Ethereum Foundation overhaul deepens as network enters its second decade

Ethereum turned 11 after a year of leadership changes, staff cuts and a new CROPS mandate, while the Fusaka upgrade and growing activity from BlackRock and JPMorgan underscored continued network momentum.

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Summary

Ethereum marked its 11th anniversary after a year of significant change across both the Ethereum Foundation and the broader network. The foundation went through its most extensive restructuring to date, with nine senior members leaving over seven months, including co-executive directors Hsiao-Wei Wang and Tomasz Stańczak, ending the dual-leadership model. It also cut 20% of staff, spun out EthLabs, Ethereum Systems and Ethereum Institutional, adopted a formal mandate built around CROPS — Censorship Resistance, Open Source, Privacy and Security — and signaled that its long-term role should shrink as the ecosystem becomes more self-sustaining. At the same time, Ethereum continued technical progress through the Fusaka upgrade, which strengthened Layer 2 scalability, while institutional engagement accelerated with participation from BlackRock and JPMorgan. In the United States, cumulative inflows into spot Ether ETFs surpassed $11.23 billion, highlighting expanding regulated access to Ether.

Terms & Concepts
  • CROPS: Ethereum Foundation principles standing for Censorship Resistance, Open Source, Privacy and Security.
  • Layer 2: A scaling network built on top of a base blockchain to increase throughput and reduce costs.
  • Fusaka upgrade: An Ethereum network upgrade aimed at advancing the blockchain’s technical capabilities.