Ethereum Hoodi Testnet RPC Guide: How to Connect and Test (2026)
Hoodi is Ethereum’s newest long-term testnet, launched in March 2025 to replace Holesky as the primary environment for staking infrastructure, validator client development, protocol testing. If you are building on Ethereum in 2026, Hoodi is the testnet your validator tooling or staking protocol should target before mainnet.
This guide covers how to connect to Hoodi via RPC, which library to use, how to get test ETH, how to test smart contracts. It also covers the most common issues developers run into.
For chain ID, endpoint format, MetaMask setup, see the Hoodi Testnet RPC endpoint page.
What is Ethereum Hoodi Testnet
Hoodi (chain ID: 560048) is Ethereum’s designated long-term testnet for staking and validator infrastructure. It was launched after Holesky encountered problems with validator set size that caused instability. Hoodi is designed with long-term stability as a core requirement, which is why it is now the standard testnet for teams building:
- Ethereum validator client software
- Liquid staking protocols (deposit and withdrawal flow testing)
- Restaking systems (EigenLayer-style mechanisms)
- Node operator configurations for production validators
Hoodi’s deposit contract mirrors Ethereum mainnet’s deposit contract, so you can test the full validator lifecycle without risking real ETH.
Hoodi vs Holesky vs Sepolia: Which Testnet to Use
Choosing the wrong testnet wastes time. Here is the breakdown:
Use Hoodi when:
- You are building or operating Ethereum validator infrastructure
- You need to test deposit contracts, withdrawal credentials, or validator exit flows
- Your CI/CD pipeline tests staking protocol logic before mainnet deployment
Use Sepolia when:
- You are building a dApp, DeFi protocol or smart contract
- You need a general-purpose EVM testnet with consistent developer tooling
- You want predictable public faucet access for testing
Do not use Holesky: Holesky was deprecated after validator set issues caused instability. It is no longer the recommended testnet for any new work.
The public RPC situation also matters for your decision. Hoodi’s public endpoints are specifically unreliable for infrastructure workloads. One widely-cited Reddit thread from the Ethereum community describes the public Hoodi RPC as “incredibly throttled and mostly unusable” for anything beyond basic wallet testing. If you are running automated test suites or CI/CD pipelines against Hoodi, a dedicated RPC endpoint is not optional. It is a requirement.
Connecting to Hoodi Step by Step
Get your BoltRPC API key from trial.boltrpc.io, then use the endpoint below. Replace YOUR_KEY with your actual key.
HTTP endpoint:
https://eu.endpoints.matrixed.link/rpc/ethereum-hoodi?auth=YOUR_KEYWSS endpoint:
wss://eu.endpoints.matrixed.link/ws/ethereum-hoodi?auth=YOUR_KEYethers.js (v6)
import { ethers } from "ethers";
const provider = new ethers.JsonRpcProvider(
"https://eu.endpoints.matrixed.link/rpc/ethereum-hoodi?auth=YOUR_KEY"
);
const blockNumber = await provider.getBlockNumber();
console.log("Hoodi block:", blockNumber);Web3.py
from web3 import Web3
w3 = Web3(Web3.HTTPProvider(
"https://eu.endpoints.matrixed.link/rpc/ethereum-hoodi?auth=YOUR_KEY"
))
print("Connected:", w3.is_connected())
print("Block:", w3.eth.block_number)curl
Verify connectivity with a raw JSON-RPC call:
curl -X POST \
https://eu.endpoints.matrixed.link/rpc/ethereum-hoodi?auth=YOUR_KEY \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"eth_blockNumber","params":[],"id":1}'Expected response:
{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"result":"0x..."}Example RPC Methods on Hoodi
Hoodi is EVM-compatible and supports the same eth_ methods as Ethereum mainnet. These are the methods most commonly used in validator and staking workflows:
Check balance of a test wallet:
curl -X POST \
https://eu.endpoints.matrixed.link/rpc/ethereum-hoodi?auth=YOUR_KEY \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"jsonrpc":"2.0",
"method":"eth_getBalance",
"params":["0xYourAddress","latest"],
"id":1
}'Get a transaction receipt (confirm test tx landed):
curl -X POST \
https://eu.endpoints.matrixed.link/rpc/ethereum-hoodi?auth=YOUR_KEY \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"jsonrpc":"2.0",
"method":"eth_getTransactionReceipt",
"params":["0xYourTxHash"],
"id":1
}'Call a contract read function:
curl -X POST \
https://eu.endpoints.matrixed.link/rpc/ethereum-hoodi?auth=YOUR_KEY \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"jsonrpc":"2.0",
"method":"eth_call",
"params":[{"to":"0xContractAddress","data":"0xFunctionSelector"},"latest"],
"id":1
}'All standard eth_ methods work on Hoodi exactly as they do on Ethereum mainnet. See the Ethereum RPC Methods Guide for full method documentation.
