Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has unveiled a sweeping leadership overhaul at the Ethereum Foundation, aiming to strengthen technical focus and foster better collaboration with ecosystem builders. Announced on Jan. 18 through a post on X (formerly Twitter), the changes emphasize decentralization, censorship resistance, and privacy, while steering clear of political lobbying or ideological shifts.

This leadership shake-up follows a tumultuous 2024, marked by criticism over the Foundation’s spending, roadmap goals, and internal conflicts. A major controversy arose when prominent researchers, including Justin Drake and Dankrad Feist, took paid advisory roles with the EigenLayer Foundation, which manages Ethereum’s restaking protocol. The conflict of interest drew backlash, prompting the introduction of a formal policy in May 2024. Drake later resigned from his advisory position in November, apologizing to the Ethereum community and pledging to avoid similar roles in the future.

The year also saw significant technological milestones, including the release of Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade in March 2024. This upgrade slashed transaction fees on layer-2 networks by up to 99%, leading to a surge in layer-2 rollups—now numbering 55, according to L2Beat. However, this proliferation raised concerns about cannibalization of revenue on Ethereum’s base layer, as base-layer revenues plummeted 99% during the summer before rebounding by year-end, per Token Terminal data.

As Buterin’s reforms aim to recalibrate the Foundation’s priorities, the Ethereum community remains divided. Supporters view the changes as a necessary evolution for the ecosystem, while critics question whether the Foundation’s leadership can navigate the challenges ahead without alienating stakeholders. Only time will tell if these bold moves strengthen Ethereum’s position or create new tensions within its ever-growing network.