Joe Lubin, one of the co-founders of Ethereum, has spoken out about the need for changes at the Ethereum Foundation. He believes that Consensys, the company he founded, is ready to take on a more active role.
In a recent interview with Cointelegraph, Lubin mentioned that his company has held back to avoid accusations of having too much influence on the blockchain. However, he’s noticed that “people still kind of rely on us to market Ethereum and to be the major champions for Ethereum.”
That realization surprised him, but it also excited him. “We’re ready to get louder about that and, again, compete vigorously,” he said.
Recently, the Ethereum community has faced some internal conflict. Frustrations have grown over the slow progress in scaling the network and the stagnant price of Ether. Much of this anger has been directed at the leadership of the Ethereum Foundation, particularly at executive director Aya Miyaguchi. Some community members are pushing to replace her with Ethereum researcher Danny Ryan.
Vitalik Buterin, the creator of Ethereum, has indicated that changes are on the way. He also defended Miyaguchi against online attacks, stating that he remains the sole leader of the Ethereum Foundation after a decade. He mentioned that criticism of Miyaguchi makes him less likely to make changes.
Prominent figures in the Ethereum community, like EthHub founder Eric Conner, have protested by dropping their .eth handles. This shows the level of frustration among supporters.
Lubin commented on the heated discussions, saying, “It’s getting heated because we all care.” He believes the community is identifying issues that signal a need for a shift in the Ethereum ecosystem and the Foundation's approach.
He pointed out that the Foundation’s previous low-key strategy was appropriate during the SEC's scrutiny of crypto. But now, with a new administration and more favorable regulators, it’s time for a more dynamic approach. “I do think we need a high-energy everything in our ecosystem, including the Ethereum Foundation,” he stated.
Consensys was established in 2014 as a for-profit company to develop Ethereum infrastructure and applications. Lubin believes it’s time for Consensys to step up.
Emmanuel Awosika, a researcher at 2077 Collective, noted that there has always been tension between the for-profit Consensys and the idealistic goals of the Foundation. On January 21, Buterin suggested that maybe it’s not the Foundation that needs reform, but Consensys or a similar organization.
Lubin expressed his willingness to help in this transition. “We’re excited to move into a phase where we don’t have to hang back, where we can compete vigorously with everybody else,” he said. He emphasized the need for Ethereum to engage with businesses and governments, suggesting that the Foundation could delegate some responsibilities to the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance.
There’s a strong push within the community to replace Miyaguchi with Ryan, who played a key role in Ethereum's transition to proof-of-stake. Miyaguchi has kept a low profile since her appointment in February 2018. Recently, she faced criticism after an interview with Wired Japan. Although the English version contained a controversial quote, an independent translation confirmed that the original Japanese text did not include that statement.
In the original article, she mentioned that the Foundation doesn’t prioritize projects focused on making money. “First of all, we want to support as much as possible people who are working hard to change the way society works, even if they don’t make money,” she said.
Her cautious approach may have helped Ethereum navigate the SEC's investigation regarding whether ETH is a security. Lubin has publicly supported Ryan and Jerome de Tychey, president of Ethereum France, to lead the Foundation in both technical and business development.
Ryan mentioned that discussions with Buterin are focused on evolving the Foundation’s strategy to adapt to today’s world. Lubin praised Ryan’s technical skills and expressed hope that he would take on a leadership role.
A voting mechanism for ETH holders to show support for Ryan has gathered about 32,300 ETH in favor (around $106 million) and only 7 ETH against, reflecting a 99.98% approval rate. However, the poll's validity is questionable since it’s hosted on a dedicated website.
Buterin’s recent comments suggest that significant changes in leadership have been in the works for almost a year. These changes aim to enhance technical expertise and communication within the ecosystem. Miyaguchi expressed excitement about sharing updates on these changes soon.
However, Buterin clarified that the Foundation wouldn’t engage in lobbying or drastically change its ideological stance. Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson, who later founded Cardano, criticized Buterin’s statements, implying that the Foundation would continue to represent a certain perspective.
While Lubin may not be looking to return to a more primitive mindset, he certainly seems motivated to take action. He emphasizes the need for Ethereum to fight for a bright future.