Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has published a detailed personal statement that sheds light on the direction of the Ethereum Foundation, as the organization navigates internal restructuring, leadership changes, and mounting community scrutiny.
The post, shared on X on May 24, arrives after months of turbulence inside the foundation. Several senior contributors have exited or stepped back in 2026, while leadership shifts have added pressure to define a clearer long-term structure. Buterin addressed the situation directly, though he emphasized that his words reflect his own perspective rather than an official board position.
“First of all, this is only my own view. The board is not just me, and I have no extra special powers on the board that the other board members do not,” he wrote.
He added that the board is expanding and his influence will continue to decline, stating that this outcome aligns with his preference.
Some of my perspective on where the @ethereumfndn is going.
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) May 24, 2026
First of all, this is only my own view. The board is not just me, and I have no extra special powers on the board that the other board members do not. @aerugoettinea is the one executing much of this transition. My…
Criticism exposes gap between vision and execution
Buterin acknowledged persistent criticism from within the Ethereum community. He said he has “regularly” encountered comments that question whether the foundation’s actions match its stated values around decentralization, privacy, and what he describes as “sanctuary technology.”
He framed this criticism as personally significant. In his words, some critiques “are most able to make me feel pain.” The statement reflects a period where internal and external expectations have diverged.
The broader debate has intensified alongside visible departures from the foundation. At least eight contributors have left or announced exits this year, including multiple changes in May. Former developer Dankrad Feist has also proposed raising $1 billion for a separate Ethereum-focused advocacy group, which would operate outside the foundation’s structure.
Ethereum Foundation shifts toward a limited role
Buterin reiterated that the Ethereum Foundation does not act as the center of the network. He wrote:
“EF is not a ‘center of Ethereum’, rather EF is ‘one node, with a defined purpose, alongside other nodes’.”
He supported this claim with financial context. The foundation holds about 0.16% of all ETH, a share that remains smaller than holdings attributed to many individual participants. He contrasted this with other blockchain ecosystems, where central foundations often control between 10% and 50% of supply.
The foundation’s original mandate focused on building Ethereum’s early infrastructure, including milestones such as Frontier, Homestead, Metropolis, and Serenity. Buterin stated that this scope reached completion in 2022. He argued that the organization was never designed to act as a permanent steward.
This position now shapes its current strategy.
“The EF is choosing to use its remaining resources to pursue longevity over breadth,” he wrote.
He confirmed that this approach will result in reduced ETH sales and a narrower focus on core priorities.
Smaller structure, sharper priorities
The foundation’s transition includes a deliberate reduction in scope. Buterin described the future organization as “a smaller ship than in previous years, a more opinionated one.”
He said the foundation will concentrate on work that would not occur without its support. This includes efforts tied to censorship resistance, privacy, openness, and security. Some contributors and projects may continue outside the foundation, even if they align with its values.
Buterin framed this as necessary for ecosystem growth. External initiatives can attract independent capital and develop without relying on the foundation’s limited resources.
He also noted that the transition remains ongoing. The foundation expects its long-term structure to stabilize over the next few months.
Technical roadmap centers on CROPS principles
Buterin outlined a technical vision that prioritizes what he refers to as CROPS principles, which include censorship resistance, openness, privacy, and security. He argued that Ethereum must stand out in these areas rather than compete solely on speed.
“Being as fast and as scalable as possible, and only a small epsilon more decentralized than the others, is a route to mediocrity, and if we try it we will lose,” he wrote.
He identified three key priorities for Ethereum’s next phase. The first involves “provably bug-free Ethereum” through AI-assisted formal verification. He noted that this concept appeared unrealistic until recent advances made it plausible.
The second priority focuses on consensus design. He argued that Ethereum aims to combine two properties: safety under asynchronous conditions with high fault tolerance, and resilience against up to 49% attackers under synchronous conditions. He stressed that Ethereum should not rely on social consensus or emergency hard forks in extreme scenarios.
The third priority targets intermediary reduction. He described current reliance on transaction intermediaries as “honestly embarrassing” and pointed to ongoing work such as FOCIL and EIP-8141 as solutions.
Market context and ETH focus
Buterin also addressed ETH as an asset, which he described as Ethereum’s “most high-value ‘product,’ financially speaking.” He said the network secures approximately $250 billion in ETH.
He disclosed that nearly 90% of his net worth remains in ETH, while the rest consists of onchain fiat already allocated to open-source initiatives. He acknowledged that some activities required to support ETH fall outside the foundation’s scope and will depend on other organizations.
The foundation has begun to consider how it can support such external groups at an early stage.
Transition continues amid broader industry pressure
Buterin compared Ethereum’s position to broader shifts in the technology sector. He referenced concerns about corporate influence, government pressure, and the erosion of early ideals. He argued that Ethereum should resist these trends rather than follow them.
The foundation’s current transition reflects that stance. It reduces its role while reinforcing specific principles that define Ethereum’s identity.
Buterin concluded with a forward-looking note. He said the Ethereum Foundation will aim to remain durable, even if its direction appears difficult to interpret in the short term.
Roman Zaika
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