Vitalik Buterin signals Ethereum Foundation is shrinking its footprint and will sell less ETH

Vitalik Buterin has announced that the Ethereum Foundation is pivoting toward a leaner operational model, pulling back from its previous emphasis on expansion and broad ecosystem control. The shift represents a deliberate reduction in the Foundation's direct influence over Ethereum's development landscape.

Buterin also disclosed that the EF plans to sell less ETH going forward, a notable change given that ETH sales have historically been the Foundation's primary funding mechanism. The Foundation currently holds approximately 0.16% of the total ETH supply, a relatively modest position that underscores how far it has already drawn down its reserves.

For the broader Ethereum ecosystem, the move raises questions about who fills the coordination vacuum the Foundation leaves behind — and whether a leaner EF strengthens decentralisation or simply shifts influence to less transparent actors.