The Ethereum Foundation (EF) merged its protocol research and development units under a single banner, called Protocol, on June 2.
The new initiative focuses resources on three technical priorities: scaling the base layer, expanding blob capacity for layer-2 networks, and enhancing the user experience.
The three-track plan
Protocol will steer code writers, researchers, and project coordinators toward a shared roadmap that treats those priorities as the sole benchmarks for funding and staffing.
Tim Beiko and Ansgar Dietrichs will guide work on the base-layer scale, Alex Stokes and Francesco D’Amato will oversee layer-2 throughput and blob design, and Barnabé Monnot and Josh Rudolf will direct user-experience projects. Additionally, Dankrad Feist will advise each track.
The foundation framed the restructure as a response to rapid progress in zkEVM rollups, hardened layer-2 systems, and broader demand for Ethereum as a settlement engine.
By grouping teams under a single roof, Protocol intends to shorten the path from research papers to production code and to create tighter feedback loops across client, cryptography, and interface efforts.
Leaner teams and clear accountability
Protocol now operates with fewer staff members. The foundation confirmed that some researchers and engineers departed during the reorganization and encouraged other Ethereum companies to recruit them.
Team leads carry explicit responsibility for code quality and peer review, and they must demonstrate measurable progress on the three priorities at regular checkpoints.
The new structure also adjusts Ethereum’s internal governance forums. Protocol will rework meeting schedules and propose new venues for community input on hard-fork timing, security reviews, and blob pricing policy.
Foundation managers said the goal is to translate on-chain signals and developer feedback into releases without drift.
Protocol opened searches for a user-experience lead and a performance-engineering lead while inviting additional applicants with expertise in kernel-level or cryptography.
The group plans joint workshops with external client teams and layer-2 builders to refine execution-layer changes and blob-compression techniques before the next network upgrade.
Protocol begins operating under the new framework immediately.
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