Ethereum Foundation Shake-Up: Aya Miyaguchi Becomes President Amid Leadership Restructuring

Miyaguchi’s New Role and Ethereum’s Decentralized Vision

Aya Miyaguchi, who has led the Ethereum Foundation (EF) as its Executive Director for the past seven years, has officially transitioned into the role of President. Announced in a blog post on February 25, 2025, this move had been in the works for over a year. In her new capacity, Miyaguchi will focus on fostering institutional partnerships and further embedding Ethereum’s vision and culture. 

She reiterated Ethereum’s decentralized ethos, emphasizing that the network belongs to no single entity but rather to its global community. Highlighting the importance of permissionless innovation, she stated that disagreement within the ecosystem isn’t a weakness but a catalyst for growth.

Throughout her tenure, Miyaguchi has consistently underscored the Ethereum Foundation’s mission—not as an entity controlling Ethereum but as a steward ensuring its resilience. She has reinforced that the foundation’s role extends beyond decision-making, often defined by its strategic non-actions as much as its actions. 

Under her leadership, EF has prioritized critical initiatives such as client diversity to mitigate systemic risks, research and development interoperability to drive Ethereum’s evolution, and coordinated developer calls to maintain ecosystem-wide technical alignment. 

One of the defining moments of her leadership was The Merge, Ethereum’s historic transition from Proof-of-Work to Proof-of-Stake. Miyaguchi described the event as a profound test of decentralized coordination, proving that leadership in Ethereum does not equate to centralized control but rather an ability to guide the network while upholding its foundational principles.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has backed Miyaguchi’s transition, publicly recognizing her contributions and endorsing the leadership restructuring within the Ethereum Foundation. Buterin had previously hinted at structural changes as early as January 2025, aligning with Miyaguchi’s announcement. The reshuffling comes as the Ethereum ecosystem evolves, demanding a leadership structure that reflects its increasing complexity. 

However, not all community members have embraced Miyaguchi’s continued leadership. Concerns over the Ethereum Foundation’s treasury management have sparked criticism, with some arguing that inefficiencies during her tenure warrant a leadership change. 

Some voices within the community have even suggested Danny Ryan, a prominent Ethereum researcher and developer, as a replacement. Despite the scrutiny, Buterin has firmly stood by Miyaguchi, dismissing what he described as ‘toxic behavior’ from detractors and reaffirming his authority in leadership decisions.

This article has been refined and enhanced by ChatGPT.