The Ethereum Foundation has confirmed another round of departures, with researchers Carl Beek and Julian Ma announcing their exits on May 18. Their decisions add to a steady series of resignations that have reshaped the organization’s research and leadership structure over recent months.
Both researchers shared farewell messages on X and outlined their contributions and reasons for leaving. Their exits arrive during a period of internal transition and renewed focus on Ethereum’s technical roadmap.
Beek closes seven-year chapter after core protocol work
Carl Beek will leave the Ethereum Foundation on May 29 after seven years with the organization. His work focused on core research, with notable contributions to the Beacon Chain, a key component in Ethereum’s shift to proof-of-stake consensus.
In his public message, Beek reflected on his time at the foundation and addressed colleagues and the wider community directly. He wrote,
"To every researcher, core dev, EFer, and community member, whether we worked together closely or not: thank you."
He also emphasized the human element behind the network’s development.
"The strength of Ethereum is, and always will be, the people behind it striving to make it what it is. I'm grateful to have spent these years among you."
Beek described his early involvement in Ethereum as formative. He joined at age 23 and contributed to projects that shaped a multi-billion dollar ecosystem. His work included participation in the KZG ceremony and early Beacon Chain design.
He has not announced a new role. He stated that he plans to spend time with his family after recently welcoming a child.
Julian Ma shifts focus after protocol and product contributions
Julian Ma will also step down after about four years at the Ethereum Foundation. His work spanned mechanism design, cryptoeconomics, and protocol scaling.
Ma identified several projects as highlights. These include co-authoring FOCIL, also known as EIP-7805, which targets improved censorship resistance through inclusion lists. He also led the rollout of the Fast Confirmation Rule, which reduced bridging time between Ethereum Layer 2 networks and the mainnet to 13 seconds.
In his statement, Ma explained his transition in focus.
"Why did I leave? For the first three years at EF, I was engaged in market design research. In the last year, I focused on product work and growth. I really enjoy this area and want to move further in this direction."
His departure reflects a shift toward product-oriented roles outside the foundation rather than a direct move within protocol research.
Broader wave of departures reshapes foundation structure
The exits of Beek and Ma follow several high-profile departures across the Ethereum Foundation in 2025 and early 2026.
Earlier this month, Barnabé Monnot and Tim Beiko left the Protocol team, while Alex Stokes announced a sabbatical. In previous months, Josh Stark resigned after seven years, and Tomasz K. Stańczak stepped down as co-executive director less than a year into the role.
Other notable departures include Péter Szilágyi, who left in 2024 after about a decade and played a central role in developing Geth, Ethereum’s most widely used execution client.
These changes have affected both leadership and technical teams. Temporary and new leadership appointments have followed within the Protocol cluster, with new leads tasked with maintaining continuity across research and development efforts.
Internal changes follow criticism and roadmap adjustments
The Ethereum Foundation began a restructuring process in 2025 after criticism from parts of the community. Concerns focused on execution speed, scaling strategy, and support for the broader ecosystem amid competition from other blockchain networks.
The organization responded with leadership adjustments and a more technical focus. Vitalik Buterin took on a more visible role in communicating the roadmap, with renewed emphasis on scaling the base layer alongside Layer 2 development.
At the same time, internal policies have drawn scrutiny. Reports indicated that employees were asked to sign a loyalty pledge tied to the foundation’s CROPs values, which stand for Censorship resistance, Open source, Privacy, and Security. The initiative sparked debate within the community, particularly due to references that some linked to controversial online groups.
Roadmap progress continues despite personnel turnover
Despite the turnover, Ethereum’s development roadmap remains active. Work continues on upgrades such as FOCIL, Verkle Trees, and broader scaling initiatives under the Hegotá and Glamsterdam plans.
The foundation has stated that development does not rely solely on internal staff. Ethereum’s ecosystem includes independent researchers, client teams, and external contributors who continue to support protocol progress.
The recent departures place greater attention on how effectively the foundation coordinates this distributed network of contributors. Leadership transitions within the Protocol cluster now carry added weight as deadlines for technical upgrades approach.
Roman Zaika
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