Tomasz Stańczak resigns as co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation, with Bastian Aue appointed as interim co-Executive Director.
Tomasz Stańczak has announced his resignation as co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation (EF), with Bastian Aue stepping in as the interim co-Executive Director.
As per the Ethereum Foundation Board's Executive Leadership Update:
Tomasz Stańczak is stepping down, while Bastian Aue has been appointed as interim co-Executive Director.https://t.co/9IJlZlDY0a
— Ethereum Foundation (@ethereumfndn) February 13, 2026
Stańczak took on the role alongside Xiao-Wei Wang in March 2025, following a reorganization of the foundation.
A prominent figure in the Ethereum ecosystem, he founded the Ethereum client Nethermind and was an early member of the Flashbots team. Shortly after assuming leadership, he and Wang refocused the organization on enhancing user experience (UX) and addressing scaling challenges for layer one blockchains, introducing a streamlined roadmap aimed at improving network performance.
Shifts in Strategy
This past June, the Ethereum Foundation made significant cuts to its research and development staff. The restructured Protocol division is now concentrating on three key areas:
- scaling the base layer;
- increasing BLOB space;
- improving user experience (UX).
Peter Siladji, a former lead developer of the Geth client, has linked his exit from EF to the management's proposal to transition the project into a separate commercial entity, allegedly offering $5 million for the team to privatize. Siladji suggested this move was part of a strategy to withdraw funding from Geth, potentially allowing Nethermind to dominate the market.
“Tomasz has always impressed me with his work ethic and the organization he built at Nethermind. He brought a fresh perspective on Ethereum and its future,” commented Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, on social media.
“During his tenure at EF, Tomasz enhanced the efficiency of various departments and made the foundation more responsive to external needs. His leadership has driven the foundation to achieve beyond its previous limits,” stated former EF CEO Aya Miyaguchi.
Stańczak plans to finalize his departure by the end of the month and intends to launch his own Ethereum-related project on March 1. He has refuted claims that his resignation was influenced by Buterin's recent remarks on the relevance of layer two solutions, despite facing challenges from some community members regarding his leadership.
“Stańczak is a remarkable talent who has accomplished more in one year than many could in a lifetime. His innovative mindset has inspired us all,” added Miyaguchi.
Buterin highlighted Stańczak's efforts in broadening perspectives on Ethereum's capabilities, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence.
In February, Buterin had mentioned the potential for Ethereum to collaborate with AI technologies.
