Starknet mainnet upgrade delivers faster blocks and new hash standard

Starknets v0.14.1 upgrade brings faster blocks, BLAKE hash, and JSON-RPC improvements; STRK token still trades near multi-week lows after major changes.

• Starknets v0.14.1 upgrade transitions the network to the BLAKE hash family, following SNIP-34 for better proof efficiency and developer cost reductions.
• The upgrade introduces logic for faster block closure during low activity and enhances JSON-RPC formatting for improved tooling and indexers.
• Despite infrastructure advances, STRK token price remains depressed, underperforming the broader crypto market per CoinGecko and DeFiLlama data.

Starknet deployed its v0.14.1 mainnet upgrade on November 25, according to an announcement from StarkWare, the development company behind the Ethereum Layer 2 network.

The update, developed by StarkWare and the Starknet core team, introduces faster block production during periods of low network activity, a new hash function standard, and an enhanced JSON-RPC stack, according to the companys post on X.

The upgrade implements a complete transition from Poseidon to the BLAKE hash family for compiled_class_hash. The change follows the SNIP-34 standard and aligns the network with the Stwo prover architecture, according to StarkWare. The company stated the modification is designed to reduce proof costs for developers.

Starknet update brings new standards

The update includes logic to close blocks more rapidly when network activity is low, aiming to reduce user wait times during quiet periods. Nodes are now adopting JSON-RPC v0.10.0, which updates the delivery of state diffs, events, and subscriptions, providing a standardized format for indexers and tooling teams.

StarkNet‘s public calendars indicate the upgrade is operational, representing another step in the network’s 2025 roadmap.

The deployment follows two significant changes to Starknets infrastructure. On November 5, the team deployed its Stwo prover to mainnet, replacing the previous proof system.

As of November 26, the native STRK (STRK) token was trading near multi-week lows, with 24-hour trading volume reaching hundreds of millions of dollars across major exchanges, according to market data. CoinGecko data shows a notable decline over the seven-day period, with the token underperforming compared to the broader cryptocurrency market and other smart-contract tokens during the same timeframe.

The token remains significantly below its 2024 peak, according to historical price data.

DeFiLlama data tracks Starknets decentralized finance total value locked in the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. Stablecoin balances on the network have increased modestly over the past month, according to the platform.

Over the past 24 hours, decentralized exchange trading volumes on the network were modest compared to perpetual futures volume, indicating substantial derivatives activity within the ecosystem, according to trading data.