Hsiao-Wei Wang, co-executive director of the Ethereum Foundation, resigned this week. Her departure comes just weeks after her counterpart Tomasz Stańczak left the same post. The back-to-back exits mark the latest in a string of high-profile departures at the nonprofit that oversees Ethereum's development.
The latest departure
Wang stepped down from her role as co-executive director, the foundation confirmed on Thursday. She had shared the top job with Stańczak since early 2025, when the foundation restructured its leadership. No reason was given for her resignation, and the foundation did not immediately name a replacement.
A pattern of exits
Stańczak resigned in late May after less than six months in the role. His departure was described as mutual at the time, but it kicked off what insiders now call an exodus. Several other senior researchers and engineers have left the foundation this year, though the foundation has declined to give specific numbers. The turnover has raised questions about internal stability — especially as Ethereum faces growing competition from faster blockchains and a critical network upgrade scheduled for later this year.
Unfilled seats
With both top executives gone, the Ethereum Foundation now lacks a clear operational leader. The board hasn't announced an interim director or a timeline for finding a permanent replacement. The foundation's day-to-day work — grants, developer relations, and core protocol research — continues under department heads, but there's no single point of accountability. That's a concern for some in the Ethereum ecosystem, who worry that decision-making could slow down just as the network needs to coordinate on the next major upgrade.
The foundation has not commented on whether it will revert to a single executive director model or keep the co-lead structure. For now, the two most senior roles at one of crypto's most influential nonprofits sit empty.
