Ethereum's true power stems from its decentralized nature — not just in technology, but across social and structural dimensions. This article outlines the Ethereum Foundation's (EF) vision, role, and priorities as a steward of this evolving ecosystem. As new leadership takes the helm, we reaffirm our commitment to the principles that guide Ethereum's growth.
The Infinite Garden: Ethereum’s Guiding Vision
To nurture the Infinite Garden — Ethereum’s ecosystem of projects, communities, and infrastructure — ensuring its resilience amid constant change. We champion Ethereum as humanity’s shared world computer, an open, permissionless platform delivering stability, freedom, and collaboration to millions globally.
Why the Garden Metaphor?
- Living Ecosystem: A space where builders and thinkers worldwide plant ideas.
- Collaborative Growth: Tools redefining finance, identity, and societal foundations are cultivated collectively.
- Global Impact: Real-world applications already empower communities across borders.
The EF’s Role: Empowering Without Dominating
Ethereum thrives through its decentralized ecosystem — teams outside the EF drive progress via technical innovation, education, and funding. The EF’s role? To:
- Strengthen Ethereum’s core values.
- Identify and fill critical gaps.
- Prevent centralization (including its own influence).
Strategic Focus Areas
Where We Lead Today
👉 Critical infrastructure support like client diversity and protocol upgrades (e.g., Dencun).
- Funding zero-knowledge research for privacy advancements.
- Hosting Devcon to unite global contributors.
- Maintaining ethereum.org as a neutral resource hub.
Where We Enable Others
- Seeding public goods projects until they’re self-sustaining.
- Open-sourcing tools/research for community use.
Fostering geographic decentralization via programs like:
- Next Billion Fellowship (supporting builders in underserved regions).
- Devcon Scholars (increasing access for underrepresented groups).
Core Principles: Building for Resilience
1. Long-Term Thinking
- Prioritize sustainable impact over short-term wins.
- Plan for multi-generational ecosystem health.
2. Stewardship of Values
- Uphold censorship resistance, open source, privacy, and security.
- Empower community ownership of these ideals.
3. Purposeful Subtraction
- Distribute power by enabling diverse participation.
- Reduce centralization through collaborative design.
Future Goals: Metrics That Matter
Goal 1: Maximize Meaningful Ethereum Usage
Examples:
- DeFi for unbanked populations.
- DAOs enabling new coordination models.
- Decentralized social media with user-controlled data.
🚫 _Not_: Custodial wallets with no real decentralization.
Goal 2: Strengthen Ethereum’s Resilience
Pillars:
- Ecosystem autonomy (independent of EF).
- Proactive risk management against single points of failure.
🚫 _Not_: Performative diversity masking centralized control.
FAQ: Addressing Key Questions
Q: How does the EF avoid becoming too influential?
A: By design — we fund projects to independence and step back once they’re self-sustaining.
Q: What’s the biggest threat to Ethereum’s decentralization?
A: Complacency. Constant vigilance is needed to maintain a plurality of developers and users.
Q: How can builders get involved?
A: Start locally! Grassroots initiatives are Ethereum’s backbone.
Ethereum’s future hinges on collective stewardship. By adhering to these principles, we ensure it remains a neutral, resilient platform for generations. The EF is just one gardener in this Infinite Garden — join us in planting the seeds of tomorrow.