Joe Lubin: Ethereum Foundation Layoffs and Restructuring Are Not a Crisis, Will Focus on Core Technologies Like AI Agents

Odaily Ethereum co-founder and Consensys CEO Joe Lubin stated that the recent layoffs, budget cuts, and leadership changes at the Ethereum Foundation are not a crisis, but a necessary evolution for the organization. In an interview, Lubin pointed out that the Ethereum Foundation should focus on protecting core protocol technology and value, while tasks such as adoption, ecosystem expansion, and institutional collaboration should be undertaken by other organizations. Maintaining neutrality and credibility is crucial to avoid conflicts between commercial interests and developers. The public has a misunderstanding of the Foundation's role: the EF's responsibility is to maintain the Ethereum protocol, not to lead commercialization or competitive market strategies.

Lubin also stated that the future of Ethereum will see the ecosystem shaped by multiple organizations, rather than relying on a single entity for leadership. He dismissed claims that Ethereum is in decline, stating that the network is still developing steadily, and pointed out that years of scaling efforts are laying the foundation for the next wave of adoption, including on-chain transactions by autonomous AI agents and increased institutional usage. The Ethereum Foundation is narrowing its focus precisely to ensure the protocol can support a new generation of applications, while new organizations will take on promotion and commercialization efforts.

Lubin pointed out that the next wave is the smart agent economy, where hybrid human-machine systems will use Ethereum's infrastructure for transactions. The Ethereum Foundation's restructuring is a healthy institutional optimization that helps Ethereum maintain steady development under the premise of decentralization, while preparing for future technological and commercial innovations. (CoinDesk)