Tomasz, a key figure in the Ethereum ecosystem, has announced his upcoming departure from his role as Co-Executive Director (Co-ED) at the Ethereum Foundation (EF), effective at the end of February 2026. This transition marks a significant moment for the foundation and the broader Ethereum network, signaling a new chapter in leadership and strategic direction. Bastian Aue is set to assume the Co-ED position, joining Hsiao-Wei, to steer the EF into its next phase. Tomasz expressed optimism for the future, stating, "The future is bright for builders, for Ethereum, for the EF, and for me."
The announcement comes at a time of rapid evolution for Ethereum, with the network solidifying its position as a critical infrastructure layer for emerging technologies. The past year, particularly 2025, has been characterized by significant advancements and increased institutional adoption, setting a robust foundation for future development.
The Evolving Landscape of Ethereum: A Decade of Innovation and Institutional Embrace
Ethereum’s journey from a nascent blockchain project to a global financial and technological backbone has been marked by continuous innovation and adaptation. Since its inception, the network has navigated complex technical challenges, evolving governance models, and fluctuating market dynamics. The core ethos of Ethereum, rooted in decentralization, transparency, and censorship resistance, has remained a guiding principle amidst these changes.
In recent years, Ethereum has witnessed a pronounced shift towards institutional adoption. Data from industry reports in 2025 indicated a substantial increase in Ethereum’s market share within the stablecoin market and for Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization. This trend is attributed to Ethereum’s demonstrated credibility and resilience, underscored by its "credible neutrality," robust decentralization, and an unbroken uptime record since its genesis. These attributes collectively mitigate counterparty, technology, and jurisdiction risks, making it an attractive infrastructure for traditional financial institutions looking to integrate with blockchain technology. The upcoming major institutional Ethereum conference in New York this year is poised to further solidify this trend, bringing together key players from the financial world and the blockchain industry.
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the rise of agentic systems are also profoundly reshaping the technological frontier. Open-source Large Language Models (LLMs) are rapidly improving, mirroring the excitement surrounding early Ethereum development with the emergence of open-source agentic workers. These advancements bring forth new paradigms for automation and interaction, with Ethereum positioned as a natural infrastructure layer for coordinating these complex, agentic networks. The network’s capacity for verification and secure financial transactions makes it an ideal platform for the emerging automated economy. As these technologies mature, the cypherpunk ethos of Ethereum, championing privacy and security, remains paramount, with dedicated builders and security experts ensuring the network upholds these values.
The Ethereum Foundation: A Catalyst for Growth and Strategic Evolution
Tomasz’s tenure as Co-ED has been instrumental in driving significant change within the Ethereum Foundation. He has emphasized the role of the EF as an enabler, empowering talented individuals within the ecosystem. Over the past year, the EF has focused on accelerating decision-making processes, enhancing communication strategies, and fostering a more open and accessible environment for builders, institutions, and younger generations.
Key initiatives during this period have included:
- Accelerated Decision-Making: Streamlining processes to enable faster responses to evolving ecosystem needs.
- Enhanced Communication: Expanding open communication channels through social media, podcasts, and public forums, alongside collaborations with platforms like ethereum.org and forkcast.org.
- Institutional Outreach: Becoming more receptive to institutional engagement and partnerships.
- Founder Support: Providing robust support for founders building on Ethereum.
- Treasury Policies and Budget Transparency: Establishing clear treasury policies and improving internal and external transparency regarding budgets and organizational structure.
- L1-L2 Relationship Clarity: Addressing the complex interplay between Ethereum’s Layer 1 and Layer 2 solutions, fostering clearer understanding and coordination.
- Strengthening Local Hubs: Bolstering global community hubs and local initiatives.
The EF has made considerable strides in its strategic roadmap for 2026. A significant upcoming development is the proposed release of a merged LEAN Ethereum and core development roadmap. This initiative aims to provide a clear, long-term vision for the Ethereum protocol, guiding coordination efforts into the future. Following the successful delivery of two network upgrades in 2025, with substantial support from EF coordination teams, core developers are well-positioned to continue delivering essential protocol improvements on schedule.
Furthermore, the EF is actively addressing critical future challenges, including post-quantum security. The organization has a clearly defined "quantum strategy," with leading quantum security researchers finalizing specifications and top engineers developing implementations. The decentralized AI team is also making significant contributions, delivering standards, experiments, and solutions for the burgeoning agentic economy.
The Ecosystem Development (EcoDev) team, under the leadership of James Smith, has been pivotal in supporting founders, institutions, and governments building on Ethereum. This includes a dedicated Global Policy Support team and the increasing automation of efforts through AI for coordination.
