Introducing the 20th Tezos Protocol Upgrade Proposal: Tallinn

The next Tezos protocol upgrade has officially landed on-chain, and voting is already underway. Baker, La Boulange, has submitted the proposal, which means we’ve now entered the stage where bakers can examine the changes, test their tooling, and cast their ballots. It’s a big moment, not only because this is the 20th upgrade, but because it strengthens the core of Tezos right as the ecosystem moves deeper into the Tezos X era.

The proposal’s real name is its hash:

PtTALLiNtPec7mE7yY4m3k26J8Qukef3E3ehzhfXgFZKGtDdAXu

Bakers can upvote the proposal using:

octez-client submit proposals for <baking_key> PtTALLiNtPec7mE7yY4m3k26J8Qukef3E3ehzhfXgFZKGtDdAXu

This week’s introduction of Tallinn comes with three upgrades that will shape Tezos for years ahead: a faster baseline layer, leaner and more predictable consensus, and smarter on-chain storage that benefits everything from NFTs to large-scale Michelson apps.

1. 6-second block time

Tallinn continues the line of performance improvements that started with Paris and Quebec, reducing block time again, this time from 8 seconds to 6. That means:

• smoother UX for Layer 1

• 12-second finality

• faster data availability for Etherlink and other L2s

• quicker bridging and interchain operations

All of this is done while keeping baker hardware requirements the same. No validator lockout, no cost creep. Decentralization stays front and center.

More on the testing behind the block time change can be found here.

2. All bakers attest every block (after 50 percent tz4 adoption)

The Seoul upgrade introduced BLS aggregation, which made it possible to combine hundreds of attestations into one. Tallinn puts that capability to work by letting all bakers attest in every block.

Once baker adoption of tz4 addresses passes 50 percent, attestation becomes fully inclusive. The benefits are clear:

• stronger network security

• predictable attestation rewards

• less node load

• simpler committee logic

• groundwork for even lower block times in future upgrades

Ledger devices still can't sign BLS fast enough, so tz4-compatible alternatives are recommended, such as:

• Tezos RPi BLS Signer

• TezSign

• Signatory

A full explanation on the transition can be found on Tezos Agora.

3. Address Indexing Registry

Storage has always been one of the quiet costs of building on Layer 1. Tallinn introduces a major improvement: a global registry that stores each address once, giving it a compact numeric ID that contracts can reuse.

For some contracts, especially NFTs and large ledgers, this can shrink storage needs by 50x to 100x.

This means:

• cheaper contract operation

• less on-chain duplication

• more throughput

• slower long-term network storage growth

This will also be available on Tezlink, which extends the same efficiency to Tezos-native Layer 2 apps.

You can learn more in-depth about the Address Indexing Registry in this post at Tezos Agora.

What comes next

Tallinnnet, the dedicated test network, will be live soon. Developers and bakers can begin testing now using the release candidate of Octez v24.0, which includes the Tallinn protocol.

The proposal period ends on November 29, so bakers should cast ballots early and help guide Tallinn toward the next governance phase.

Tallinn is designed to strengthen Layer 1 at the exact moment the ecosystem moves into the modular, multi-runtime world of Tezos X. Faster blocks, stronger consensus, and leaner storage give Tezos the foundation it needs for a high-performance, interconnected future.

As always, you can follow the proposal’s progress on Tezos Agora.

This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem

Tezos Wallet Check-Up: Good Habits for Long-Term Security

After covering a major protocol proposal like Tallinn, it’s a good moment to zoom out and look at the basics that keep every user safe. This week, community member Cryptonio (Kyriakos T.) published a detailed wallet hygiene guide that’s worth bookmarking, especially as more people explore both Tezos and Etherlink through different wallets and DApps.

His article breaks wallet safety into simple habits that anyone can follow, whether you’re using Kukai, Temple, MetaMask, Rabby, or a hardware wallet. The message is straightforward: routine is security. A little maintenance goes a long way.

Here are the key points he outlines:

1. Back up your seed phrase and verify it works
Store it offline, in multiple safe locations, and never in screenshots or cloud folders. And most importantly, test it. Restoring your wallet on a secondary device is the only way to know your backup is correct.

2. Review and revoke old DApp permissions
On Etherlink, token approvals can accumulate over time, which makes it important to clear out anything you no longer use. Tools like revoke.blockscout.com make this simple.
On Tezos Layer 1, transactions always require explicit signatures, but it’s still smart to disconnect unused DApps and keep an eye on your activity via explorers like tzkt.io.

3. Audit your wallet setup
Update your wallet apps and browser extensions, remove anything you no longer use, and enable passcodes or biometrics on mobile. If you hold significant amounts, keeping long-term funds on a hardware wallet remains the safest option.

