TL;DR
- The Ethereum community held an informal vote to decide the next leader of the Foundation, with 99.98% support for Danny Ryan.
- The “votedannyryancom” campaign gathered 586 wallets holding 51,209 ETH, but only 13 votes opposed the proposal.
- Despite the strong backing, Vitalik Buterin clarified that the final decision on the Foundation’s leadership rests with him, and the vote is non-binding.
Recently, the Ethereum community conducted an informal vote to decide who should lead the Ethereum Foundation (EF), with clear support for Danny Ryan, one of the most recognized members of the ecosystem. The vote, which began on January 21, 2025, showed overwhelming results, with 99.98% of participants in favor of Ryan assuming leadership of the organization.
The vote was driven by the “votedannyryancom” campaign, which provided a platform for Ethereum users to express their support for Ryan as the future leader of the Foundation. A total of 586 wallets participated, holding a combined 51,209 ETH, valued at approximately $164.4 million. Only 13 votes opposed the proposal.
The reason behind the vote lies in the growing discontent with the current leadership of the Foundation, headed by Aya Miyaguchi since 2018. Many community members believe that Miyaguchi lacks the credibility needed to guide the organization through times of transformation and challenge. In contrast, Danny Ryan is seen as a leader capable of facing these challenges, especially due to his role in Ethereum’s transition to Proof-of-Stake, known as “the Merge,” in 2022.
Vitalik Buterin Must Decide the Future of Ethereum
The campaign to replace Miyaguchi has generated controversy. Some followers have criticized her lack of vision and ability to lead the Foundation forward, while Ryan is respected by both developers and community members. However, despite the strong support, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, made it clear that the final decision on the Foundation’s leadership rests with him, rejecting any external intervention.
Furthermore, prominent Ethereum figures, such as Joseph Lubin, co-founder of the network and founder of ConsenSys, have also supported Ryan, emphasizing the need for new leadership that can help the Foundation compete with other networks like Solana and Bitcoin, which have experienced strong growth in recent months.
Despite the magnitude of community support, this informal vote is non-binding and is not expected to directly influence the Foundation’s official decisions. However, it reflects the desire of many for a change in the way the Foundation is led
