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On the Ethereum network, the Ropsten testnet is poised to set the stage for the Merge's "first dress rehearsal" to adopt the proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus method.

On Tuesday, Tim Beiko, a core Ethereum engineer, announced the introduction of a new Beacon Chain for Ropsten. It will act as a warm-up for the final Merge test, which will be released "around June 8th."

The Ropsten testnet is one of many Ethereum client testing grounds. It has several features that are similar to the Ethereum mainnet, such as the usage of a worthless version of Ether (ETH) to perform transactions and the coding environment, but changes made there have no impact on the mainnet.

Ropsten is Ethereum's longest-running proof-of-work (PoW) testnet, having started in 2016.

When Ropsten ultimately conducts its own Merge, it will be a preview of what the true Merge on the Ethereum mainnet would look like. The resulting consequences on the testnet, its apps, and clients will provide developers with the first-ever insights of what to expect during the mainnet Merge and how to avoid issues.

In the days leading up to the Ropsten Merge, according to Beiko, there are still a few things that developers and node runners must prepare for. The Beacon Chain must release the most recent upgrade, and the mining difficulty of the PoW side, known as the TTD, must be established.

The upgrade will be implemented first, followed by the TTD, which "should be selected by June 23," according to Beiko.

Because it will accomplish numerous aims, the Merge is one of the most highly anticipated events in the Ethereum network's history. It will alter Ethereum's PoW consensus algorithm to PoS, making the network far more energy-efficient, and renaming it the Consensus Layer, formerly known as Eth2. This year's event is expected to take place in August.

Despite the hopes of thousands of Ethereum users, the Merge is unlikely to lower the network's gas fees.

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