Ethereum Foundation New Leadership Looks to the Future

On February 25, 2025, the Ethereum Foundation announced that Aya Miyagotchi has officially been promoted to the position of Chairperson. Miyagotchi subsequently published an open letter to the Ethereum community, outlining her plans and vision for the future of the foundation.

Miyagotchi stated in the letter that she will step down from her role as executive director to take on the new position of chair of the foundation. This shift will enable her to continue supporting the foundation's institutional relationships and to promote the vision and culture of Ethereum on a broader scale.

She emphasizes that the true value of Ethereum lies in the fact that it belongs to everyone but is not owned by any single entity. This permissionless culture not only accommodates differences but also becomes stronger because of them. Miyagotchi borrows Stewart Brand's "Pace Layering" theory to explain her views on Ethereum, believing that Ethereum needs to develop at different speeds across various layers in order to integrate into the world structure in the long term.

The role of the Ethereum Foundation is not to control or own all aspects of Ethereum, but to uphold its core values. The foundation is committed to identifying gaps and imbalances across various layers, ensuring that Ethereum remains resilient and becomes a broader ecosystem of people, ideas, and values.

Miyagotchi emphasizes the foundation's "subtraction philosophy", which is not simply minimalism, but a results-oriented subtractive design thinking. By only having the most suitable parts, the foundation helps incubate new projects, new organizations, and new talents, making Ethereum the largest ecosystem among its peers, while maintaining its infinite potential.

In terms of research and infrastructure, the foundation has taken multiple measures, such as managing core development meetings, advocating for client diversification, and supporting research and development interoperability meetings. Events like Devcon and Devconnect also reflect the foundation's efforts to cultivate community leadership.

Miyagotchi pointed out that the foundation must evolve continuously like Ethereum itself, but avoid expanding like traditional companies. The goal of the foundation is not to make itself "win", but to ensure Ethereum achieves long-term success while adhering to its core values.

Finally, Miyagotchi reflected on the ecosystem growth she has witnessed over the past seven years since joining the foundation, emphasizing Ethereum's unique resilience and diversity. She expressed gratitude to those who supported and encouraged her along the way, and called for continued collaboration in building together in this "infinite garden."