# Solana sets Alpenglow upgrade for 21 October at about 8 pm PKT, targeting 150-millisecond finality

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/crypto/solana-sets-alpenglow-upgrade-for-21-october-at-about-8-pm-pkt-targeting-150)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 14 Oct 2026
Updated: 14 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 14 Oct 2026

> Alpenglow replaces Solana's TowerBFT voting system. Validators must run Agave 4.3.0, and transaction counts will look much lower once votes leave blocks.

**Solana's Alpenglow upgrade** is scheduled for **epoch 1064**, expected to start around **15:00 UTC on 21 October**, which is about **8:00 pm in Pakistan**, according to the Solana Foundation timetable reported by CoinDesk on 14 October.

The network keeps its old voting system for the first 5,000 slots, then switches to Alpenglow roughly 18 minutes later, so the switch itself should land around 8:20 pm PKT.

## What changes

- **New consensus**: Alpenglow replaces **TowerBFT**, the voting system Solana has used since 2020.
- **Faster finality**: the target is transactions final in about **150 milliseconds**. Validators gather approvals into a certificate that finalises a block after one or two rounds of voting. Real-world speed will depend on network conditions.
- **Votes leave the chain**: validators exchange votes directly instead of posting them as on-chain transactions.

## Why the numbers will look different

Vote transactions have made up a large share of Solana's reported transaction count. Once they leave blocks, **reported transactions per second may drop sharply** even if real user activity is unchanged. Do not read that drop as a collapse in usage.

## For validators

- Must run **Agave 4.3.0**. Firedancer and Frankendancer will not support the initial migration, so their operators have to switch software for now.
- Per-epoch voting costs of roughly **1 SOL** end and are replaced by a flat admission fee of **0.8 SOL**.

## For holders in Pakistan

Holders do not need to do anything; balances are not touched. Exchanges sometimes pause SOL deposits and withdrawals around upgrades, so avoid moving funds near 8 pm on 21 October. Crypto is not legal tender in Pakistan and the rules are still being written. Follow prices on our [bitcoin](/data/btc-usd) and [ether](/data/eth-usd) pages.

## Frequently asked questions

**When is the Solana Alpenglow upgrade in Pakistan time?**

It is expected to start around 15:00 UTC on 21 October 2026, about 8:00 pm PKT, with the switch to Alpenglow roughly 18 minutes later.

**Do Solana holders need to do anything for Alpenglow?**

No. Balances are unaffected; only validators must upgrade their software.

## Sources

- Solana sets Oct. 21 for Alpenglow upgrade targeting 150-millisecond finality (CoinDesk): https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2026/10/14/solana-sets-oct-21-for-alpenglow-upgrade-targeting-150-millisecond-finality

How to cite: "Solana sets Alpenglow upgrade for 21 October at about 8 pm PKT, targeting 150-millisecond finality", Searchable, 14 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/crypto/solana-sets-alpenglow-upgrade-for-21-october-at-about-8-pm-pkt-targeting-150