The Hoodi testnet is set to launch on March 17, 2025, to enable validator exit testing, crucial for the Pectra upgrade. Tim Beiko stressed the importance of this testnet for final evaluations.

The Pectra upgrade includes features like Smart Wallets, which will allow transaction fee payments in various cryptocurrencies, not just ETH. Despite issues with existing testnets Sepolia and Holesky, Hoodi aims to facilitate necessary tests.