Trent Van Epps Says Ethereum Foundation Will Not Be Ethereum’s Main Steward Over the Next 10 Years

Former Ethereum Foundation member Trent Van Epps said the Ethereum Foundation will not be the primary steward of Ethereum over the next 10 years and that the ecosystem needs to reset the social, political, and economic contract among stakeholders. According to Foresight News, Van Epps said the Ethereum Foundation’s treasury is limited and increasingly constrained. He noted that a four-year Client Incentive Program (CIP) that funded client teams through staking expired in April 2026, and he has not seen a replacement. Based on his recent discussions with core development stakeholders, Van Epps said Ethereum’s core development work—covering clients, research, and coordination—could enter a gradual funding crunch within the next 3 to 9 months. He estimated that maintaining delivery capacity for more than 10 client, research, and coordination teams requires about $30 million in sustained annual funding. Van Epps said a funding gap could lead to the loss of key talent, reduced protocol maintenance capacity, and setbacks in addressing long-term challenges such as scaling and quantum resistance.