The Ethereum Foundation is a paradox. Despite its commitment to decentralization, it operates as a centralized entity, with a director, a treasury, paid developers, and an inner circle. These structures, while necessary for coordination, create tensions with Ethereum’s decentralized ethos.
The Foundation Today
It is not widely known, but the current foundation was constructed in a less than ideal way. The previous director, Ming, was ousted in a coordinated effort by a group of people who have never been publicly identified or held accountable for it. I spoke with Ming days before her removal and she assured me she had no intent of leaving. I was later given information about who was responsible for her removal, but was not given much insight as to why. I have heard that Ming was a bit of a micromanager, and that she had an intensity that rubbed some people the wrong way. I’m sure there’s truth to that, but these stories are often window dressing for deeper truths.
I can infer some good-faith reasons based on the way the org has been run over the past seven years. A very important role of the organization is to protect against internal power struggles as well as external capture. These are noble goals and ones they seem to have accomplished effectively.
Another major focus seems to have been minimizing the public footprint of the organization and constructing it in such a way that it would not draw the ire of governments who might hold them accountable if the political winds shifted against them. But as political winds shift, and the marketplace provides alternatives, the organization itself must adapt, both in form and function.
Ethereum was in its birth a visionary project, not simply technological in nature. It pointed towards a possibility of previously unimaginable futures through the empowerment of the individual to do what had previously taken billions of dollars, thousands of people, or millions of man hours to accomplish.
The Ethereum Foundation, in its current incarnation, designed to minimize threats both internal and external, has lost that vision.
Lead with Vision
Ethereum’s next phase demands more than just technical research and coordinating conferences. It requires visionary leadership — someone who understands not just the technology but its broader social, philosophical, and political implications. This leader must inspire a new generation of builders, connect technology with human needs, and navigate the complexities of the political landscape without compromising Ethereum’s ethos.
The Ethereum whitepaper was not just a technical document; it was a beacon that allowed like-minded people to come together under a shared vision. In the face of chaos, uncertainty, and frequent conflicts, it served as a guiding light. What ensured our collective success was not the absence of challenges but the clarity of the mountaintop we were striving toward. This common vision allowed us to stay aligned even when disagreements and setbacks arose.
It was an idea whose time had come—a blueprint that transcended the individuals behind it and inspired a community to persevere, innovate, and ultimately bring that vision to life. Without it, the project could have easily unraveled under the weight of its ambition.
Be Transparent, Focus More on the Community
Transparency is equally critical. Over the past few years, the Foundation has retreated into the shadows, leaving the community feeling disconnected. But ethereum would have been nothing without its community, and it will be nothing if it loses it. A community must be managed, curated, and cared for. It requires the onboarding of new people, with new energy, and new ideas, bound by a common vision. This also includes the teams who build on ethereum.
Seize the Moment
From a legal perspective, Ethereum must embrace the opportunity to engage with lawmakers. The current American political climate is uniquely favorable, and inaction now risks losing momentum. America has elected a President who not only owns ether, but has himself launched a lending protocol on top of it. As of now, we are inhabiting a political landscape which was unthinkable even a year ago, when Democrats surprised so many of us by openly declaring war on crypto, and the future seemed uncertain. There has never been a better time than now to ensure that the promise of crypto is realized.
While maintaining political neutrality, the Foundation can create or promote frameworks that encourage compliance and innovation. Without these frameworks, the crypto space has been plagued by speculative ventures—ICOs, DAOs, NFTs—that skirt regulations rather than working within them to build sustainable use cases.
Lead by Example
The Ethereum Foundation should also consider utilizing its own technology to coordinate its operations and demonstrate the transformative potential of decentralized systems. By adopting Ethereum-based tools and protocols, the Foundation could potentially manage governance, treasury disbursements, decision-making processes, and community engagement.
This approach would not only demonstrate Ethereum’s capabilities but also reinforce trust within the community by embodying the principles of decentralization and transparency that the project champions. Additionally, leveraging Ethereum’s ecosystem for coordination could serve as a real-world case study, inspiring developers and organizations to explore similar solutions. By integrating its technology into its own operations, the Foundation would highlight the real-world utility of the platform while setting a precedent for how decentralized systems can effectively manage complex organizations.
Be Accountable, Build the Future
Finally, financial accountability must become a priority.
With $100 million spent annually, the Foundation should deliver measurable outcomes. Despite significant investment in technical research, user experience in crypto remains stagnant. Improving UX, UI, key management, and other security and usability problems isn’t insurmountable but has been severely neglected. This oversight reflects a blind spot which must be addressed before wider adoption is possible.
Ethereum began as more than just a technological project—it was a visionary movement for empowering individuals to achieve what once required massive resources. That vision is at risk of being lost. To reignite it, the Foundation must embrace transparency, invest in leadership, engage the community, and step into the legal and political spotlight.
Ethereum’s story is one of triumph over chaos, and a testament to the power of collective vision. To ensure its future, the Ethereum Foundation must transform itself from a reactive institution into a proactive visionary force. For ethereum. For the community. For the greater good. For the future.
With Love,
Texture
