Vitalik Buterin: Ethereum Foundation must prioritize longevity over ETH sales

In a recent update aimed at addressing criticism of the Ethereum Foundation (EF), Vitalik Buterin proposed that the foundation will reduce its future Ethereum [ETH] sales. 

In a post on X, Buterin pointed out that EF is starting to prioritize “longevity over breadth.” 

Buterin added, 

The EF focuses *specifically* on those activities critical to the success of ethereum as a censorship/capture-resistant, open, private and secure system, that would not happen otherwise.

This comes after a string of well-known EF departures, which have reignited debate about the foundation’s future. At least eight senior EF contributors have left or announced plans to do so in 2026, including five in May. 

Buterin also acknowledged the Ethereum Foundation’s 2025 efforts, which resulted in numerous enhancements and the resolution of various issues. 

What is Buterin trying to fix here? 

Still, it appears that one piece of this puzzle is missing. 

Buterin said, 

I would regularly spot people saying things like “vitalik says these beautiful things about ethereum needing to be decentralized, and have privacy, and be a sanctuary technology, but why do the EF’s actions not reflect that?

He emphasized that the Ethereum Foundation is ‘one node with a defined purpose, alongside others,’ rather than the ‘center of Ethereum.’ Given EF’s limited size, resources, and organizational capacity, he reiterated his view that the foundation should remain a supporting node, not the core authority. 

This is because, compared to many other individual ETH holders, the EF only holds about 0.16% of all ETH, while a “central foundation” typically holds between 10% and 50%. 

Buterin added, 

It [Ethereum Foundation] was not designed to be an eternal steward.

This further explains why the Foundation is also focusing on fewer priorities as a result of its redesigned mandate—the CROPS (security, privacy, openness, and resistance to censorship) dimension.

According to him, competitors already have an advantage in high-throughput chains, so Ethereum shouldn’t focus solely on speed.

Buterin’s technical standpoint 

From a technical standpoint, he continued, Ethereum should strive to become the world’s most dependable, secure, decentralized, and censorship-resistant blockchain.  According to him, new AI-powered tools can help Ethereum become nearly bug-free, and its network should be able to function without relying on centralized control even in the event of attacks or outages.

He says Ethereum’s primary strengths should be trust, resilience, and long-term security rather than just speed, even though it will continue to grow through updates and Layer-2 solutions.

Not a board-wide decision

However, Buterin’s post was his opinion rather than a formal board statement, and he noted that Bastian Aue, the interim co-executive director who succeeded Tomasz Stanczak earlier this year, is primarily responsible for carrying out the transition. 

Notably, Buterin concluded it best when he said, 

EF will be a smaller ship than in previous years, a more opinionated one.

Final Summary

• Buterin’s new proposal is in line with the CROPS (security, privacy, openness, and resistance to censorship) dimension.
• As compared to other Ethereum holders, the EF only holds about 0.16% of all ETH.