The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has confirmed a leadership change. Tomasz K. Stańczak will step down as co-Executive Director at the end of February 2026, as announced on his official X account. Bastian Aue will take over the co-ED role alongside Hsiao-Wei Wang.
Stańczak wrote: “I am stepping down from my co-ED role at the EF at the end of February 2026. Bastian Aue is taking over the co-ED role alongside Hsiao-Wei. The future is bright for builders, for Ethereum, for the EF, and for me.” The statement signals a planned handover rather than an abrupt exit.
Why Stańczak Remains Bullish on Ethereum
In a detailed blog post, Stańczak explained his continued confidence in the network’s direction. He believes Ethereum will stay central as global finance, AI, robotics, and governance systems evolve. He emphasized that institutions trust ETH because it is decentralized, neutral, secure, and has never experienced downtime since launch.
Over the past year, the organization improved decision-making speed and internal transparency. Communication became clearer, and support expanded for founders, institutions, and communities worldwide. He also highlighted ongoing work on scaling improvements between L1 and L2 networks, preparation for post-quantum security, decentralized AI research, and DeFi coordination.
Stańczak expressed excitement about Devcon Mumbai 2026, noting that the Indian community will host global blockchain leaders. University programs, local hubs, and builder engagement initiatives are expanding across regions.
Why He Is Stepping Down
According to his own explanation, the move reflects a planned handover and personal career shift. He stated that the EF is now in a healthier state, and remaining longer would feel like “passing the baton” instead of executing independently. He wants to return to hands-on development and product building, focusing on agentic core development, governance experiments, and directly supporting founders.
He described feeling similar excitement to his early blockchain days, especially as AI systems integrate with decentralized infrastructure.
What This Means for Users and Builders
For everyday participants, daily blockchain operations remain unchanged. However, leadership adjustments can influence long-term priorities, ecosystem coordination style, and institutional partnerships. The EF Board confirmed that Bastian Aue will serve as interim co-Executive Director alongside Hsiao-Wei Wang. The board expressed confidence, noting there is “no one more ready to take on this role.”
Developers, founders, and institutions building on Ethereum are expected to see continuity in roadmap execution, research programs, and global outreach. Devcon Mumbai 2026, scaling advancements, and security upgrades remain active initiatives.