A new non-profit research and development organization called Ethlabs has launched, backed by Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin, Bitmine, SharpLink, and over 50 prominent ecosystem contributors. The announcement came one day before the Ethereum Foundation revealed a major restructuring that includes cutting roughly 20% of its workforce, or 54 employees. Ethlabs says its mission is to help make Ethereum "the settlement layer of the global economy" through protocol research, infrastructure development, and adoption initiatives.
Ethlabs positions itself as independent R&D hub
Ethlabs described itself as an independent organization focused on bridging protocol development with real-world adoption. The group plans to work with users, applications, wallets, Layer 2 networks, infrastructure providers, institutions, ETH holders, core developers, and researchers, translating ecosystem needs into protocol improvements, shared standards, and products. Backers include representatives from Uniswap, Base, Optimism, Eigen Labs, Flashbots, Polygon, Coinbase, Nethermind, ENS, L2Beat, and several Ethereum Foundation members. Ethlabs calls this approach a "multi-node future," arguing that Ethereum's long-term success depends on a distributed network of organizations.
Ethereum Foundation announces major restructuring
On June 23, the Ethereum Foundation unveiled a new operating structure built around dedicated Protocol, Access, User, Community, and Institutional layers, alongside Operations and Management functions. The Foundation said the restructuring concludes a months-long review of its mandate, treasury management, and organizational priorities. As part of the process, 54 employees will leave the organization, with the largest group remaining in the Protocol Layer.
Ethereum development becomes increasingly distributed
While Ethlabs and the Ethereum Foundation are separate organizations, the timing of the two announcements highlights a broader shift in how Ethereum development is organized. For years, the Foundation served as the primary hub for much of Ethereum's research and coordination. The emergence of independent organizations backed by major ecosystem participants suggests a growing distribution of responsibility across multiple institutions. That trend mirrors Ethereum's broader philosophy of decentralization, extending it beyond the protocol itself and into the ecosystem's development and governance structures.