Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has reaffirmed his sole authority over the Ethereum Foundation amid mounting community calls for a leadership change. In a Jan. 21 post on X, Buterin dismissed proposals to promote researcher Danny Ryan and defended executive director Aya Miyaguchi against criticism and harassment, denouncing what he described as “toxic behavior." Vitalik said that leadership decisions will remain his responsibility until the foundation implements planned reforms to establish a “proper board.”

The announcement started a divide within the Ethereum ecosystem, with some praising Buterin’s stance while others, including long-standing core developer Eric Conner, voiced concerns about the centralization of decision-making. Conner has stepped away from Ethereum to focus on building AI tools, including his new startup, Freysa.ai. This article explores the ongoing leadership debate, its impact on the Ethereum community, and what it means for the network’s future.

Leadership Challenges and Community Tensions in the Ethereum Ecosystem

Buterin recently asserted his leadership role within the Ethereum Foundation in a post on X dated January 21. He dismissed calls for a leadership overhaul, emphasizing that he retains decision-making authority until proposed reforms for establishing a formal board are implemented. Buterin also criticized certain members of the crypto community, stating they are “actively toxic to top talent.”

This statement comes amid significant community pressure to elevate Danny Ryan, a respected researcher and developer in the Ethereum ecosystem, as well as growing criticism of the current executive director, Aya Miyaguchi. Buterin condemned the harassment and death threats aimed at Miyaguchi, calling such behavior “pure evil.”

Community pushes for Danny Ryan

Buterin’s post on X shows that the decision ultimately is his alone. Supporters of Ryan highlight his significant contributions to Ethereum’s development, particularly his huge role in the consensus layer upgrade that successfully transitioned the network from PoW to PoS.

They argue that Ryan's expertise closely aligns with the long-term goals of Ethereum, making him a strong candidate for leadership, even in light of Buterin’s current stance regarding the foundation’s leadership structure.

Toxicity in the leadership debate

The recent leadership debate has shed light on a troubling aspect of the Ethereum community. Vitalik Buterin specifically addressed the harassment faced by Aya Miyaguchi, the executive director since 2018. Miyaguchi has been subject to targeted criticism online, including disturbing posts from some community members on X.

Buterin firmly condemned this toxic behavior, emphasizing the danger it poses to retaining top talent within the Ethereum ecosystem. He dismissed the pressures brought on by social media, stating, “Many of Ethereum’s best developers have recently reached out to express their dismay at the hostile social media environment that individuals like you are fostering. You are making my job harder. And you are significantly reducing my willingness to engage with your demands.”

Buterin leadership changes for EF

On January 18, the co-founder of Ethereum announced important changes to the foundation's leadership to enhance communication between Ethereum and its developers.

In his statement, Buterin outlined several key objectives: to support developers of dApps, uphold censorship resistance, prioritize user privacy, and foster decentralization. This focus on decentralization contrasts with his later assertion of singular authority over the foundation released on January 20.

In his January 18 post on X, Buterin emphasized that the foundation would refrain from engaging in ideological shifts, political lobbying, or taking a more centralized role in the development of the Ethereum ecosystem.

Ethereum Core Developer Eric Conner Departure

Eric Conner, a well-known core developer in the Ethereum community, has announced his departure after nearly 11 years. His decision comes in light of network co-founder Buterin's rejection of a proposal for a leadership restructuring.

Conner played a big role as a co-author of EIP-1559, a significant update that transformed Ethereum's transaction fee system. Although he hasn't been officially employed by Ethereum, he has been a key advisor and investor, significantly contributing to the ecosystem's growth since its launch.

In a follow-up post on X, Conner revealed that he will be joining Fresya.AI, an AI-oriented protocol. Buterin, facing calls for a shift in the Ethereum Foundation's leadership structure—which oversees the development of the second-largest blockchain by market capitalization—asserted that he intends to establish a "board" for management, reiterating that he remains the primary leader for now.

The Ethereum network is also gearing up for the rollout of its Pectra upgrade, scheduled for March, which aims to enhance speed and efficiency, along with other improvements.

Initially, Conner will focus on developing Fresya.AI, while remaining open to collaborations on other AI projects.

Vitalik Buterin Urges Greater Emphasis on Ether in Network Scaling Efforts

This shift in leadership dynamics and community priorities comes as Ethereum continues to push forward with technological upgrades and efforts to solidify ETH's role as the backbone of its ecosystem. In a recent article, Buterin urges the implementation of incentives for layer 2 networks to allocate part of their fees to ETH through mechanisms like burning and staking. He emphasized the need to establish ETH as the cornerstone asset of the entire Ethereum economy (both L1 and L2) and advocate for its use as primary collateral in applications.

He expressed concerns over the Ethereum Foundation amid declining market cap and attention compared to competitors. The ether-bitcoin ratio has diminished, with Bitcoin surging to record highs while ETH lags behind.

Additionally, Buterin proposed increasing Ethereum’s blob count—temporary transaction data that could generate revenue. If the average blob fee remains consistent, raising the blob count could lead to significant ETH burns. However, he warned that this favorable demand curve is uncertain and should not be the sole strategy to enhance ETH's value.

Striking the Balance: Leadership, Decentralization, and Ethereum’s Path Ahead

The ongoing leadership debate within the Ethereum community highlights significant tensions between innovation and centralized decision-making. Vitalik Buterin's reaffirmation of his authority over the Ethereum Foundation amid calls for leadership change started a divide among community members. Although he seems to embrace the responsibility of guiding Ethereum through its evolution while balancing his role as a central figure in a decentralized ecosystem, his firm stance on retaining authority could be perceived as paradoxical in a community that values decentralization.

Other than the internal problem, Ethereum also faces the challenges from Solana. The two tokens have recently experienced contrasting developments in token valuation. Although Solana’s TVL is much smaller than Ethereum, only around one-sixth of it, it is widely perceived as a formidable competitor. Notably, since the beginning of the year, the price of Ethereum has seen a decline of over 8%, whereas Solana has surged by 22%.

Solana's transaction volume has consistently surpassed Ethereum's since November last year, and this year it has significantly widened the gap.

Ethereum faces challenges due to its higher transaction costs and scalability issues, which have led some projects to favor alternatives like Solana. Meanwhile, Solana's recent successes, particularly in attracting high-profile memecoin projects, have enhanced its position in the blockchain ecosystem. While Ethereum remains a dominant force, it must address these emerging challenges to maintain its leadership. As Ethereum moves forward with upcoming upgrades, the community faces crucial questions about its future direction and the balance between leadership and decentralization.

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Ethereum’s Future in Question: Vitalik Buterin vs. Decentralization Advocates