Ethereum Foundation Departures Continue as Two More Key Researchers Resign

The Ethereum Foundation is facing another wave of high-profile departures after researchers Carl Beekhuizen and Julian Ma announced they are leaving the organization, adding to a growing list of exits that have reshaped the foundation over recent months.

The latest resignations arrive during a sensitive period for the Ethereum Foundation as it navigates internal restructuring, evolving technical priorities, and increasing debate within the Ethereum community around governance, culture, and long-term strategic direction.

Departures Continue Across the Ethereum Foundation

Beekhuizen and Ma join a growing number of researchers, developers, and executives who have exited the Ethereum Foundation over the past year.

Earlier this month, the two former co-leads of Ethereum’s core protocol team also stepped away from their roles, while several leadership and technical restructuring changes have taken place across the organization.

Former co-executive director Tomasz Stańczak stepped down from his position in February after less than a year in the role. Josh Stark also departed the foundation in March following seven years with the organization.

Other notable departures include Barnabé Monnot and Tim Beiko from the protocol team, as well as Trent Van Epps, who played a central role in creating Protocol Guild, an independent funding initiative supporting Ethereum core developers.

Alex Stokes also announced earlier this month that he would be taking a sabbatical leave, while longtime developer Péter Szilágyi left the foundation last June after nearly a decade of work on Ethereum. Szilágyi is widely known as the lead developer behind Geth, one of Ethereum’s most important and widely used execution clients.

Carl Beekhuizen Leaves After Seven Years

Carl Beekhuizen confirmed that he will officially leave the Ethereum Foundation after seven years, during which he became widely recognized for his contributions to Ethereum’s Beacon Chain development.

The Beacon Chain played a critical role in Ethereum’s transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, one of the largest technical upgrades in blockchain history.

In a post shared on X, Beekhuizen thanked Ethereum researchers, developers, and the broader community, emphasizing that Ethereum’s strength has always come from its contributors and open ecosystem.

He also noted that the decision coincides with personal life changes after recently welcoming a new child with his wife, adding that May 29 will be his final day at the foundation.

Julian Ma Departs Following Key Technical Contributions

Julian Ma also announced his departure after nearly four years at the Ethereum Foundation, following work focused on Ethereum mechanism design, protocol economics, and scaling research.

Among his most notable contributions was his involvement in developing the FOCIL proposal (EIP-7805), which aims to strengthen censorship resistance across the Ethereum network.

Ma also helped lead implementation of the “fast confirmation rule,” a technical improvement designed to reduce bridging latency between Ethereum layer-2 networks and the Ethereum mainnet to roughly 13 seconds.

Ethereum Foundation Undergoes Broad Restructuring

The Ethereum Foundation has undergone significant restructuring throughout 2025 following mounting criticism from developers and community members over execution speed, scaling priorities, ecosystem support, and governance processes.

The organization previously faced pressure over concerns that Ethereum’s development roadmap had become increasingly fragmented while competing blockchain ecosystems accelerated innovation and user growth.

Some parts of the community welcomed efforts to reduce the influence of former executive director Aya Miyaguchi by expanding the role of technical leadership within the foundation.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has also taken a more visible role in shaping Ethereum’s roadmap, particularly as the network renewed its focus on scaling the base layer after years of emphasizing rollup-centric expansion strategies.

Internal Debate Over Culture and Governance

Despite the restructuring efforts, the Ethereum Foundation has continued facing controversy in recent months after reports surfaced alleging that some employees were asked to sign internal loyalty pledges tied to the organization’s CROPs values framework.

The framework emphasizes censorship resistance, open-source development, privacy, and security, principles that remain widely supported across the Ethereum ecosystem.

However, references connected to the controversial “Milady” online community reportedly sparked internal criticism and broader debate around the organization’s evolving cultural direction.

Ethereum Faces Growing Organizational Pressure

The ongoing departures reflect how challenges facing major blockchain projects are increasingly extending beyond technology and into areas including governance, organizational culture, and long-term talent retention.

The situation mirrors broader restructuring waves seen across parts of the crypto industry over the past two years, where companies and blockchain organizations alike have been forced to reassess leadership structures, operational priorities, and strategic direction during a rapidly changing market environment.

What is happening inside the Ethereum Foundation increasingly appears less like isolated resignations and more like a transition into a more institutionally complex phase for Ethereum itself.