As Ethereum Turns 10, Where Is the Foundation Focused Next? - Ep. 877
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Ethereum turned 10 on Wednesday, capping off a decade of trials and travails — but also triumphs. After years of being the heart of crypto’s onchain economy, Ethereum stalled last year, losing mindshare and market share to Bitcoin and Solana. During that time, some long-time supporters publicly aired frustrations with the Ethereum Foundation.
Now, there’s a palpable shift in energy.
In this episode, Tomasz Stanczak, the co-executive director of the Ethereum Foundation, reflects on the 10-year anniversary and talks about what’s ahead.
From internal strategy overhauls to his plans to tackle Ethereum’s UX and developer experience, Tomasz shares how the Foundation is trying to re-center Ethereum — and why he’s betting on it for the next decade.
He also lays out what he calls a “secondary roadmap,” including bold ambitions like building Ethereum into a platform for AI, machines, and even a new kind of open-source society.
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Guest:
Tomasz K. Stańczak, Co-Executive Director at the Ethereum Foundation and Founder of Nethermind
Links:
Unchained: Ethereum Turns 10 Years Old
Tomasz’s tweet about the roadmap
Timestamps:
🎬 0:00 Intro
🎉 7:46 How Tomasz is reflecting on Ethereum’s 10th birthday and its recent struggles
🧠 10:41 What Ethereum means to Tomasz and how he explains it to the normies
🏗️ 17:28 Why the Ethereum Foundation plays a different kind of role in crypto development
👔 22:59 How Tomasz ended up as co-executive director of the EF
🗣️ 27:25 What he learned from hundreds of conversations about how Ethereum could improve
🎯 29:47 Why the Foundation is now focused on three core goals
💼 36:34 How and why the EF is also embracing business development
🪙 42:40 Why Tomasz wants people minting directly on Ethereum Layer 1
📣 46:14 How the Foundation’s communication strategy has changed and why it matters
📉 52:48 Why the EF isn’t focused on ETH’s price—at least not directly
🧾 57:50 Whether the Foundation is worried about Ether’s shifting asset narrative
🔗 1:03:34 How the EF is working to fix interoperability issues within Ethereum
🏦 1:05:59 Why the Foundation sold ETH to SBET and how its treasury strategy is evolving
🏛️ 1:14:09 How Ethereum became the chain of choice for institutions
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Ethereum's Next Moves: Insights from Tomasz Stańczak and the Ethereum Foundation
In this conversation, Camila Russo interviews Tomasz Stanczak, Co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation, discussing the evolution of Ethereum, addressing criticisms, and the foundation's strategic initiatives. They explore the importance of communication, the restructuring of the foundation, and the focus on scaling Ethereum through L1 and L2 dynamics.
Tomasz shares insights on the vision for Ethereum as a global economy, balancing user needs with core values, and the foundation's treasury management and DeFi strategies. The conversation concludes with a look at future developments and milestones for Ethereum.
Takeaways:
Ethereum has evolved significantly since its inception, focusing on scaling and communication.
The Ethereum Foundation has faced criticism regarding its communication strategies.
Restructuring within the foundation aims to enhance protocol development and management.
Funding and support for developers are crucial for the ecosystem's growth.
The relationship between L1 and L2 is vital for Ethereum's scaling strategy.
Ethereum aims to position itself as a global economy hub.
User needs and core values must be balanced for long-term success.
Treasury management strategies are evolving to include DeFi protocols.
The foundation is committed to transparency and community engagement.
Future milestones include significant scaling and security improvements.
Chapters:
00:00 Defiant Intro
00:07 Episode Teaser
01:24 Hero Quote
01:35 Introduction to Tomasz Stańczak, Co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation
03:18 Community Criticism and Foundation Response
06:45 Strategic Actions by the Ethereum Foundation
09:39 Building a Supportive Ecosystem for Developers
13:50 The strengths of Ethereum as a Network
17:17 Scaling Ethereum: L1 and L2 Dynamics
20:55 The One Trillion Security Initiative
23:00 Specific Milestones in the Short Term
25:53 Navigating the Tension: World Computer vs. Store of Value
29:15 Ethereum as a Global Economy
30:43 Will Solana Become An Ethereum L2?
