The Ethereum Foundation is undergoing another leadership change. 

Tomasz Stanczak confirmed he will step down as co-executive director at the end of February 2026, less than a year after the foundation formalized its updated executive structure. Bastian Aue will step in as interim co-ED alongside Hsiao-Wei Wang.

In his announcement, Stanczak said he feels “happy with the current state of things,” arguing that the roadmap is clearer and internal decision-making has improved. Over the past year, the foundation emphasized scaling, Layer 2 coordination, institutional engagement, and research into areas such as post-quantum security and decentralized AI. 

Stanczak also described Ethereum as entering a phase where it is increasingly used as infrastructure for financial transactions and verification.

Reaction from leadership has been supportive.

This story is an excerpt from the Unchained Daily newsletter.

Vitalik Buterin said Stanczak “brought fresh new energy” and helped make the foundation more responsive, while also encouraging deeper thinking about AI’s impact on blockchain systems. Danny Ryan welcomed Aue, calling him “the single most thoughtful and wise person I have ever worked with.”

Aue said he takes the role seriously and will be guided by Ethereum’s core principles, including censorship resistance, open source development, privacy, and security.