The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has announced a major leadership overhaul, a move aimed at addressing growing concerns from the Ethereum community. Co-founder Vitalik Buterin confirmed that this restructuring has been in the works for nearly a year, designed to enhance the foundation’s operational efficiency and better align it with the ecosystem’s evolving needs.
In a post on X, Buterin explained that the leadership reforms are intended to close gaps in technical expertise while fostering stronger collaboration with key participants in the ecosystem, such as developers, wallet providers, Layer-2 networks, and individual users. The foundation is also prioritizing core principles such as decentralization, privacy, and open-source development, alongside strengthening its efforts to create a censorship-resistant application layer.
A notable element of the reform includes the foundation’s intention to integrate decentralized technologies into its internal operations, such as treasury management and payment systems. This move reflects Ethereum’s commitment to practicing what it preaches within its decentralized framework.
Over the past year, the Ethereum Foundation has faced criticism for its perceived passivity and concerns surrounding its spending priorities. These leadership updates aim to rebuild trust and reestablish the foundation as a vital force within the Ethereum ecosystem. However, Buterin was clear that the EF will maintain its neutrality and avoid engaging in political lobbying. “The Ethereum Foundation will not start aggressively lobbying regulators and powerful political figures… risking compromising Ethereum’s position as a global neutral platform,” Buterin affirmed.
Meanwhile, Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin has suggested a dual-leadership approach to guide the EF into its next chapter. Lubin proposed that Ethereum developer Danny Ryan and Ethereum France President Jérôme de Tychey lead the foundation, highlighting their ability to balance technical expertise with business strategy. According to Lubin, their combined leadership could inject “energy, talent, outside-the-box thinking, and creativity” into the foundation.
Lubin also reflected on Ethereum’s role in the broader blockchain landscape, comparing it to Switzerland’s global neutrality. He argued that Ethereum should promote its values and technological advancements while maintaining a neutral stance. Drawing parallels, Lubin stated, “A somewhat credibly neutral nation-state like Switzerland engages in vigorous activity to ensure that its APIs are well known and well utilized. It promotes its business and political philosophy and maintains active ambassadorial ties with all of its important peers and clients. Ethereum must Fight Fight Fight! for the future that we all need to create.”
This leadership reform marks a significant step for the Ethereum Foundation as it seeks to address criticisms, strengthen ties with the community, and ensure its ecosystem remains the most trusted and capable blockchain network. Whether these efforts will satisfy the Ethereum community and meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving industry remains to be seen, but the foundation is clearly positioning itself for a new chapter.