Former Ethereum Foundation leader warns decentralization transition risks underfunding core protocol development without new institutions.
A former Ethereum Foundation leader has warned the network faces a $30 million annual funding shortfall as the Foundation reduces its central role. Trent Van Epps said core protocol development costs remain steady, but the Foundation’s treasury is declining over time.
The comments follow recent leadership changes and workforce reductions at the Ethereum Foundation, which has adopted a ‘subtraction’ strategy to push authority into the broader ecosystem. Van Epps argued multiple independent institutions must emerge to coordinate funding for public goods.
Van Epps’ Protocol Guild initiative has already distributed nearly $40 million to Ethereum core developers, highlighting the need for alternative funding models as governance decentralizes further.