Ethlabs has been launched by five former senior researchers from the Ethereum Foundation, with a stated goal of preparing Ethereum for its next phase of institutional adoption. In a statement released Monday, SharpLink said the initiative has support from Bitmine, SharpLink, Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin, and other key contributors.
SharpLink said stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, funds, and autonomous AI trading are moving on-chain in growing numbers and converging on Ethereum as a permissionless, neutral, and reliable settlement layer for the global economy. Ethlabs, according to the company, was created to help the network meet that demand at scale.
Founding team comes from Ethereum Foundation research ranks
The organization was founded by Ansgar Dietrichs, Barnabé Monnot, Caspar Schwarz-Schilling, Josh Rudolf, and Julian Ma, all of whom previously served as senior researchers at the Ethereum Foundation. The project is intended to give researchers and developers working on Ethereum core technology an independent and sustainable setting for long-term work.
SharpLink added that Ethlabs brings together technologists involved in some of the network’s most important upgrades over the past decade. The expectation is that the group can offer a steadier and longer-term institutional base for ongoing research and development.
Lubin says Ethereum has entered a new stage
Joe Lubin, the founder of Consensys and one of Ethereum’s co-founders, said Ethereum has entered a new phase of development. He argued that multiple steering hubs should be built around the blockchain to encourage broader adoption.
Lubin said an independent, long-term structure for researchers and developers is key to getting Ethereum ready for the next major wave of adoption. That view sits at the center of Ethlabs’ launch message.
Launch comes after funding disputes and leadership turnover
The Ethlabs announcement follows a stretch of intense debate around Ethereum Foundation funding. Former contributor Trenton Van Epps recently warned about the risk of a funding crisis for core development. Internal divisions have also become visible, with co-executive director Hsiao-Wei Wang resigning last week.
In May, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said the Ethereum Foundation’s resources are limited, amounting to only 0.16% of total Ether supply. Van Epps also warned that continued asset sales by the Foundation could leave the network facing a slow-moving financial squeeze.
Ethereum educator David Hoffman said the Foundation has intentionally left room for new efforts such as Ethlabs to emerge, adding that it could be one of the most promising paths now available for the Ethereum ecosystem.
Ether remains under price pressure
These organizational shifts are unfolding while Ether continues to trade under pressure. The report said ETH is hovering around $1,700, roughly 65% below its peak, at levels last seen between October 2023 and April 2025.