- Recompute CPSB with the same methodology for the new reference block gas limit
- Leave the other parameters and mechanisms of EIP-8037 as they are and update only the CPSB value
- The new reference limit and the re-derived CPSB value are not yet decided
Who is affected
- Users and app developers: If CPSB changes, the gas cost of transactions that store new state may change. The specific value is not yet decided.
- Client teams: This replaces one parameter defined by EIP-8037 with a new value, so it is applied as a constant swap with no mechanism change.
- Node operators and validators: By keeping state growth within the target range even as the gas limit rises, it is expected to help manage long-term storage burden.
In depth
CPSB is the only thing that changes
This EIP re-derives CPSB, the per-state-byte unit gas cost introduced by EIP-8037, for the new reference block gas limit. All other parameters, mechanisms, and semantics defined by EIP-8037 are unaffected and remain as they are. In other words, the proposal does not touch the structure that prices state; it updates only the one constant that goes into that structure for the new environment.
Basis for recalibration: the 150M reference gas limit
EIP-8037 derived CPSB on the premise of a reference block gas limit of 150M gas, and its text states that "if future block gas limit increases significantly change the expected state growth rate, CPSB may be re-derived in a follow-up EIP." The motivation of this EIP is that once the block gas limit rises past that reference point, CPSB must be recalibrated to keep state growth on target.
The specification is still an empty placeholder
The source document itself says it is a placeholder EIP. The new reference block gas limit, the re-derived CPSB value, and the accompanying Rationale are all TBD. The specification table also leaves the CPSB value as TBD. Only the method is settled. The new value will be derived with the same methodology as EIP-8037, changing only the reference block gas limit to a value to be decided later.
Compatibility and security follow EIP-8037
This EIP updates a parameter defined by EIP-8037, so it inherits the backward compatibility considerations of EIP-8037 as they are. The Security Considerations section of the source document only says "Needs discussion," so there is no separate analysis yet.
The status is Draft, and the call decided to wait for measured data
The source status is Draft, so the content, including the baseline limits and values, may change. Here is the core developer call history. On 08.13 at ACDE #243 it was accepted as a Hegota candidate and introduced as a proposal that would require re-tuning the constants in EIP-8037 to raise the gas limit further. On 09.10 at ACDE #245 the call decided not to DFI the normalized state gas limit (EIP-8372) and to decide it together with this EIP, which has broad support, and noted that the decision can be made after observing demand following the Glamsterdam deployment. On 09.24 at ACDE #246 both EIPs were left as PFI until mainnet Glamsterdam data has accumulated for at least 30 days after the fork. This means no decision will be made without measured data.