Vitalik Buterin has addressed calls for changes at the Ethereum Foundation, rejecting demands for Executive Director Aya Miyaguchi’s resignation and criticizing pressure campaigns targeting the organization.
He made his comments in response to tweets by traders, industry participants, such as CoinMamba and Tetranode. Evan Van Ness also argued for the appointment of Danny Ryan, EF’s leader, which would address concerns over development priorities and decisions.
Buterin said:
“This is not how this game works. The person deciding the new EF leadership team is me.”
According to the EF’s website, there are only three board members. They include Vitalik Buterin and Aya Mikyaguchi.
Buterin warned that orchestrating social media pressure risks undermining Ethereum’s culture and repelling contributors. He said any leadership change would need to be done with thoughtfulness, not public displays of anger.
“If you “keep the pressure on”Then you create an environment which is toxic for top talent. Some of Ethereum’s best devs have been messaging me recently, expressing their disgust with the social media environment that people like you are creating. YOU ARE MAKING MY JOB HARDER.”
CoinMamba had suggested that Miyaguchi’s departure could boost Ethereum’s price, while Tetranode openly threatened prolonged efforts to oust leaders he deemed unfit. Buterin countered that this approach harms morale and deters high-caliber talent from engaging with Ethereum’s ecosystem.
Ethereum
The tension follows Buterin’s recent comments outlining a reform of the Ethereum Foundation’s leadership structure. He emphasized improving technical expertise, fostering stronger collaboration with ecosystem participants, and recruiting new contributors who align with Ethereum’s open-source values. The executive change would not turn the Foundation into an organization that is centralized and politically motivated, he added.
Some community members see leadership disputes as the culmination of broader disagreements about the Foundation’s role. Critics have questioned the group’s transparency, citing past token movementsIn January 2025 the Foundation sent $72 million worth of ETH to Kraken.
Others have cited delays to the Dencun upgrade, which introduced “blob-carrying transactions”To refine the data handling. Participants who want a more rapid rollout have expressed frustration with the staggered implementation.
Changes to EF requirements and the for-profit requirement
Buterin argued against the notion that the Foundation should adopt a top-down strategy, arguing instead that Ethereum’s decentralization is the best way to ensure its success. Buterin argued that non-profit organizations may serve different goals better and he resisted the notion that the EF must address all community concerns. Critics like Evan Van Ness acknowledged Buterin’s stance but insisted that naming Ryan as Miyaguchi’s successor would calm tensions.
Buterin indicated that the EF’s mission would be continued while encouraging alternatives to step in and fill the roles the Foundation was unable to easily perform. Buterin’s messages indicated no immediate reversal of leadership plans or personnel changes, although he reaffirmed his control over EF governance until a proposed “proper board”The ‘is in place.
He also highlighted several other X users’ comments, labeling them as “pure evil”They contained offensive memes and calls to bully Aya. “kill Aya.”
He stressed that maintaining a healthy environment for developers remains his top priority. And he urged the critics of such campaigns to think about their long-term effects. He gave no more details on the timetable of structural changes.
Ethereum, People and Web3 The Author 
Liam ‘Akiba’ Wright
Also known by “Akiba,” Liam Wright, a journalist, is also a podcast producer and the Editor-in Chief at CryptoSlate. He thinks that technology decentralized has the power to bring about positive changes.
Liam @akibablade, LinkedIn email Editor
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