Former Ethereum Foundation leader warns of funding gap as governance shifts

Latest developments: Trent Van Epps says Ethereum’s long-term decentralization strategy is entering a critical transition phase.

• Van Epps said he left the Ethereum Foundation after it became clear the organization would accelerate its “subtraction” philosophy of pushing authority and legitimacy into the broader ecosystem.
• He described the Ethereum Foundation as intentionally reducing its central role rather than consolidating power, arguing that multiple independent institutions should eventually coordinate the ecosystem.
• The comments come after recent Ethereum Foundation leadership changes and workforce reductions, which have fueled questions about Ethereum’s future governance.
• Van Epps joined CoinDesk’s Jennifer Sanasie on Markets Outlook.

What this means: Van Epps argues Ethereum faces a practical funding challenge rather than an existential crisis.

• He estimated core protocol development requires roughly $30 million annually, even as the Ethereum Foundation’s treasury gradually declines over time.
• According to Van Epps, the issue is not shrinking technical needs but identifying new organizations willing to finance public goods that keep the network reliable and secure.
• He said his Protocol Guild initiative has distributed nearly $40 million to Ethereum core developers over roughly four years but is not sufficient on its own to replace broader ecosystem funding.