Solana Devs Smash Throughput Barriers: Block Limit Skyrockets to 60M CUs

Solana just cranked the dial to eleven. Its developers have pushed the network's block limit to a staggering 60 million compute units (CUs)—unleashing a tidal wave of capacity for decentralized apps and traders.

Why this matters: More CUs mean more transactions per second, fewer failed trades, and a chain that actually scales when you need it (unlike certain *cough* legacy blockchains still stuck in 2017).

The upgrade targets Solana's most notorious bottleneck—network congestion during meme coin frenzies and NFT drops. Now, validators can pack more operations into each block without triggering the dreaded 'max block size' errors.

Wall Street analysts remain skeptical—'Great, now retail can lose money faster,' quipped one JP Morgan blockchain strategist. But for builders? This is rocket fuel for DeFi, gaming, and high-frequency trading protocols.

Solana's throughput just got a nitro boost. The only question left: Can the rest of crypto keep up?

TLDR

• Solana has increased its block limit from 50 million to 60 million compute units.
• The upgrade represents a 20% rise in block capacity to improve performance.
• This change aims to support higher transaction volumes and reduce network congestion.
• The update is part of Solana’s broader effort to scale its infrastructure efficiently.
• Developers are planning to expand block capacity further to 100 million compute units.

Solana developers have implemented a major update by increasing the network’s block limit from 50 million to 60 million compute units (CUs). This 20% expansion aims to support rising transaction volumes and improve network performance under heavy load. The upgrade follows a series of performance enhancements to strengthen the ecosystem.

The change comes amid growing demand for faster execution and more robust on-chain processing capabilities. Each transaction consumes compute units depending on complexity, influencing block processing capacity and speed. A higher CU limit allows more transactions and advanced operations per block.

Solana previously raised the limit to 50 million CUs in June to maintain stability during spikes in usage. That initial increase proved effective in reducing congestion and preserving throughput. Developers, encouraged by the results, advanced to the second phase by setting the new ceiling at 60 million CUs.

Expanded Block Limits Aim to Enhance Performance

With the latest update, solana aims to sustain high network throughput during peak periods while supporting complex on-chain activities. The added compute capacity offers room for more advanced decentralized applications to operate with fewer constraints. Developers expect this change to improve consistency and efficiency during high-traffic events.

Helius Labs CEO Mert Mumtaz confirmed the 60 million CU adjustment on July 23 as part of broader network scaling plans. Each CU functions like a computational cost unit, making it easier to manage resource-intensive operations. Basic transfers consume fewer CUs, while multi-step decentralized exchange actions demand more.

Solana blocks are now 20% bigger — what does this mean?

on Solana, every transaction sent consumes resources

we call this resource "compute units" or CUs — like fuel for a car

every transaction consumes a different amount of CUs depending on its complexity, a simple transfer… https://t.co/4XOYZDUTtH

— mert | helius.dev (@0xMert_) July 23, 2025

The block limit rise reduces the risk of dropped transactions during busy periods and provides greater reliability across the ecosystem. By processing more per block, the network can deliver smoother user experiences and lower latency. Solana continues to expand capacity in response to real-time demand shifts.

Solana Developers Target 120 Million CU Milestone

Core developers are now moving toward future capacity increases beyond the current 60 million CU mark. Brennan Watt of Anza confirmed the merge of a Solana Improvement Document (SIMD-0286) targeting 100 million CUs. This proposal aligns with the platform’s objective to meet higher demand while maintaining performance.

Plans are also underway to eventually double the block capacity to 120 million CUs. Such a move WOULD enable developers to design more complex and expressive applications. Increasing the limit may also reduce fees as network throughput scales to meet user needs.

While lifting all limits remains under discussion, concerns about abuse and misuse continue to shape decisions. Watt noted that execution must remain bounded to protect network integrity. Static analysis or metering tools may play a bigger role in future asynchronous models.