Ethereum Foundation faces governance turmoil as community rallies behind Ryan
Ethereum Foundation faces governance turmoil
In a striking display of community sentiment, an informal on-chain vote has resulted in 99% approval for former Ethereum Foundation (EF) researcher Danny Ryan to take over as the organization’s leader.
The vote, initiated by the campaign “vote danny ryancom” and running from January 21 to January 30, saw participation from 341 Ethereum wallets holding a total of 51,209 ETH, valued at approximately $164.4 million, according to the Cryptopolitan.
Of those who voted, 99.98%—representing 331 wallets—supported Ryan, while only 10 voters, holding ETH worth $28,500, opposed his appointment. The outcome, though significant in gauging community sentiment, carries no formal authority over the EF’s leadership.
Loading...
Calls for Leadership Change Amid Criticism of EF Governance
The push for Ryan comes amid growing dissatisfaction with EF’s leadership, particularly its executive director, Aya Miyaguchi, who has held the position since 2018. Critics argue she lacks the vision and credibility to guide Ethereum through its next phase of development.
Some of Ryan’s supporters have pointed to his leadership during the Ethereum Merge in 2022, when the network successfully transitioned to a Proof-of-Stake consensus model.
However, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has firmly stated that decisions on EF leadership rest with him, not community polls. “This is not how this game works,” he wrote on X.
Prominent industry figures, including ConsenSys founder and Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin, have also expressed support for Ryan, citing the need for a more adaptable Ethereum Foundation as the blockchain space grows increasingly competitive.
Meanwhile, Germany's Deutsche Bank is developing an Ethereum Layer 2 network using ZKsync technology, according to Bloomberg. The initiative seeks to tackle regulatory challenges for financial institutions and boost transaction efficiency.
