Vitalik Announces Significant Reforms to the Ethereum Foundation to Enhance Expertise and Ecosystem Participation

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of the Ethereum Foundation, has announced a comprehensive restructuring of its leadership. This strategic change, which has been in the works for nearly a year, aims to enhance the technical expertise of the foundation’s leadership and strengthen its connections with various actors in the ecosystem.

**Vitalik Promises ‘No Change’ in Core Thinking**
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin noted that significant changes are underway within the leadership of the Ethereum Foundation (EF), a nonprofit organization in Switzerland established by the original developers of the blockchain to support and manage Ethereum’s development. Despite these changes, Buterin emphasized that the foundation’s primary goals will remain unchanged.
In a tweet on X, he stated that these changes have been in progress for nearly a year, with some already announced and others still in development.

“We are indeed currently in the process of large changes to EF leadership structure, which has been ongoing for close to a year. Some of this has already been executed on and made public, and some is still in progress. What we’re trying to achieve is primarily the following…” — vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) January 18, 2025

Buterin elaborated that the restructuring aims to enhance the technical expertise of the Ethereum Foundation’s leaders and improve their communication with all stakeholders in its ecosystem, including individual and corporate users, app developers, wallet providers, and Layer 2 solutions.
The changes are also intended to attract new talent, accelerate projects, and support app developers in upholding essential values such as privacy, open-source development, and freedom from censorship.
The co-founder clarified that the restructuring will not affect certain areas. He stated that there would be no change in their mindset, no aggressive efforts to influence regulators, and no establishment of a centralized group swayed by political agendas.
He remarked, “Become a highly centralized org, or even more of a ‘main character’ within Ethereum: These things aren’t what EF does and this isn’t going to change. People seeking a different vision are welcome to start their own orgs.”

**Trump’s Memecoin Launch on Solana Stirs Social Media Outcry**
Buterin’s message comes in the wake of recent critiques of the Ethereum Foundation’s actions and leadership from some prominent figures within the Ethereum community. Additionally, President-elect Trump’s decision to launch his official memecoin on Solana instead of Ethereum on Friday night ignited new complaints across social media.
Joseph Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum and CEO of Consensys, suggested new leadership for the Ethereum Foundation in a recent X post. He praised the current executive director, Aya Miyaguchi, but acknowledged the necessity for change due to the evolving industry.

Recent leadership changes at the Ethereum Foundation include Danny Ryan, a key researcher behind Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake, who departed in September 2024 after seven years. He played a crucial role in leading projects like “The Merge” and launching the Beacon Chain in 2021. Lubin recommended Danny Ryan, a pivotal figure in Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake, and Jerome de Tychey, president of Ethereum France, as co-leaders.
In January 2025, Hsiao-Wei Wang, who has been with the foundation since 2017 and contributed to core Ethereum research, joined the leadership team.
Lubin commended their potential to revitalize the foundation and emphasized de Tychey’s call for clearer communication to enhance Ethereum’s collaboration and adaptability.

Tags: Altcoins, Ethereum