Ethereum Block Time
Ethereum produces a block every 12 seconds. Each block maps to a slot in the beacon chain's proof-of-stake consensus, and every 32 slots form an epoch (~6.4 minutes). This page shows the current state and lets you estimate when any block number will arrive.
Understanding Ethereum's clock
Since the merge to proof-of-stake in September 2022, Ethereum has operated on a fixed 12-second slot rhythm. A validator is assigned to each slot to propose a block. Not every slot produces a block (some are missed), but the timing is deterministic.
The beacon chain started at Unix timestamp 1606824023 (December 1, 2020). Slots are numbered sequentially from that genesis, and every 32 slots form an epoch (~6.4 minutes), the unit at which finality and validator shuffling occur.
FAQ
Why is Ethereum block time 12 seconds?
Since the switch to proof of stake in September 2022, Ethereum divides time into fixed 12 second slots. One validator is chosen to propose a block in each slot, so blocks arrive on a regular schedule rather than at the random intervals of proof of work.
Can a slot have no block?
Yes. If the chosen validator is offline or late, the slot is skipped and the chain continues at the next one. Skipped slots are rare, but they mean block numbers advance slightly slower than slot numbers.
What is an epoch?
A group of 32 slots, about 6.4 minutes. Validator duties are assigned per epoch and finality is decided at epoch boundaries, so an epoch is the unit that matters when checking whether a transaction is permanent.
How do I estimate when a future block will arrive?
Enter the block number above. The page multiplies the remaining blocks by 12 seconds and adds that to the current time. Because of occasional skipped slots, the real time is usually a little later than the estimate for targets far in the future.
How many blocks are produced in a day?
At one slot every 12 seconds, a day has 7,200 slots. Allowing for skipped slots, roughly 7,100 to 7,200 blocks are produced on a typical day.