32:43 User Priorities: Decentralization vs. Usability
37:02 Treasury Management and ETH Sales
36:55 The Role of Stablecoins in Ethereum's Future
39:55 The Impact of Ethereum Foundation's DeFi Allocations
42:00 Guiding DeFi Protocols Towards Security and Decentralization
51:10 The Future of Ethereum: Use Cases and Community Expectations
54:50 Upcoming Milestones for Ethereum
56:50 Closing Remarks
Entering Ethereum’s New Era | Tomasz Stańczak
Gm! Unfortunately no roundup this week as Yano & Santi are travelling. Instead we're bringing you this episode of Bell Curve with Tomasz Stańczak, Co-Executive Director at the Ethereum Foundation, to discuss Ethereum’s evolving culture, and product focus.
We also dive into Ethereum’s DeFi and RWA dominance, scaling the L1, real-time proving breakthroughs, and Ethereum’s long-term vision.Thanks for tuning in!
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Resources
Real-Time Ethereum Proving is here: https://x.com/SuccinctLabs/status/1924845712921264562
Justin Drake on Real-Time Proving: https://x.com/SuccinctLabs/status/1925306484281553262
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Follow Tomasz: https://x.com/tkstanczak
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Our best-in-market features include user downside protection (through protected staking rewards) and optimized delegation (via our automated auction marketplace). Cryptoasset investors worldwide, from individual traders to global institutions, use Marinade to earn rewards on their SOL treasuries and holdings. We are headquartered in New York, with offices in the European Union, including Prague. To learn more about Marinade, visit marinade.finance.
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Timestamps
(0:00) Introduction
(2:23) Getting Started at the Ethereum Foundation
(6:29) Culture of the Ethereum Foundation
(13:43) Ads (Skale, Marinade)
(15:15) Should Ethereum Mimic Bitcoin?
(34:26) Ads (Skale, Marinade)
(35:58) Ethereum's Lead in DeFi and RWAs
(43:30) Real-Time Proving
(52:11) Ads (Ledger, Bitwise)
(53:44) Scaling the L1
(55:32) The Fusaka Upgrade
(58:30) Will Circle Be Acquired?
(1:06:04) What is Tomasz Excited About?
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Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
A New Chapter for Ethereum | EFs Co-EDs Tomasz & Hsiao-Wei
Ethereum Foundation's new Co-Executive Directors, Tomasz Stanczak and Hsiao-Wei Wang, join Bankless to outline their vision for the future of Ethereum.
We explore their backgrounds, the changing leadership at EF, and the roadmap ahead—from accelerating L1 scaling and improving UX to making Ethereum more dynamic and product-focused. This episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how Ethereum plans to stay resilient, decentralized, and mission-aligned in a fast-changing world.
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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
8:19 Career Journey
16:22 What Value Are They Providing
23:39 Continuing the Ethereum Legacy
31:11 Ethereum Foundation: Strengths, Gaps & Calls for Leadership
43:41 The Pectra Disaster
1:00:51 Scaling and Improving the Layer 2
1:06:55 The Concept of "Product Centric Ethereum"
1:11:49 Metrics, Accountability & Operational Leadership at Ethereum
1:14:41 What the Ethereum Foundation Isn't Responsible For
1:18:35 Clearing Up EF Misconceptions
1:26:25 Inside Ethereum’s Upgrade Cycle
1:31:17 Closing and Disclosure
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RESOURCES
Hsiao-Wei Wang
https://x.com/hwwonx
Tomasz K. Stańczak
https://x.com/tkstanczak
Ethereum Foundation
https://ethereum.foundation/
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Not financial or tax advice. See our investment disclosures here:
https://www.bankless.com/disclosures