Ethereum Foundation Co-Founder Vitalik Buterin Announces Leadership Changes

January 20, 2025

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has revealed major leadership changes at the Ethereum Foundation, emphasizing a renewed focus on supporting decentralized app developers while staying true to the network’s core principles of decentralization.

In a January 18 X post, Buterin said that the foundation aims to prioritize technical expertise, improve communication between the foundation and Ethereum ecosystem builders, and avoid political lobbying or ideological shifts.

Ethereum Foundation Co-Founder Vitalik Buterin Announces Leadership Changes

“We are indeed currently in the process of large changes to EF leadership structure, which has been ongoing for close to a year,” Buterin wrote. “Some of this has already been executed on and made public, and some is still in progress,” he added. 

The leadership changes come after a tumultuous year for the Ethereum Foundation, which faced scrutiny over its spending habits, roadmap implementation, and staffing decisions. A significant moment occurred in May 2024, when the Foundation introduced a new conflict-of-interest policy following concerns about several researchers, including Justin Drake and Dankrad Feist, accepting paid advisory positions at the EigenLayer Foundation.

In November 2024, tensions surrounding advisory positions led to the resignation of Drake and Feist from their leadership roles within the project. Their departures, alongside a sharp decline in the value of the $EIGEN token, raise concerns about the future stability of a project that had previously been positioned as a vital part of Ethereum’s infrastructure development.

Vitalik Buterin committed to refraining from future advisory roles, angel investments, and similar engagements. Meanwhile, the Dencun upgrade in March 2024 significantly impacted the Ethereum ecosystem, reducing layer-2 transaction fees by 99% and catalyzing the growth of layer-2 networks. As of now, Ethereum supports 55 layer-2 rollups, according to L2Beat.

In his announcement, he outlined the “non-goals” of the Ethereum Foundation, which represent commitments the organization pledges to avoid. These include becoming a platform for vested interests, increasing centralization, or elevating him as the central figure within Ethereum.

Buterin Criticizes Musk’s Tone Amid Talks of X Censorship

In December 2024, Buterin publicly criticized Elon Musk, the owner of X, for the platform’s “tone of discourse” and cautioned against suppressing opposing viewpoints.

In a post on X, Buterin responded to Musk, acknowledging his dedication to free speech but cautioning against the use of the “social media banhammer.”

Buterin’s remarks come after Musk faced backlash from conservatives who accused him of censorship, alleging that his platform had removed premium features from accounts critical of his views.

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Michaela has no crypto positions and does not hold any crypto assets. This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The Shib Magazine and The Shib Daily are the official media and publications of the Shiba Inu cryptocurrency project. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decisions.

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