Vitalik defends Ethereum Foundation amid ongoing controversy

Vitalik responded to criticism directed at ethereum Foundation CEO Aya Miyagotchi and centralization concerns surrounding the future of ethereum.

“The future of the world computer is decentralized,” ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said in a Jan. 21 article. <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/VitalikButerin/status/1881680518934384676″ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>mailresponding to a community member who expressed concerns about centralization within the ethereum Foundation, which recently announced changes to its leadership.

The comments come amid calls from the community to promote researcher and developer Danny Ryan, whose contributions to ethereum's transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake have been widely praised.

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Through reforms, the foundation <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/VitalikButerin/status/1880635379771904423″ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>plans focus on emphasizing technical expertise within foundation leadership and improving communication with developers and builders in the ecosystem.

Ryan's supporters argue that his experience aligns with ethereum's long-term goals, positioning him as a strong leadership candidate despite Buterin's firm stance on maintaining control over Foundation decisions.

Meanwhile, Miyaguchi, who has held this position since 2018, has faced <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/0x_Hank/status/1881556639385563443″ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>criticism of community members at x, and some blame her for inefficiencies within the Foundation.

Recently, well-known cryptocurrency trader CoinMamba, a vocal critic of the ethereum Foundation, called for Miyaguchi to resign.

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CoinMamba urged the community to keep pressure on the Foundation, reasoning that such efforts could lead it to resign, which could positively impact ethereum's trajectory.

In response, Buterin firmly dismissed the idea, stating that he is solely responsible for deciding the leadership team of the ethereum Foundation. He lashed out at recent community attacks and criticized community members for creating a toxic environment for ethereum's “top talent.”

“YOU ARE DOING MY JOB HARDEST. And you are decreasing the chances that I have any interest in doing “whatever you want,” he added.

Buterin reiterated that the current reforms underway are aimed at establishing a “proper board” for the Foundation, but until then, he remains the final decision-maker on leadership issues.

Some community members were quick to criticize this, with market commentator abstractXBT expressing concern about the centralized nature of this support. Instead, they suggested that the foundation should focus more on practical solutions, such as increasing support for developers through hackathons and grants, rather than engaging in philosophical debates about leadership.

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Buterin, however, clarified that ethereum's core mission remains decentralized. He noted that the Environment Fund is “just one part” of the broader ecosystem and suggested focusing on reforming other organizations like Consensys, which could take on more responsibilities. He added:

“EF should not 'middle the curve', it should confidently represent the aspects of ethereum where it can be effective and deliberately create and encourage open spaces for other organizations to represent the other aspects of ethereum.”

As crypto.news previously reported, the ethereum Foundation has also faced criticism regarding its financial practices, particularly regarding the management of its eth holdings. Community members have expressed concern over the Foundation's periodic sales of eth, questioning why it chooses to liquidate assets rather than take advantage of staking opportunities.