Massive Upgrade Ahead: Kaspa's Crescendo Hardfork

Kaspa Prepares for Major Network Upgrade

Kaspa, a scalable proof-of-work blockchain, nears a key milestone with its Crescendo Hardfork. Testnet-10 (TN10) has been operating at 10 blocks per second (BPS) since March 6, 2025, and is currently undergoing extensive stress-testing by the community. According to the official Kaspa Twitter account, the mainnet upgrade is planned for late April 2025, though this may shift to early May depending on testnet performance.

The upgrade represents a tenfold increase from Kaspa's current 1 BPS throughput, aiming to deliver faster transaction confirmations while maintaining the security benefits of proof-of-work consensus. Community members have been actively participating in testnet validation, ensuring the network can handle increased transaction volumes reliably.

Smart Contracts Set to Scale with 10 BPS

KRC Token Standards Being Tested

The Crescendo Hardfork isn't just about speed—it's unlocking Kaspa's ecosystem. KRC-20 and KRC-721 standards, developed and tested on Testnet-11 since January 2024, will combine with the speed improvements validated on Testnet-10 when the mainnet upgrades to 10 BPS. With zkEVM integration finalizing transactions on Layer 2, Kaspa aims to rival Ethereum's functionality while keeping PoW security.

The jump to 10 BPS is expected to provide the necessary throughput for these smart contract operations to function efficiently. This development positions Kaspa to offer functionality similar to Ethereum while maintaining its proof-of-work security model.

Future Scaling Plans

Future upgrades target 32 BPS or even 100 BPS, with the DAGKnight protocol optimizing blockDAG consensus for even higher throughput.

These developments aim to address the traditional blockchain trilemma by offering a solution that maintains security and decentralization while significantly improving scalability. For developers and users, this means a platform that could potentially combine Bitcoin's security assurances with Ethereum's functional flexibility.

Market Position and Community Outlook

Kaspa's "Made in USA" CoinMarketCap tag boosts visibility as U.S. policies toward proof-of-work cryptocurrencies evolve, fueling pre-upgrade interest. This classification comes amid growing speculation about potentially favorable regulatory approaches, including discussions of possible tax incentives for proof-of-work projects.

The timing of this categorization, coinciding with the approaching network upgrade, has generated additional interest in the project. With $KAS gaining popularity in crypto discussions, enthusiasts see it potentially rivaling established proof-of-work cryptocurrencies by late 2025. As Bitcoin's market dominance shows signs of decline, some community members suggest that Kaspa could establish itself as a notable alternative.

Market observers have pointed to the combination of increased transaction speed, smart contract functionality, and proof-of-work security as factors that could differentiate Kaspa in an increasingly competitive cryptocurrency landscape. The upcoming upgrade is considered a critical step in realizing this potential, with many predicting significant growth following the implementation.

Conclusion

Kaspa's planned late April 2025 upgrade to 10 BPS could redefine PoW scalability. With Testnet-11 pioneering smart contracts since January 7, 2024, and Testnet-10 thriving at 10 BPS since March 6, $KAS blends speed and security. This fusion, over a year in the making, positions Kaspa to reshape crypto's next chapter.

Implementing smart contract functionality alongside increased throughput positions Kaspa to compete in both the base and application layer of blockchain technology. As the countdown to the Crescendo Hardfork continues, the project's combination of speed improvements and security-focused design shows how today's cryptocurrency landscape is evolving.