# Ethereum marks 11th year amid foundation restructuring

**Published:** 2026-08-06T15:56:34.484Z  
**Topic:** Ethereum  
**Sentiment:** neutral  
**Publisher:** TrendWatcher — https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/f2100623-be31-4c5a-9273-09b4aea9c23e

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 |

## Foundation overhaul drives the narrative  
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】.

## Network activity remains robust  
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】.

## What to watch  
- **Foundation treasury moves** – Monitor any further ETH‑to‑stablecoin conversions, which could add modest selling pressure relative to daily volumes.  
- **Glamsterdam upgrade timeline** – Delays or successful deployment in H2 2026 will signal whether the leaner foundation can sustain protocol innovation.  
- **Layer‑2 scaling milestones** – Progress of major Layer‑2 networks will indicate if the ecosystem can absorb the reduced central coordination.  

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.

## Sources
1. Tradebytes — [Ethereum Enters Its Second Decade After Turbulent Year at the ...](https://www.tradebytes.net/article/2026-07-30-ethereum-enters-its-second-decade-after-a-year-of-upheaval-at-the-foundation-a)
2. Cryptonews — [Ethereum enters its second decade after a year of upheaval at the ...](https://cryptonews.net/news/ethereum/33225462/)
3. Crypto Briefing — [Ethereum marks entry into second decade amid foundation upheaval](https://cryptobriefing.com/ethereum-foundation-restructuring-second-decade/)
4. Coin-informer — [Ethereum enters its second decade after a year of upheaval at the ...](https://www.coin-informer.com/news/ethereum-enters-its-second-decade-after-a-year-of-upheaval-a-2026-07-30/)

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Cite as: TrendWatcher, "Ethereum marks 11th year amid foundation restructuring", https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/f2100623-be31-4c5a-9273-09b4aea9c23e