Polkadot Testnet Updated on New Relay Chain
Polkadot Testnet has been updated on a new relay chain with a smaller footprint
The Polkadot Testnet has been updated on a new relay chain with a smaller footprint, according to the Polkadot Forum. This update is a significant change to the Testnet, which is maintained by the Paseo project.
What happened
The Testnet's relay chain was restarted from block 0 on a smaller footprint, as planned in the Q3/Q4 2026 funding proposal. The Asset Hub and People chains kept their state, while the Bulletin chain joined as a system chain. The update also included changes to the core assignment process and the retirement of certain chains.
Performance Results
The Testnet's performance results for Q3 2026 have been released, showing that the relay chain availability met its target of 99.5% monthly, with no minutes without a block since the cutover on July 6. The system chain availability also met its target, with every chain above 99.5% over the quarter. Validator participation was also high, with at least 95% of the active set participating in every era.
Runtimes
The Testnet's runtimes are now developed, versioned, and released on Paseo's own schedule, allowing for a faster pace of new feature deployment. The release process includes a regular cadence, with the Asset Hub and People runtimes synced with the latest features and versions of Individuality, and the Bulletin runtime with polkadot-bulletin-chain.