Why are so many people leaving the Ethereum Foundation?

Ethereum Foundation is undergoing a major internal restructuring tied to a new governance mandate and evolving role within Ethereum. Recent departures from researchers, coordinators and ecosystem leaders have raised concerns about leadership stability and strategic direction.

Who recently left the Ethereum Foundation?

Carl Beek and Julian Ma are the latest prominent contributors to exit the Ethereum Foundation. Their departures follow earlier exits or step-backs involving Barnabé Monnot, Tim Beiko, Trent Van Epps and Alex Stokes.

Why does the Ethereum Foundation restructuring matter for ETH holders?

The Ethereum Foundation plays an important role in coordinating research, public goods funding and long-term ecosystem support for Ethereum. Leadership instability or governance uncertainty could affect developer confidence, ecosystem coordination and sentiment around Ethereum’s long-term roadmap.

Is the Ethereum Foundation still in control of Ethereum?

The Ethereum Foundation says it does not see itself as Ethereum’s “owner” or central authority. Its updated mandate argues Ethereum should become increasingly decentralised, with the foundation gradually reducing its own influence over time.

What is the Ethereum Foundation’s new mandate?

The new mandate focuses on supporting Ethereum’s long-term health while reinforcing principles such as censorship resistance, privacy, security and open-source development. It also aims to clarify the foundation’s role as one steward among many in the ecosystem.

Is this wave of departures bearish for Ethereum?

The departures could be viewed as a short-term negative for sentiment because investors may worry about organisational instability. However, some supporters argue the transition reflects Ethereum becoming more decentralised and less dependent on a single institution, which could be positive long term.

What are the biggest risks for Ethereum after these exits?

Key risks include slower execution, weaker coordination between developers, governance fragmentation and declining community confidence. Ethereum also faces growing competition from other blockchains while trying to scale adoption and maintain developer leadership.

Why are Ethereum community members criticising the foundation?

Parts of the Ethereum community have criticised the foundation over transparency, execution speed and strategic decision-making. Some developers and investors believe the organisation has struggled to adapt quickly as Ethereum becomes more institutionalised and commercially important.

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Ethereum Foundation exits deepen governance debate

Written by Isaac FrancisPublished May 19, 2026, 6:00 AM

Ethereum Foundation is facing mounting scrutiny after Carl Beek and Julian Ma became the latest prominent contributors to leave the nonprofit amid a broader organisational transition tied to Ethereum’s future governance structure.

The latest departures extend a wider wave of exits that has included Barnabé Monnot, Tim Beiko, Trent Van Epps and Alex Stokes, raising fresh concerns within the Ethereum community about leadership stability and the foundation’s evolving role.

The internal shakeup follows the publication of a new Ethereum Foundation mandate that emphasized the organisation does not view itself as Ethereum’s owner or central authority, but rather as one of several stewards supporting the blockchain’s long-term development.

Community debate intensified after pseudonymous commentator DefiIgnas questioned on X why “so many people are leaving the Ethereum Foundation,” reflecting broader unease among developers and ecosystem participants over the nonprofit’s direction.

The foundation’s updated mandate reaffirmed commitments to censorship resistance, open-source development, privacy and security, while also signalling plans to gradually reduce its own central influence as Ethereum matures into a more decentralised ecosystem.

The restructuring effort has also coincided with leadership turnover after former co-executive director Tomasz Stańczak stepped down earlier this year following a relatively short tenure after joining alongside Hsiao-Wei Wang during a broader reform effort.

The Ethereum Foundation has faced growing criticism in recent years over transparency, execution speed and strategic coordination as the network navigates increasing institutional adoption, scaling competition and governance complexity across the wider crypto sector.

At the time of reporting, Ethereum price was $2,134.32.