Ethereum Foundation unveils new strategy: less power, more decentralization

The Ethereum Foundation has published a new policy document redefining its role within the Ethereum ecosystem. In the document, the organization explains which principles should guide the development of the network and how its own influence should be reduced in the future.

The manifesto comes at a time of change for Ethereum, following adjustments to the technical roadmap and a recent leadership change within the foundation.

Ethereum Foundation publishes new mandate

The Ethereum Foundation (EF) presented a 38-page document in which the organization describes its mission, priorities and role within the network. According to the foundation, its main mission is to protect the original vision of Ethereum (ETH): an open, decentralized system that gives users full control over their digital identity and assets.

The foundation emphasizes that it is not the owner or director of the network. The document states: “The Ethereum Foundation is the original custodian of the Ethereum project. The foundation is not the parent, owner or ruler of Ethereum. We are not the system itself.”

The manifesto comes at a time of transition for the organization. Recently, Ethereum’s technical roadmap changed and one of the foundation’s two co-directors resigned.

Self-sovereignty is central to Ethereum

In the new mandate, the foundation states that Ethereum’s main goal is to give users self-determination. According to the organization, people should always maintain full control over their digital identity, assets and transactions.

To guarantee this, the foundation lists four properties that it believes remain essential for the development of the network. These principles are summarized under the name CROPS:

• censorship resistance
• open source and free use
• privacy
• safety

According to the foundation, these qualities should never be sacrificed for other priorities. According to the document, they form the basis of everything that is developed within Ethereum.

Less influence of the foundation in the future

It is striking that the organization indicates that it wants to reduce its own influence as the ecosystem continues to grow. The foundation mainly wants to focus on tasks that other parties within the network are less likely to tackle. Consider long-term protocol research, security of public infrastructure and coordination between development teams.

If the broader Ethereum ecosystem can take over those roles, the foundation wants to take a step back.

“Our goal is to reduce the foundation’s relative influence over time,” the organization wrote. According to the foundation, this is a sign that Ethereum is maturing and can ultimately continue to exist without a central organization.

Ethereum as part of a larger open ecosystem

The document also places Ethereum in a broader vision of open technology. According to the foundation, the network is part of what it calls an “infinite garden”. By this, the organization means a growing network of developers, communities and institutions that collaborate on open digital infrastructure.

Ethereum is described in the manifesto as a decentralized computer for free communication, transactions and collaboration without central authorities. According to the foundation, the ultimate goal remains the same: building a system that gives individuals and communities more freedom in the digital world.