Ethereum’s core development ecosystem could run into a funding squeeze within the next three to nine months, according to former Ethereum Foundation contributor Trent VanEpps. He pointed to two immediate pressures: lower spending from the Ethereum Foundation and the expiration of a major client support program. For teams maintaining critical infrastructure, that leaves a real hole.
In a post on X, VanEpps said the end of the Client Incentive Program (CIP) removed an important source of support for client teams. The four-year initiative distributed staking-based rewards to groups maintaining Ethereum infrastructure, and it officially ended in April 2026. No replacement program has been announced so far.
Estimated annual need reaches $30 million
VanEpps estimated that Ethereum needs roughly $30 million per year to sustain more than 10 client teams, research groups, and coordination units. This is not framed as funding for a single organization. It covers the shared technical work that keeps the network operating, from protocol maintenance to research and cross-team coordination.
He also warned that uneven financial support could drive experienced contributors out of the ecosystem. That risk is hard to dismiss. Once long-standing technical expertise and institutional knowledge leave with them, replacing that depth is difficult.
Questions over who carries long-term responsibilities
VanEpps also revisited the Ethereum Foundation’s long-held view that it should gradually reduce its influence over the ecosystem. He said that approach helped limit centralization, but it also left several responsibilities without clearly defined successors.
In his view, Ethereum needs scalable and accountable funding mechanisms that can keep shared network resources funded over time. If those structures do not materialize, work tied to scaling, security upgrades, and preparation for future threats such as quantum computing could face strain.
His comments line up with earlier remarks from Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin. Buterin said the foundation had completed the goals laid out in Ethereum’s original pre-launch documents in 2022, and that it was never meant to serve as Ethereum’s permanent steward.
Leadership exits add to uncertainty
The funding debate comes alongside another round of departures at the Ethereum Foundation. Co-executive director and board member Hsiao-Wei Wang announced her immediate exit after a sabbatical. She joined the foundation in 2017 and became co-executive director in March 2025.
Her departure followed the exits of researchers Carl Beek and Julian Ma. Others recently named as leaving include Tomasz Stańczak, Josh Stark, Barnabé Monnot, and Tim Beiko, while Alex Stokes has entered a sabbatical period.
In May, Buterin said the Ethereum Foundation would become a smaller organization centered on long-term sustainability. He said the group would focus on censorship resistance, privacy, security, and open-source development while narrowing its broader scope. Attention is now turning to whether Ethereum can put in place new funding structures for the teams responsible for the network’s maintenance and security.