Ethereum Foundation Accused of Offering $5 Million to Discontinue Geth Project

Peter Szilagyi, the lead developer of Ethereum’s Go implementation Geth, has publicly accused the Ethereum Foundation of pressuring developers to discontinue the Geth project. Szilagyi's allegations, made on X, suggest that the Ethereum Foundation offered $5 million to detach the Geth project from Ethereum. Additionally, Szilagyi claims that the foundation is funding a secret fork of Geth to replace the current development team. These accusations have created a tense situation, straining relations between the Ethereum Foundation and the Geth developers.

Szilagyi, who has extensive experience leading the Geth project, alleges that the Ethereum Foundation is offloading core projects and changing its stance towards ongoing research and development. He believes that the foundation has funded a parallel Geth project within the Nethermind project to gradually transition away from his team. Szilagyi claims that the Ethereum Foundation recently dismissed four development teams and plans to discontinue Geth within one year. This news has raised concerns among Ethereum investors, as Geth is a core technology used within the Ethereum ecosystem.

Tomasz Stanczak, co-executive director of the Ethereum Foundation, has denied the accusations, emphasizing the importance of Geth for the Ethereum ecosystem. However, Szilagyi maintains that the foundation put pressure on developers to discontinue the Geth project. Szilagyi also stated that he made an internal complaint but was fired within 24 hours of voicing his concerns. He insists that the $5 million offer was made multiple times and was a form of pressure to remove the Geth developers.

The controversy surrounding the Ethereum Foundation and the Geth project has been further complicated by the recent reorganization of the foundation's staff and funding. Aya Miyaguchi, the newly appointed president of the Ethereum Foundation, has been criticized for the underperformance of Ethereum during her previous tenure. Some members of the Ethereum community blame the team members who worked under her for the sluggish performance of Ethereum. The online feud between Szilagyi and Stanczak has extended the controversies surrounding the firing of R&D staff, which began in early June. Some staff members, such as Szilagyi, may feel threatened by these firings.

The Ethereum Foundation has begun reorganizing its staff and funding as part of a broader strategy to make Ethereum leaner. Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, has made public comments praising the lean nature of Bitcoin and wishes to imitate its structure. Stanczak has defended the Ethereum Foundation, stating that the foundation plans to keep Geth and wants to extend its capabilities as client software. However, the foundation has not responded to the claims of $5 million in funds. Due to the public exposure of the X debate, the Ethereum Foundation may be forced to release a statement explaining key issues, such as the $5 million offers. Ethereum traders may be interested in how these events unfold, as the conflict may indicate further troubles for the foundation. The debate may include issues regarding delineating development teams and foundation activities. There may also be a possibility that a third-party individual may come forward to corroborate Szilagyi’s story.