The Ethereum Foundation, a key supporter of Ethereum ETH/USD, laid off research and development staff on Monday as part of a strategic restructuring.

What Happened: The Switzerland-based nonprofit announced it is rebranding its Protocol Research and Development division as “Protocol” with three core priorities: scaling Ethereum’s base layer, expanding blobspace for data availability, and improving user experience.

The foundation did not disclose the number of affected employees, stating only that “some members of PR&D won’t be continuing with the Ethereum Foundation.”

Co-executive director Hsiao-Wei Wang said on X the restructuring aims to “empower our internal teams to focus more clearly and drive key initiatives forward.”

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Why It Matters: The restructuring follows governance changes that began in 2024. The foundation faced criticism over spending, personnel policies, and conflicts of interest after researchers accepted paid advisory roles at competing protocols.

The leadership shake-up began in February when Executive Director Aya Miyaguchi transitioned to president, following death threats and harassment over her management. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has asserted control over foundation decisions while rejecting community demands for further leadership changes.

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