Ethereum's Biggest Overhaul in Years Sees New Orgs Emerge

The Ethereum ecosystem has undergone its largest-ever restructuring, with significant implications for its future direction and governance. On June 23, several former Ethereum Foundation researchers launched Ethlabs, a new independent nonprofit organization focused on key requirements for institutional-scale blockchain adoption.

Ethlabs' initial focus will center on faster settlement speeds, native asset issuance, cross-chain transactions built on robust infrastructure, mainnet capacity expansion, and foundational research supporting ETH's monetary properties. Notable supporters include major ETH holders such as Bitmine and SharpLink, as well as key individuals from the Ethereum Foundation, investors, and ecosystem contributors.

Meanwhile, the Ethereum Foundation has concluded a months-long restructuring process, laying off 54 employees - approximately 20% of its previous headcount. This adjustment marks a strategic shift toward a 'leaner Ethereum,' repositioning the Foundation as a lighter-weight protocol steward focused on governance and maintenance rather than serving as the primary core builder.

This simultaneous step forward by the ecosystem and step back by the Foundation sends a clear signal: the Foundation is proactively stepping aside, allowing ecosystem organizations to assume greater execution responsibilities. Ethereum is no longer seeking to centralize roadmap setting, development, promotion, and adoption under a single centralized nonprofit entity.