According to a June 2 announcement, the former Protocol Research & Development (PR&D) team has been renamed simply “Protocol,” reflecting a new strategic direction focused on three key goals: expanding Ethereum’s base layer (L1), increasing blobspace for rollups, and improving user experience (UX).
“The process of ‘shipping protocol’ is complex, requiring us to respond proactively to demands that are difficult to articulate and even harder to fulfill,” the EF stated.
The Foundation views this shift as a pivotal milestone in Ethereum’s development, especially as technologies like zero-knowledge rollups (zkEVMs) and layer-2 solutions bring the blockchain closer to widespread adoption.
“This may be Ethereum’s best chance to scale not just our technology, but also our values, to a global level.”
This restructuring has also led to notable personnel changes. Long-time developers such as Tim Beiko, Alex Stokes, and Barnabé Monnot have been formally assigned to each of the strategic focus areas. The EF also confirmed that “some members” of the PR&D team are departing, though it did not disclose the number of affected individuals. “Protocol is now a more unified and streamlined organization with more clearly focused teams,” the EF said.
Ethereum’s Restructuring Continues
Over the past few months, the Ethereum Foundation has undergone several major changes in both leadership and organizational structure.
In January, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin announced adjustments to the Foundation’s leadership model, aiming to enhance technical expertise and improve communication with the developer community. This announcement sparked a wave of internal discussion and debate around the Foundation’s strategic direction and transparency.
A broader structural overhaul followed in April, when EF formally separated its board and executive functions and appointed two new co-executive directors: Hsiao-Wei Wang, a veteran Ethereum researcher, and Tomasz Stańczak, CEO of blockchain infrastructure firm Nethermind.
Under this new model, the board — which includes Buterin — is responsible for shaping long-term vision, while the newly appointed executive team oversees operational management.
