Ethereum Foundation Exodus: Two Key Researchers Depart Amid Restructuring

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<a href="https://minority-mindset.com/eth-usd/">Ethereum</a> Foundation Exodus Continues With Two New Departures

Key Highlights

  • Ethereum Foundation researchers Carl Beek and Julian Ma resigned after several years of work on Ethereum’s core technology.
  • Beek contributed to major upgrades like the Beacon Chain, while Ma worked on projects such as FOCIL and faster Layer 2 confirmations.
  • Their departures add to a broader period of restructuring and personnel changes within the Ethereum Foundation.

Carl Beek and Julian Ma, two researchers with the Ethereum Foundation, announced on Monday that they are leaving their positions after working on Ethereum’s fundamental technology for several years.

They both announced their resignations on X (formerly Twitter), adding to a recent wave of people leaving the organization that helps build the Ethereum blockchain.

Carl Beek’s exit and work

Carl Beek announced that his last day at the Ethereum Foundation will be May 29th, marking the end of his seven-year tenure. He played a vital role in developing core Ethereum infrastructure, notably contributing to the Beacon Chain, which was essential for the network’s transition to proof-of-stake in 2020.

After seven wonderful years, I’ve made the decision to leave the Ethereum Foundation, with my last day being May 29th. I’m incredibly proud of the work I’ve been a part of, including the KZG ceremony and helping to design the initial version of the Beacon Chain, as well as many other projects. I’m…

— carlbeek (@CarlBeek) May 18, 2026

He was involved in the initial development of key Ethereum technologies, including the KZG ceremony and designs for scaling the network. Beek expressed gratitude for the opportunity and pride in his contributions, noting that Ethereum allowed him to work on a globally impactful system with immense financial value.

He expressed gratitude to everyone involved – researchers, core developers, Ethereum Foundation members, and the wider community – regardless of how closely they’d collaborated. He simply said, “Thank you.”

He recently had a baby and is now planning to focus on his family as he considers his future plans.

Julian Ma departs after four years

Julian Ma has announced he’s leaving the Ethereum Foundation after about four years. He focused his work on areas like how the system is designed, its economic incentives, and improving its ability to handle more users.

I’m sharing an update: I’ve decided to move on from my role at the Ethereum Foundation. I’m incredibly thankful for the past four years and the opportunity to work with such a talented and inspiring team on a project that’s truly making a difference. I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished, and I’d like to highlight a few things I’m particularly pleased with:

— Julian (@_julianma) May 18, 2026

He made significant contributions to Ethereum, including FOCIL (EIP-7805), which helps prevent the trading of proposer roles to improve censorship resistance, and the Fast Confirmation Rule (FCR). FCR dramatically speeds up transactions between Ethereum’s main network and Layer 2 networks, reducing confirmation time to around 13 seconds.

Ma explained that his job gradually changed from research to focusing on developing and expanding products. This shift led him to seek new opportunities exploring innovative concepts in cryptocurrency and finance.

Ongoing departures at Ethereum Foundation

The departures are part of a broader wave of personnel changes at the Ethereum Foundation.

As an analyst, I’ve observed a significant shift in personnel lately. We’ve seen key contributors depart, including former co-executive director Tomasz K. Stańczak and Josh Stark, who’d been with the team for a long time. Barnabé Monnot and Tim Beiko have also moved on from their positions, representing a noticeable change in our core group.

Changes and internal debate at EF

In 2025, the Ethereum Foundation reorganized itself to work more efficiently and clarify its technical goals.

The organization has updated its leadership and is now prioritizing improvements to Ethereum’s core technology, alongside ongoing development of rollup systems. Vitalik Buterin, a co-founder of Ethereum, is also more actively involved in planning the future of the technology, particularly regarding how to make it more scalable and its overall design for the long term.

The foundation has also been discussing its future direction internally. These conversations center around core principles – like resisting censorship, keeping work open-source, and protecting privacy and security – often referred to as “CROPs.” These potential changes have sparked debate within the Ethereum community about the best path forward.

The recent departures of Beek and Ma reflect changes happening at the Ethereum Foundation as it adapts its organization and plans while still supporting a leading blockchain network.

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2026-05-18 22:12