Key Points:
- Danny Ryan, a longtime Ethereum developer, joins Etherealize as a co-founder to enhance institutional engagement.
- Ethereum Foundation undergoes leadership changes as Vitalik Buterin asserts control.
- The newly formed Silviculture Society aims to uphold Ethereum’s core values.
Danny Ryan Takes on New Role at Etherealize
Ethereum developer Danny Ryan has announced his new role as co-founder of Etherealize, an organization dedicated to marketing Ethereum to institutional investors. Partnering with Vivek Raman, Ryan aims to enhance Ethereum’s adoption by bridging its ecosystem back to the real world.
“This sits at the confluence of real adoption, commonsense regulation, ecosystem development, and critical R&D across L1, L2, and the application layer. We plan to become an active player across the Ethereum sphere,” Ryan stated.
Ethereum Foundation Undergoes Overhaul
The move comes amid significant changes at the Ethereum Foundation. In January 2025, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin asserted sole authority over the Foundation’s leadership, responding to increasing community pressure and criticism. In a social media post on January 21, Buterin warned that relentless pressure on Foundation personnel could create a toxic environment for top talent.
As part of the reorganization, the Foundation has spun off new entities, including Etherealize, which will focus on educating institutional investors such as Wall Street firms, hedge funds, and asset managers about Ethereum’s potential.
Introduction of the Silviculture Society
In addition to Etherealize, the Ethereum Foundation has launched the Silviculture Society, an advisory group designed to uphold Ethereum’s core principles—open-source development, privacy, security, decentralization, and censorship resistance. This group, currently consisting of 15 members, will operate outside the Ethereum Foundation and serve as informal advisors.
Investor Concerns Persist Amid Ethereum’s Price Struggles
Ethereum’s ongoing leadership changes coincide with continued investor uncertainty. The cryptocurrency has yet to reclaim its all-time high of approximately $4,800 from 2021, leading some investors to call on Buterin to steer Ethereum in a new direction. As new entities like Etherealize and the Silviculture Society take shape, stakeholders remain watchful of Ethereum’s evolving strategy in the face of market fluctuations.
