The Protocol: Ethereum Foundation’s high-profile departures spark fresh debate Also: Citi on quantum computing and bitcoin, Jump Crypto’s Firedancer, and Vitalik Buterin on AI verification What to know: Welcome to The Protocol, CoinDesk’s weekly wrap of the most important…
ories in cryptocurrency tech development. I’m Margaux Nijkerk, a reporter at CoinDesk
In this issue: – ‘What’s happening at the EF?’ Ethereum community is looking for answers after high-profile departures – Bitcoin faces outsized quantum threat as computing breakthroughs accelerate, Citi says – Jump Crypto’s ‘Firedancer’ is taking a slow and steady approach to its long-awaited Solana infrastructure rollout – Vitalik Buterin says AI ‘formal verification’ could actually make crypto much more secure Network News ETHEREUM COMMUNITY RESPONDS TO EF DEPARTURES: A wave of departures from the Ethereum Foundation (EF) is reigniting a debate inside the crypto industry: What is going on at the main steward behind Ethereum, and why does the community know so little about what is happening behind the scenes? Days after several high-profile figures said they had left the foundation during an internal shakeup, community members on X began openly questioning the organization’s direction, leadership structure and communication practices. “What’s happening at the EF?” crypto commentator Andy, the co-founder of the Rollup podcast, wrote in a post on X. Others echoed similar frustrations, arguing the EF has failed to clearly explain the rationale behind the changes or how responsibilities inside the organization are evolving. “Why can’t the EF just be transparent about things,” wrote Joon Ian Wong, a prominent figure in the crypto community events space.
The criticism reflects a longstanding tension surrounding the Ethereum Foundation, the Switzerland-based nonprofit that plays a central role in funding research, coordinating upgrades and stewarding development of the world’s second-largest blockchain by market…