Tomasz Stańczak’s Departure from the Ethereum Foundation
Tomasz Stańczak, who has served as co-executive director of the Ethereum Foundation for the past year, will conclude his term at the end of February 2026. His departure comes during a period marked by scrutiny and transformation within the organization, with Bastian Aue set to assume the interim co-executive director role, joined by Hsiao-Wei Wang.
Leadership and Challenges
Stańczak’s leadership was primarily centered on implementing operational reforms, restructuring the treasury, and enhancing the foundation’s institutional presence as Ethereum faced stiff competition from more agile blockchain networks.
Having joined the Ethereum Foundation in March 2025, Stańczak’s tenure began amid significant governance challenges, including disputes over compensation and concerns about conflicts of interest that arose after senior researchers were revealed to have financial ties with external projects. Furthermore, the foundation faced criticism regarding its ETH sales, which were employed to support its operations, leading to questions about transparency within its treasury and the centralized power dynamics in decision-making processes.
Resignation and Future Plans
According to Stańczak, his decision to resign was part of a premeditated plan, as he claimed the core restructuring goals established early in his tenure—such as streamlining decision-making, clarifying strategic roadmaps, developing compensation frameworks, and enhancing institutional ties—were either met or adequately integrated into the foundation’s structure. He indicated that extending his stay through 2026 would be more about stewardship than active execution.
Looking Ahead
With Stańczak stepping aside, the Ethereum Foundation is gearing up for the launch of an interconnected LEAN Ethereum and core development plan for the year ahead. This roadmap is poised to include advancements in post-quantum security and broader coordination efforts in the rollup ecosystem. Aue, who has returned to the foundation’s technical roots after departing his CEO role at Nethermind, now aims to concentrate on protocol development and the integration of AI into governance systems related to Ethereum.
Farewell Remarks
In his farewell comments, Stańczak emphasized Ethereum’s pivotal role as a coordination platform for financial mechanisms, tokenized assets, and autonomous AI agents, highlighting the growing activity in stablecoins and real-world assets. He argued that Ethereum’s appeal among institutional investors is grounded in its commitment to decentralization, credible neutrality, and its consistent operational reliability since inception.