A major focus area throughout the past year has been the L1-L2 relationship. Recent analyses, including public statements from Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, have sought to clarify the distinctions and synergies between Layer 1 and Layer 2 solutions. These analyses highlight how L2s extend Ethereum’s capabilities, offering varying trade-offs in scalability, decentralization, and user experience. The EF’s Platform team has been instrumental in bringing together over 20 Ethereum L2s for discussions on scaling, differentiation, and interoperability at events like the Network School. The growing dominance of Ethereum rollups over alternative Layer 1 chains in stablecoin and transaction per second (TPS) metrics underscores the continued success of this scaling strategy.
Despite increased openness to institutional engagement, the EF remains committed to its foundational cypherpunk values. Groups like Vitalik’s Silviculture Society provide guidance on emerging risks and ethical considerations, ensuring the network’s integrity. Applied privacy research by teams like PSE and Kohaku, alongside the Protocol team’s focus on security and censorship resistance through initiatives like FOCIL and the Trillion Dollar Security program, reinforces this commitment.
The EF is also enhancing its outreach to the next generation of builders. The upcoming Devcon in Mumbai is a testament to this effort, bringing together global blockchain thought leaders and founders to collaborate on Ethereum’s future. The Indian community’s long-standing support for Ethereum makes this event particularly significant. The "Ethereum Everywhere" initiative continues to support community hubs in key global cities, fostering local ecosystems and connecting builders worldwide. The Academic Secretariat is also planning numerous university events, further integrating Ethereum into academic discourse and research.
The DeFi coordination team at the EF is poised to release its future plans and roadmap, building on the significant talent recently brought into the foundation to support the DeFi ecosystem.
Leadership Transition: Continuity and Future Direction
The transition in leadership is designed to ensure continuity and capitalize on the EF’s current momentum. Hsiao-Wei will continue in her role, maintaining a consistent strategic vision. Bastian Aue’s expansion into the Co-ED role alongside Hsiao-Wei signifies a strengthening of the leadership team. The EF’s strength lies in its exceptional talent pool, providing a solid foundation for any future strategic direction they may pursue.
Key individuals will continue to drive critical initiatives:
- James Smith: Continues his mission of transforming ecosystem development, focusing on builders, founders, and institutional adoption.
- Bastian Aue and Tju Liang: Lead policy support and long-term strategic work.
- Josh Stark: Has been instrumental in operational changes and communication strategies, including significant social media advancements in 2025.
- Protocol Cluster Engineers and Researchers: Collaborate closely to set future roadmaps and tackle complex technological challenges.
The EF’s ability to implement changes rapidly, often within days or weeks, underscores its dynamic operational capacity.
Tomasz’s Future Endeavors: A Return to Foundational Building
Looking ahead, Tomasz plans to remain actively involved in the Ethereum ecosystem, leveraging his expertise and vision. His direct messages (DMs) will remain open for individuals seeking support in connecting with the EF or discussing Ethereum’s vision and strategy. He has also expressed a commitment to providing advice to the EF leadership when needed, acknowledging the valuable guidance he has received from them.
Tomasz intends to continue advocating for rapid progress within the Ethereum ecosystem. His future plans include continued travel to engage with local communities and assist businesses in building on Ethereum. A significant focus will be on core development, particularly in agentic core development and agentic governance. This marks a return to his roots, reminiscent of his experience when co-founding Nethermind in 2017, a period he described as a time of profound change where he recognized Ethereum’s potential to revolutionize financial systems.
His current outlook is driven by the transformative potential of agentic systems and AI-assisted discovery. While acknowledging the experimental nature and potential impermanence of some agentic ideas, he emphasizes the value of playful experimentation, a hallmark of early Ethereum innovation. Tomasz aims to continue working directly with founders in frontier technologies and on Ethereum, supporting the realization of the long-term vision he has articulated. He concludes that "It is one of the most exciting times to be a builder on Ethereum."
A Grateful Farewell and Enduring Commitment
Tomasz expressed profound gratitude to the many individuals who contributed to his work and the advancement of Ethereum. He extended heartfelt thanks to the EF board for the opportunity to serve as Co-ED, and to Hsiao-Wei and the management team for their collaborative efforts. Special acknowledgment was given to Bastian Aue, Josh Stark, and Tju Liang for their emotional intelligence and facilitation of critical discussions, and to Joe Schweitzer for his contributions to communication efforts.
He also thanked the numerous Ethereum leaders who provided invaluable insights and strategic guidance during March and April 2025, stating that their input was crucial in navigating the EF’s strategic path. Finally, he expressed deep appreciation for every member of the Ethereum Foundation for their dedication and execution of their talents.
The transition signifies not an end, but a refocusing of efforts within the vibrant and rapidly evolving Ethereum ecosystem, with Tomasz continuing his advocacy for innovation and growth.
