Recent Departure Adds to Wave of Changes

The Ethereum Foundation has seen another senior leadership change with the departure of co-executive director Hsiao-Wei Wang. She announced her immediate exit following a sabbatical, marking the second co-executive director to leave the organization this year.

Wang had served alongside Tomasz Stanczak, who stepped down earlier in 2026. During her time away, board member Bastian Aue assumed a larger interim role. Reports indicate the Foundation has experienced around 19 departures overall in 2026, with several senior figures leaving in recent months.

Vitalik Buterin's Response and Wang's Contributions

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin acknowledged Wang's work, noting the significant challenges of her role during a difficult period. He highlighted her more than a decade of contributions to Ethereum research, community building, and efforts in Taipei.

Wang emphasized Ethereum's strength lies in its broad community of builders, researchers, node operators, validators, and users working on permissionless infrastructure.

Decentralization Remains Central Focus

The Ethereum Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment to decentralization. In March, it outlined its goal for Ethereum to pass the "walkaway test" — ensuring the protocol and core layers can continue functioning and evolving independently of the Foundation or current developers.

Buterin has described the Foundation as "one node" among many in the ecosystem, not its central authority. This philosophy aligns with ongoing discussions about layer-2 networks and mainnet improvements for scaling.

Funding Concerns for Core Development

Amid leadership transitions, questions have emerged about sustainable funding for Ethereum's core development. Former Foundation contributor Trent Van Epps warned of a potential "slow-burning funding crisis" within three to nine months.

He estimated that core development requires around $30 million annually to support client teams, researchers, and coordination. Key pressures include the Foundation's plans to reduce spending as a percentage of its treasury and the expiration of the Client Incentive Program (CIP) in April 2026.

The CIP had provided rewards to client teams maintaining essential software. Its end, combined with spending adjustments, could impact developer retention and long-term projects like scaling and security research.

Potential Paths Forward

Discussions point to alternatives like Protocol Guild for funding contributors through token vesting. New institutions and models may need to play larger roles as the Foundation steps back from being an "eternal steward."

Despite these challenges, Ethereum continues technical progress, including preparations for upgrades focused on layer-1 scaling, block building, and gas pricing.