Ethereum Foundation layoffs and downsizing "boost crypto community", Solana founder: It's good for Ethereum and the industry.

Ethereum Foundation underwent layoffs and downsizing this week, newly established EthLabs research institution, Solana co-founder, SharpLink CEO and other big names are bullish, believing this represents Ethereum transitioning from a "Foundation-centric" to a "multi-institutional co-governance" mature stage.
(Previous summary: Vitalik confirms Ethereum Foundation budget slashed by 40%! Ethereum will launch the "Rice Field Map" third-generation upgrade, ultimately imitating Bitcoin's simplification)
(Background supplement: Ethereum Foundation lays off 20% to complete major restructuring! Newly established "five core clusters" vow to uphold censorship resistance bottom line)

Table of Contents

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• From Layoffs to EthLabs: Dual Changes in One Week
• Solana Founder: "Budget Constraints Force Focus"
• SharpLink CEO: "Institutional Funds Are Coming On-Chain"
• Former Ethereum Foundation Employee: Layoffs Are "Inevitable"
• Joe Lubin's "Metropolitan Ethereum" Vision
• Dynamic Zone Observation: The First Step Toward Decentralization Is "Dispersing Responsibility"

The Ethereum Foundation saw a wave of restructuring momentum this week: first, the establishment of new research institution EthLabs, followed by layoffs and budget cuts. This series of changes has excited several heavyweight figures in the crypto space, including the co-founder of Ethereum competitor Solana.

From Layoffs to EthLabs: Dual Changes in One Week

EthLabs was officially established on June 23, led by core members of the Ethereum research team, and within just one day received financial support from over 50 stakeholders. Immediately after, the Ethereum Foundation announced the next day a 20% layoff and budget reduction, focusing resources on five core clusters. CoinDesk interviewed multiple industry insiders for their views.

Solana Founder: "Budget Constraints Force Focus"

Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko stated directly on X:

"This is good for Ethereum. Budget constraints will force (the Foundation) to prioritize and focus. Ethereum isn't going anywhere. A smaller, leaner Ethereum Foundation will be more decisive, faster acting, and quicker to course-correct."

This comment, coming from a competitor, highlights an industry trend: lean organizations often have greater decision-making efficiency than bloated bureaucracies. Similar cases are common in Taiwan's tech industry—MediaTek laid off 500 people in 2023, and its profit growth rate reached 50% the following year, proving that "slimming down" does not necessarily equate to decline.

SharpLink CEO: "Institutional Funds Are Coming On-Chain"

SharpLink CEO Joseph Chalom, who supports EthLabs, said:

"We are in an extraordinary moment for Ethereum. Institutional funds are coming on-chain. Over 50 stakeholders contributed to EthLabs in a short time, demonstrating the ecosystem's confidence at this moment."

SharpLink has invested heavily in supporting EthLabs, betting that protocols developed by Ethereum researchers will accelerate institutional adoption.

Former Ethereum Foundation Employee: Layoffs Are "Inevitable"

Hudson Jameson, ecosystem lead at CertiK and former Ethereum Foundation employee, believes layoffs are necessary for the Foundation's long-term budget and sustainability:

"While layoffs are sad, they are an inevitable result if the Ethereum Foundation is to remain lean in the long run. The founding team of EthLabs are all battle-tested senior members of the Ethereum R&D community, and I'm excited to see what they come up with."

Joe Lubin's "Metropolitan Ethereum" Vision

Ethereum co-founder and Consensys CEO Joe Lubin proposed the concept of "Metropolitan Ethereum," a network of independent but aligned organizations.

Lubin noted, "Ethereum today is no longer just the Ethereum Foundation and the Layer 1 mainnet. Many networks, protocols, and companies see themselves as core to Ethereum, and more organizations are tightly connected to Ethereum's key elements." He sees EthLabs as the latest example of this evolution:

"By providing a long-term, independent base for researchers advancing Ethereum's core technology and values, EthLabs will play a key role in preparing the network for the next wave of adoption. The Ethereum ecosystem will become more decentralized, with each steward group more focused and empowered, while maintaining credible neutrality."

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently expressed a similar view, positioning the Ethereum Foundation as "one of many nodes" rather than the "center" of the entire ecosystem.

Dynamic Zone Observation: The First Step Toward Decentralization Is "Dispersing Responsibility"

The establishment of EthLabs and the slimming down of the Ethereum Foundation, on the surface, are two sides of the same coin: development and research resources spreading outward from a single institution. What does this mean for Taiwanese readers?

Taiwan's blockchain ecosystem similarly faces the challenge of "centralization," with most projects relying on a single fund or early investors for momentum. Ethereum's "multi-institutional co-governance" model may become a reference template for Taiwan's local Web3 projects: not relying on just one foundation, but establishing multiple complementary research, development, and governance nodes.

More notably, this wave of change occurred in early June, just as RWA perpetual futures trading volume hit an all-time high and stablecoin demand continued to rise. While competition intensifies, Ethereum is trying to capture institutional-grade on-chain demand. Whether the "decision speed" gained from the Foundation's downsizing can translate into actual protocol upgrades in the second half of the year is worth monitoring.