The Rootstock community has approved a set of consensus changes to be included in the upcoming Vetiver network upgrade. Vetiver will activate on Rootstock Mainnet on block 8,804,200. This is a mandatory upgrade; users who adhere to these changes must update their nodes to the latest version. The latest version of the RSKj client is now available for download in the RSKj GitHub repository.
What is a network upgrade?
A network upgrade is a set of changes to the protocol’s consensus rules that takes effect at a specific block number. To remain part of the upgraded network, all nodes must run a compatible client version that implements these new rules. Nodes that are not updated before activation will continue on an incompatible chain.
When will the network upgrade happen?
Rootstock Vetiver 9.0.0 will activate on Mainnet at block 8,804,200. Based on current network conditions, activation is expected on May 4th at approximately 10 am UTC. On Rootstock Testnet, the upgrade will activate at block 7,604,200, which is expected to be reached on April 28th at approximately 7 pm UTC.
Please note that these dates may change depending on network conditions, so users are encouraged to upgrade as soon as possible.
What protocol changes are included in Vetiver 9.0.0?
The consensus changes included in this version are:
- (Testnet-only) Add the baseEvent field to the Block header extension (RSKIP-535)
- (Mainnet-only) Additional methods for the BlockHeader precompiled contract (RSKIP-536)
- Bridge method getEstimatedFeesForNextPegOutEvent improvements and new parameterized method (RSKIP-540)
- Reject new contract code starting with the 0xEF byte (RSKIP-544)
- Deprecate RSKIP-459 (RSKIP-551)
- Improve Blake2F input validation (RSKIP-552)
For a detailed description of each consensus change introduced in this network upgrade, please refer to RSKIP 553 Network Upgrade: Vetiver.
Changes to JSON-RPC API Default Values
In addition to the consensus changes introduced in Vetiver, this release also includes a set of non-consensus improvements to the JSON-RPC API. These updates aim to improve resource management for eth_call execution and batch request handling, helping protect nodes from excessive CPU, thread, and memory consumption under heavy RPC load.
As part of this effort, several default settings have been updated:
- The default callGasCap has been reduced from 50M to 10M. This lowers the maximum gas limit per eth_call, reducing the work a single request can impose on the node. When a caller specifies a higher gas value, it is silently capped to the configured maximum.
- The RPC execution timeout is now enabled by default, with a value of 5 seconds. Previously, this mechanism was disabled by default, allowing individual RPC requests to run without time limits.
- The default max_batch_requests_size has also been reduced from 100 to 50. This aligns Rootstock more closely with conventions used by major Ethereum node providers. Batch requests that exceed this limit are rejected with error code -32600.
- maxResponseSize is now capped at 10 MB by default. Previously, response size was unlimited, which could lead to excessive memory consumption in some scenarios.
For a complete list of the changes introduced, please check Vetiver’s GitHub milestone.
Why this network upgrade matters
Vetiver strengthens the foundation Rootstock needs to support more complex applications, higher transaction volumes, and more demanding, reliability-sensitive use cases where performance, predictability, and transparency are crucial.
As the network evolves, these kinds of changes are key to ensuring Rootstock can scale while remaining aligned with Bitcoin’s security model.
Preparing the network for the next phase of Union Bridge
This upgrade introduces block header changes required for the future rollout of Union Bridge, helping lay the technical foundation for one of the network’s most important upcoming infrastructure improvements. In parallel, it also brings Testnet-only enhancements to Parallel Transaction Execution, supporting continued performance and scalability work ahead of future releases.
Advancing the path toward Account Abstraction
The release also introduces key prerequisites on both Testnet and Mainnet to support a future Account Abstraction implementation. By adding the technical building blocks needed for this evolution, the network continues moving toward a more flexible and capable execution environment that can unlock new user and developer experiences over time.
Improving peg-out cost visibility for users
This upgrade includes improvements to peg-out fee estimation, giving users more accurate information about the expected cost of peg-out operations. More precise estimates help improve the user experience, reduce uncertainty, and make interactions with the bridge more transparent and predictable.
Strengthening security and protocol resilience
Alongside these forward-looking changes, the release includes a set of smaller protocol improvements focused on hardening the network. These updates strengthen validation rules, enhance contract security, and support the platform’s overall stability and reliability as Rootstock continues to evolve.
Is there anything I need to consider when upgrading to Vetiver 9.0.0?
There is no other special consideration besides updating your node to the latest version before the network upgrade activation happens at the defined block numbers.
RSKj Vetiver 9.0.0’s sha256 sum is f120a63d685a4df9344371358ac16bbd65ed54b09db79357d2f1fdc2c94c8a8f rskj-core-9.0.0-VETIVER-all.jar.
See the Reproducible Build guide for further details.
How do I report security vulnerabilities?
If you find a security issue, please contact us at security@rootstocklabs.com or report it through RootstockLabs’ bug bounty program. We reward security experts, software developers, and hackers who dedicate time and effort to improving and protecting the Rootstock platform.
Do you have further questions?
Please contact us through our Rootstock Discord Server for technical questions and support.
You can also reach out with any feedback you would like to share with us through our social media channels and forums.
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