New resignation at the Ethereum Foundation: Stanchak moves to AI solutions development

Tomáš Stanič, who served as co-director of the Ethereum Foundation, announced his resignation. He will be replaced by Bastian Aue, an experienced member of the organization’s leadership team. Xiao-Wei Wang will remain as the Foundation’s co-CEO. This decision is particularly notable because Stanič’s resignation comes less than a year after his appointment to the position alongside Wang.

Reasons for resignation and leadership changes

Stanič explained his resignation as a focus on the development of artificial intelligence and agent systems. In his statement, he noted that this area has revolutionary potential to transform the technological landscape. “Now I understand that agent systems and AI-supported detection are changing the world,” he shared his thoughts. Stanič emphasized that although some ideas related to agent systems may seem unstable or even unsafe, the experimental approach to them has been the foundation of many early Ethereum innovations.

Additionally, Stanič acknowledged that his role at the Foundation had gradually diminished. He noted that EF leadership has gained greater confidence in making independent decisions, and his direct involvement in the organization’s daily activities has been decreasing. “While my ability to independently perform tasks at EF has decreased over time, my work in the organization in 2026 will increasingly look like simply passing the baton,” he analyzed the situation.

Bastian Aue to take the baton

Bastian Aue, with experience working with the Foundation team, is preparing to take on additional leadership roles. Miaguchi, the previous leader who supported a decentralized approach to managing the ecosystem, remains a member of the board of directors. Also on the board is Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, who traditionally plays an important role in defining strategic direction.

It is worth noting that the appointment of Stanič and Wang in March 2025 was a response to criticism of the previous team. Aue Miaguchi became a target for investors who expressed dissatisfaction with Ethereum’s performance after Donald Trump’s re-election in the US. Critics accused the Foundation of not being proactive enough in network development.

AI and decentralization: new priorities for the Ethereum Foundation

During Stanič and Wang’s tenure, the Foundation significantly transformed its focus areas. The organization reduced staff, shifted focus from layer 2 blockchain scaling to direct development of Ethereum itself, increased communication through social media, and accelerated protocol update releases. Furthermore, the Foundation’s initiatives began paying more attention to privacy issues, threats from quantum computers, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the ecosystem.

Stanič emphasized that the Ethereum ecosystem needed change. “The ecosystem called for it,” he shared in a conversation with DL News. “You are acting too chaotically; you need to centralize more and move much faster to be ready for this critical period.” His resignation and transition to AI development symbolize that the Ethereum Foundation recognizes the need to adapt to new technological realities while maintaining core principles of decentralization.