Getting Hoodi ETH
Hoodi ETH has no real value. Test ETH is free but supply from faucets is limited. These are the current faucet options:
Google Cloud Faucet
URL: cloud.google.com/application/web3/faucet/ethereum/hoodi
Requires a Google account. Dispenses a small amount of Hoodi ETH per request. Reliable for small amounts.
Hoodi Faucet (Ethereum Foundation / ethpandaops)
URL: hoodi.ethpandaops.io
Run by the ethpandaops team. Check the site for current faucet status. Availability varies.
pk910 Proof-of-Work Faucet
URL: hoodi-faucet.pk910.de
Runs a browser-based proof-of-work to earn Hoodi ETH. Slower but does not require social verification.
Faucet availability changes. If one is down, try another. For validator testing at scale, run your own funded test wallet and split ETH across test accounts rather than hitting faucets repeatedly.
Testing Smart Contracts on Hoodi
Hoodi is not the recommended testnet for general smart contract development. Use Sepolia for that. But if your contract interacts with Ethereum’s staking deposit contract, or you need to test staking-related logic, Hoodi is where you do it.
Hardhat config for Hoodi:
// hardhat.config.js
require("@nomicfoundation/hardhat-toolbox");
module.exports = {
solidity: "0.8.24",
networks: {
hoodi: {
url: "https://eu.endpoints.matrixed.link/rpc/ethereum-hoodi?auth=YOUR_KEY",
chainId: 560048,
accounts: [process.env.HOODI_PRIVATE_KEY],
},
},
};Deploy to Hoodi:
npx hardhat run scripts/deploy.js --network hoodiFoundry config for Hoodi:
# foundry.toml
[rpc_endpoints]
hoodi = "https://eu.endpoints.matrixed.link/rpc/ethereum-hoodi?auth=YOUR_KEY"forge script script/Deploy.s.sol --rpc-url hoodi --broadcastVerify on Hoodi Explorer:
The Hoodi block explorer is at hoodi.ethpandaops.io. It supports transaction lookup and basic contract verification.
Common Issues
“Connection refused” or timeout on public RPC Public Hoodi RPC endpoints impose strict rate limits and drop under load. This is the most common issue reported in developer forums. Switch to a dedicated endpoint. The BoltRPC Hoodi endpoint uses the same infrastructure as Ethereum mainnet. No separate rate limits or degraded service for testnet traffic.
Wrong chain ID error
Hoodi’s chain ID is 560048. If your wallet or library throws a chain mismatch error, confirm you are setting chainId: 560048 explicitly. ethers.js v6 detects chain ID automatically, but hardhat config requires it set manually.
Faucet limits prevent testing at scale Faucets drip small amounts. For integration tests that send many transactions, pre-fund a set of test wallets from a single funded account rather than requesting from faucets on every test run.
eth_getLogs returns empty on recent blocks
Hoodi block time is approximately 12 seconds, matching mainnet. If you are querying logs on a block that was just mined, wait one confirmation before querying. Use eth_blockNumber first to confirm your target block is finalized.
Hardhat nonce too low error
This happens when a test transaction is pending on-chain but your nonce counter has not updated. Add { nonce: await provider.getTransactionCount(wallet.address) } explicitly in your transaction options when running parallel test scenarios.
FAQ
What is Hoodi testnet and why did it replace Holesky? Hoodi is Ethereum’s long-term testnet for staking and validator infrastructure. Holesky was deprecated after issues with its validator set caused instability. Hoodi was designed from the start for long-term stability, with a validator set sized to support production-grade infrastructure testing without the problems Holesky encountered.
What is the Hoodi testnet chain ID? Hoodi’s chain ID is 560048. You need this when adding the network to a wallet or configuring a development framework. The Hoodi chain page has the full network config including RPC URL.
How do I get test ETH for Hoodi?
Use the Google Cloud faucet at cloud.google.com/application/web3/faucet/ethereum/hoodi, the ethpandaops faucet at hoodi.ethpandaops.io, or the proof-of-work faucet at hoodi-faucet.pk910.de. Test ETH has no real value. Faucet availability changes, so try multiple sources if one is down.
Should I use Hoodi or Sepolia for smart contract testing? Use Sepolia for smart contract testing. Use Hoodi if your contracts interact with Ethereum’s deposit contract or you are testing validator-related logic. Sepolia has more stable public faucets and broader tooling support for general dApp development.
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</script>Ready to connect to Hoodi with a reliable endpoint? Start your free 2-week trial at trial.boltrpc.io. Same API key, same endpoint format as Ethereum mainnet.