• The Pascal upgrade comes with smart wallets, batch transactions and gasless payments to improve dApp developer tools.
  • BNB Chain revenue skyrockets as memecoin activity and PancakeSwap usage outpace major competitors.

BNB Chain has officially completed the Pascal hard fork, an upgrade focused on improving EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) compatibility. As reported by CNF , the hard fork introduces EIP-7702, which allows smart contract wallets to act like regular user accounts for transactions. At the same time, the change enables developers to support gasless transactions, smart payment approvals and batch processing.

The hard fork went live on March 20. Node operators, validators, exchanges and infrastructure providers were advised to update their systems before the rollout. BNB Chain pointed out that failure to update would result in nodes no longer being synchronized.

Developers were also asked to review their decentralized applications (dApps) to ensure they remain functional under the new transaction structure.

Pascal hardfork is now complete and we're already planning future hardforks:

🔸 Lorentz (April 2025): Faster block times (1.5s)
🔸 Maxwell (June 2025): Even faster (0.75s)

Want to shape the next upgrade? Join the discussion: https://t.co/4uV2v508oN pic.twitter.com/SFi9WFUGHV

— BNB Chain Developers (@BNBChainDevs) March 20, 2025

New features to improve developer flexibility

The release of EIP-7702 gives developers access to tools that simplify transactions. One feature enables the temporary conversion of user accounts to smart contracts, enabling features such as grouped transactions and automatic approvals. This update is expected to facilitate onboarding for new users and improve interaction with dApps.

The network now supports gas abstraction, which separates transaction fees from asset transfers. This is intended to give developers more control over user costs, which can help lower the hurdles for users new to crypto applications. BNB Chain explained that the change was made to „expand developer support and create a more flexible environment“.

The Pascal upgrade is part of a larger roadmap that includes two other updates. The Lorentz upgrade, which is planned for April 2025, is intended to reduce the block time to 1.5 seconds. It is intended to speed up transaction confirmation and improve overall network efficiency.

Another upgrade called Maxwell is planned for June 2025. It should further reduce the block processing time to 0.75 seconds. These changes are intended to improve performance and prepare the BNB chain for higher transaction volumes next year.

Rising turnover with increasing memecoin activity

The Pascal hard fork comes at a time when trading activity on the BNB chain is on the rise. According to DeFiLlama , the network recorded $2.13 billion in decentralized exchange transactions in the last 24 hours, outperforming Ethereum and Solana. The weekly turnover increased by almost 60% and reached 13.56 billion dollars.

Much of this growth is due to new memecoins such as Mubarak, which are actively traded on PancakeSwap. DEX processed 2.56 billion dollars in transactions in one day, almost twice as much as Uniswap. The BNB chain continues to grow as new tokens and user activity on the platform increases.

In addition , CNF reported that Merlin Chain has partnered with BNB Chain to build a crosschain bridge. The initiative, led by the Merlin Chain Foundation, aims to improve token transfers and increase liquidity incentives across blockchain network boundaries.