Avalanche Granite Upgrade to Introduce Biometric Authentication, Dynamic Block Times on October 29 Testnet Launch

The Avalanche network is poised for a significant advancement with the upcoming "Avalanche Granite" upgrade, which is set to activate on the Fuji Testnet on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. This major pre-release, announced by Avalanche Developers 🔺 on social media, signals the imminent arrival of features designed to enhance network capabilities, security, and user experience. The upgrade will proceed to the Mainnet following successful testing on the Fuji Testnet.

The Granite upgrade is driven by three Avalanche Community Proposals (ACPs) aimed at improving various facets of the blockchain. Among these, ACP-204 introduces support for the secp256r1 elliptic curve, enabling biometric data signing. This innovation will allow for secure identity verification through methods like fingerprint or facial recognition, facilitating FaceID/TouchID-style logins directly within decentralized applications (dApps) and expanding possibilities for enterprise-grade security.

Another key component, ACP-226, will implement dynamic minimum block times, allowing the network to adjust transaction processing speeds. This flexibility is expected to enable sub-second block times, leading to quicker transaction finality, reduced end-user latency, and improved overall network efficiency. Previously, block rate changes required network upgrades, but this new mechanism permits continuous optimization based on network conditions and validator consensus.

Furthermore, ACP-181 focuses on enhancing Interchain Messaging (ICM) verification by introducing P-Chain Epoched Views. This change will fix the P-Chain height for approximately 5-10 minute epochs, providing a stable validator set view for cross-chain messages. The result is expected to be more reliable and cost-effective ICM verification, significantly benefiting developers building cross-chain applications on Avalanche.

The Fuji Testnet serves as a critical sandbox environment, mirroring the Avalanche Mainnet infrastructure for developers to test and refine applications without financial risk. Node operators on both Fuji Testnet and Mainnet are mandated to upgrade their software to AvalancheGo v1.14 (or v1.14-fuji for testnet) before the October 29 activation to ensure continued participation in network consensus. This comprehensive upgrade underscores Avalanche's commitment to continuous innovation and scalability within the blockchain ecosystem.