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Ethereum hits its 11th anniversary as the foundation slashes budget 40% and cuts 20% staff, signaling a leaner governance model for the second‑largest
Ethereum celebrated its 11th anniversary on July 30, 2026 while the Ethereum Foundation announced a 40% budget cut and a 20% workforce reduction, underscoring a strategic shift toward leaner protocol development amid ongoing market scrutiny【1】.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Milestone | 11th anniversary (July 30 2026) |
| Catalyst | Foundation budget cut ~40% and 20% staff layoffs |
| Daily on‑chain volume | $10‑15 billion |
| Staking yield | 3.5%‑4.5% annual |
The past seven months saw nine senior members, including co‑executive directors Hsiao‑Wei Wang and Tomasz Stańczak, exit the foundation, and a 20% staff reduction of roughly 54 positions was confirmed on June 23【2】. The budget trim was framed as a pivot to a “leaner operation focused squarely on core protocol development,” with the organization converting 5,000 ETH into stablecoins to fund roughly 2.5 years of expenses【3】. These moves aim to reduce the foundation’s direct influence, aligning with its newly published CROPS mandate that emphasizes censorship resistance, open source, privacy and security【2】.
Despite governance turbulence, Ethereum continues to process about $10‑15 billion in daily transaction volume, supporting thousands of DeFi, gaming and NFT applications【1】. Stakers earn between 3.5% and 4.5% annually, reflecting the post‑Merge proof‑of‑stake consensus that cut energy use by roughly 99.95% in 2022【1】. The network’s technical roadmap is on track, with the Pectra upgrade already live in May 2025 and the upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade slated for the second half of 2026【3】.
The restructuring tests Ethereum’s ability to evolve without a dominant single institution; the market’s response will hinge on whether the leaner foundation can maintain development velocity while the broader ecosystem steps up to fill any gaps.
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AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 4 outlets · Aug 6, 2026 · How we report
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Ethereum is categorized as an asset that generates no yield for holders as of September 2026. Consequently, rising government bond yields, such as the 10-year Treasury yield hitting 4.81% on September 2, 2026, may reduce the incentive for some investors to hold Ethereum.