diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index a7222ec6..5f058d57 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 	path = vendor/nim-libp2p
 	url = https://github.com/status-im/nim-libp2p.git
 	ignore = untracked
-	branch = master
+	branch = unstable
 [submodule "vendor/nimcrypto"]
 	path = vendor/nimcrypto
 	url = https://github.com/cheatfate/nimcrypto.git
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@
 [submodule "vendor/nim-ethers"]
 	path = vendor/nim-ethers
 	url = https://github.com/status-im/nim-ethers
+	branch = feat/chronos-v4
 [submodule "vendor/lrucache.nim"]
 	path = vendor/lrucache.nim
 	url = https://github.com/status-im/lrucache.nim
diff --git a/config.nims b/config.nims
index a00ce831..dba6d9fe 100644
--- a/config.nims
+++ b/config.nims
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ else:
 --threads:on
 --opt:speed
 --excessiveStackTrace:on
+--experimental:strictEffects
 # enable metric collection
 --define:metrics
 # for heap-usage-by-instance-type metrics and object base-type strings
diff --git a/vendor/nim-chronos b/vendor/nim-chronos
index 0277b65b..c41599a6 160000
--- a/vendor/nim-chronos
+++ b/vendor/nim-chronos
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 0277b65be2c7a365ac13df002fba6e172be55537
+Subproject commit c41599a6d6d8b11c729032bf8913e06f4171e0fb
diff --git a/vendor/nim-ethers b/vendor/nim-ethers
index fd16d71e..8ca2b37b 160000
--- a/vendor/nim-ethers
+++ b/vendor/nim-ethers
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit fd16d71ea58e8d3e5a7f41e5dfdaa3a9b693a815
+Subproject commit 8ca2b37bfb0c186ebe875bd0f8981f2ec7215c88
diff --git a/vendor/nim-http-utils b/vendor/nim-http-utils
index 3b491a40..77a59297 160000
--- a/vendor/nim-http-utils
+++ b/vendor/nim-http-utils
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 3b491a40c60aad9e8d3407443f46f62511e63b18
+Subproject commit 77a59297ad635d91a6352ef48ee09c6bde0c5d86
diff --git a/vendor/nim-json-rpc b/vendor/nim-json-rpc
index 0bf2bcbe..33360528 160000
--- a/vendor/nim-json-rpc
+++ b/vendor/nim-json-rpc
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 0bf2bcbe74a18a3c7a709d57108bb7b51e748a92
+Subproject commit 33360528d208aaa70a6ed914619fe76321760d54
diff --git a/vendor/nimbus-build-system b/vendor/nimbus-build-system
index fe9bc3f3..6cdd1428 160000
--- a/vendor/nimbus-build-system
+++ b/vendor/nimbus-build-system
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit fe9bc3f3759ae1add6bf8c899db2e75327f03782
+Subproject commit 6cdd14282b7c813c2ae4b9a9d749c3ff5ce1b54a