{"id":17569,"date":"2026-02-23T10:49:47","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T10:49:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/2026\/02\/23\/a-new-chapter-in-the-infinite-garden\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T10:49:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T10:49:47","slug":"a-new-chapter-in-the-infinite-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/2026\/02\/23\/a-new-chapter-in-the-infinite-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"A new chapter in the infinite garden"},"content":{"rendered":"


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My dear Ethereum community,<\/p>\n

Today, I\u2019m excited to turn the page and share that I will be closing this chapter as Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation soon and stepping into a new role as its President. This new opportunity will allow me to continue supporting EF\u2019s institutional relationships, and to expand the reach of our vision and culture more broadly. I\u2019m feeling deeply grateful and enthusiastic for what\u2019s ahead, and while I made this decision a year ago, recent events have given me the perfect opportunity to reflect on what truly matters to me.<\/p>\n

These past few weeks have illuminated something profound about Ethereum \u2014 a truth that becomes clearest in moments of tension, when debates arise over the network\u2019s performance or ETH\u2019s market value. Across the globe, teams and individuals speak of Ethereum as if it were their own, yet this very tension is where our greatest strength lies: Ethereum belongs to everyone precisely because it belongs to no one<\/strong>. Our culture of permissionlessness doesn\u2019t just tolerate disagreement \u2014 it grows stronger through it. And in the midst of it all, we\u2019ve seen new, hopeful energy emerge, reminding me that it\u2019s often in darkness that we notice the north star\u2014something we too often take for granted.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d like to borrow from Stewart Brand\u2019s Pace Layering<\/em> to explain how I view things in Ethereum. He presents a framework for how the world works, which was inspired by Brian Eno\u2019s Shearing Layers<\/em>. Over time, this model has shaped the thinking of a diverse group of influential people, technologists, artists, futurists, and organizations alike.<\/p>\n

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<\/g><\/svg><\/a>Upholding Ethereum’s Values<\/h2>\n

Where does Ethereum fit within these layers? Is it in the fast-moving outer layers, where rapid experimentation happens? Or at the core, where nature and culture evolve more slowly? I don\u2019t think the answer lies entirely in either. If we want Ethereum to be more than a short-term product, if we want it to weave into the fabric of the world for the long term, we need all layers, moving at all paces. And if we don\u2019t want Ethereum to ever be confined to a short-term product of one company, then all layers cannot\u2014and should not\u2014be dominated by EF.<\/p>\n

The Ethereum Foundation works to identify gaps and imbalances across these layers. EF\u2019s role has never been to control or own all domains in Ethereum. Instead, our responsibility\u2014our accountability\u2014lies in upholding Ethereum\u2019s values<\/strong>. Through both our actions and our non-actions, we are accountable for ensuring that Ethereum remains resilient, not just as a network, but as a broader ecosystem of people, ideas, and values\u2014never reduced to a single organization\u2019s product.<\/p>\n

The value of credible neutrality<\/strong> doesn\u2019t mean treating everything equally, it means making principled choices that protect Ethereum\u2019s integrity at its core. Our philosophy of subtraction is often misunderstood: It is not minimalism, nor does it mean doing less for the sake of it. It is a form of subtractive design thinking that focuses on outcomes rather than rigid methods. Subtraction is not the process, but the result we strive for: a landscape with fewer imbalances, and less centralization that could compromise Ethereum\u2019s values. Instead of assuming that less is always better, this mindset recognizes that achieving balance often requires thoughtful complexity or adding new mechanisms to ensure that no one entity, EF included, dominates Ethereum\u2019s evolution.<\/p>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/a>Guided by philosophy<\/h2>\n

EF has helped bootstrap new projects, new organizations and new heroes by owning only what we were best suited to own. Countless decisions, guided by this philosophy, have helped Ethereum become the largest ecosystem of its kind while keeping its potential infinite. Ethereum can do everything, be everywhere, and serve everyone, with each domain powered by the brightest minds, and above all, it must remain free from capture. These values are our north star, and this is how we achieve the original vision of Ethereum as the world computer.<\/p>\n

This philosophy flows through everything we do.<\/em><\/p>\n

Some examples of where our actions have impacted Ethereum R&D and infrastructure:<\/strong><\/p>\n