Ethereum Faces Core Development Funding Crisis, Warns Former Contributor

Former Ethereum Foundation contributor Trenton Van Epps warned that Ethereum is facing a core development funding crisis that will highlight the need for new funding sources in the next three to nine months.

The former contributor wrote in a blog post on Thursday that the Ethereum Foundation's spending reduction and the expiration of the Client Incentive Program in April left the network's core development ecosystem requiring about $30 million in annual funding.

Citing recent conversations with core development contributors, Epps said Ethereum risks entering a “slow-burning funding crisis."

Van Epps' article follows a wave of departures from the Ethereum Foundation, including co-executive director Hsiao-Wei Wang's announcement on Thursday that she would step down from her role, bringing the estimated number of layoffs and departures at the organization to 19 so far this year.

Related: Ethereum can quantum-proof accounts for just 7 cents, says Ethereum's Kohaku lead

Cointelegraph was unable to independently verify the estimated $30 million annual funding requirement and reached out to the Ethereum Foundation for comment.

Ethereum Foundation shifts treasury policy

In a May 24 X post, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said the Ethereum Foundation's resources were limited, noting that the organization held only about 0.16% of Ether's (ETH) total supply, far below the share controlled by foundations associated with some other blockchain networks.

Buterin said the Ethereum Foundation was originally designed to fulfill a limited scope of work, including developing Ethereum's core software and helping the network progress through its major roadmap milestones, which he said were largely completed by 2022.

“And so today, the EF is choosing to use its remaining resources to pursue longevity over breadth (yes, this means we sell less ETH),” Buterin wrote.

Source: Vitalik Buterin

The Ethereum Foundation unstaked 17,000 ETH in late April and another 21,270 ETH (then worth $50 million) in early May, shortly after nearly surpassing 70,000 ETH staked earlier this year. The foundation also sold 10,000 ETH to the largest corporate ETH holder, Bitmine, in an OTC deal on May 1.

Blockchain analytics platform Arkham said the unstaking may have occurred due to the foundation's need for funds to further develop the network.

The transactions marked another adjustment to the Ethereum Foundation’s treasury strategy. The foundation said in a June 2025 policy update that increasing its staking participation would help fund protocol development while limiting future ETH sales after community backlash over earlier disposals.