4. Double-check before you sign
Slowing down is one of the best security habits you can build. Most wallet drains happen when someone rushes, not when someone lacks knowledge. Bookmark official sites, avoid links in DMs, and read every prompt before approving.

5. Organize your wallets by purpose
Separate daily activity from long-term holdings. A hot wallet for everyday use, a warm wallet for mid-term balances, and a cold wallet for storage can prevent one compromised wallet from becoming a total loss.

Cryptonio closes with a simple checklist that’s worth saving. A five-minute routine every few months is often all it takes to avoid most risks and keep your tez safe.

It’s a timely reminder that protocol upgrades like Tallinn can strengthen the network, but personal security starts with habits. Good hygiene isn’t complicated. It’s consistent.

Announcing the Raspberry Pi BLS Signer for Tezos Bakers

After talking about wallet hygiene and good long-term habits, it’s fitting to shift into a tool designed for one of the most important security responsibilities in the ecosystem: baking. Nomadic Labs has introduced a new open-source hardware signing device built specifically for Tezos bakers, the Raspberry Pi BLS Signer.

This release arrives at an important moment. With aggregated attestations now possible thanks to the Seoul upgrade, bakers who use tz4 / BLS keys can help the network run more efficiently and support faster block times. The challenge has been that many bakers still rely on Ledger devices, which simply cannot process BLS signatures quickly enough for Tezos consensus.

The Raspberry Pi BLS Signer steps in as a practical answer to that gap. It is low-cost, open-source, and fast enough to handle BLS signing at consensus speed.

Here is what it offers:

A dedicated, lightweight hardware signer
Runs on its own Raspberry Pi with no shared processes, no browser extensions, and nothing unnecessary in the background.

Purpose-built for consensus
By default, it only signs block and attestation operations, keeping the surface area small and predictable.

Security-focused design
Encrypted key storage, PIN entry through an e-ink touchscreen, minimal dependencies, and optional secure-element support.

Open-source transparency
Every line of code, setup script, and hardware instruction is available publicly. The project is designed for community review, contribution, and improvement.

Built for today and tomorrow
It handles BLS signatures comfortably and is expected to meet the needs of future protocol iterations as Tezos moves toward shorter block times and stronger attestation participation.

Nomadic Labs stresses that this is still a beta prototype, and they are asking bakers to test it on test networks only for now. Community members have already submitted improvements, and there is an open Discord channel for discussion, debugging, and collaboration.

Other teams are also building complementary solutions like TezSign and Signatory, which is encouraging. It adds diversity to the signer ecosystem at a moment when the network is preparing for protocol changes that lean more heavily on BLS keys.

This is a strong step toward helping bakers prepare for the future. If you want to explore it, assemble one, or contribute feedback, the full documentation and setup guides are here.

Tezos Community Events

Tezos Breakfast Club Returns to Buenos Aires

The Tezos Breakfast Club is back, and this time it’s bringing good coffee and great company to Buenos Aires.

Join local builders and community members for a relaxed morning of conversation, croissants, and connection, the perfect way to start the day.

📍 Café Nómada, Villa Crespo
🗓️ Friday, November 21 | 10:00–12:30 (UTC-3)
☕ Hosted by Tezos Trailblazers @BosqueGracias and @lucasoxx_

RSVP here: Tezos Breakfast Club: Buenos Aires

🔴 Now Streaming: Inside TAPL - How Tezos Artists Turn Live Matches Into Performance

In this episode, host Blangs reconnects with Hashbrown, the multi-talented artist, musician, and founder of TezTones and the TezTones Artletics Premier League (TAPL) for a deep dive into the evolving rhythm of collaborative on-chain creation.

Broadcasting from his solar-powered mountain studio, Hashbrown shares what it's like to build a live, competitive art league from the quiet of nature. From Season 3’s rising intensity to the raw unpredictability of live matches, we explore how the TAPL format blends freestyle chaos with high-stakes creativity and why keeping it fun remains the north star.

We also get into how mountain silence has shaped his process, why over-polished art can miss the mark, and how TAPL forces him to wear every creative hat at once. Whether he’s writing code, spinning music, or mediating live-match meltdowns, Hashbrown is remixing what it means to create on Tezos.

What You’ll Learn:

• How off-grid living changes the rhythm of artistic flow

• Why TAPL is part art show, part sports night, and part jam session.

• Lessons from burnout, rebuilding fun, and the art of letting go.

• Why Tezos is the perfect playground for collaborative expression.

• What the future holds for TAPL and how to join the next match.

Watch the full episode on YouTube.