Ethereum Foundation Restructures Protocol Division for Glamsterdam Hard Fork

The Ethereum Foundation has restructured its engineering division, known as "Protocol," in preparation for its upcoming major hard fork, Glamsterdam. This reorganization aims to focus on three key goals: scaling Layer 1 (L1), expanding blobspace, and improving user experience (UX). The new structure is designed to ensure that the Foundation's resources are allocated for maximum impact, with more focused teams leading each initiative.

Project coordinator Tim Beiko emphasized the importance of this reorganization, stating that "Protocol is now a more united and leaner organization with more focused teams." Beiko and Ansgar Dietrichs will co-lead the L1 scaling efforts, while Francesco D’Amato and Alex Stokes will oversee the expansion of blobspace. Barnabé Monnot and Josh Rudolf will lead the UX improvements. These mandates align directly with the early priorities of the Glamsterdam hard fork.

During the latest AllCoreDevs call, developers discussed two potential headliner Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs): EIP-7732 (ePBS), which enables pipelined block validation to reduce node load, and EIP-7805 (FOCIL), which introduces fork-choice inclusion lists for stronger UX and censorship resistance. Dietrichs highlighted the need to continue blob scaling for Glamsterdam and mentioned potential Ethereum Layer (EL) side scaling opportunities.

This restructuring signals a shift towards less sprawl and more delivery within the Ethereum Foundation. However, the renewed focus also resulted in layoffs, although the Foundation has not disclosed the exact numbers. Beiko acknowledged the difficulty of this decision but expressed confidence that those affected will find other opportunities to impact Ethereum's trajectory.

Despite the reorganization, some developers have expressed concerns. Developer Micah Zoltu questioned why improving censorship resistance, privacy, and end-user security were not reaffirmed as strategic goals. Hasu, from Flashbots and Lido, responded that prioritizing short-term usability, such as cheap blobs and UX, may be necessary for Ethereum to scale without compromising its values. He argued that more specialization and division of labor between teams is a feature, not a bug.

Zoltu cautioned that unless values like censorship resistance and privacy are embedded into roadmap decisions, such as whether to include FOCIL, they risk becoming second-tier concerns. The ethos of Ethereum, which is seen as a global coordination machine for programmable institutions, depends on the system's ability to scale without compromising neutrality or sovereignty. The Protocol reorganization appears to be engineered for this balance.

Cyber Fund contends that Ethereum's dominance will deepen as rollups adopt Ethereum for data availability, enabling seamless interoperability. Shared data availability (DA) simplifies trust models and bridges, but it is not sufficient. Interoperability also depends on compatible proof systems and message standards, which can work across heterogeneous DA layers if paired with robust light clients and proof aggregation. In practice, shared DA lowers friction but is not mandatory and may prove most valuable for DeFi and financial applications.

Expectations are now high for Ethereum. Beiko stated, "Ethereum stands at the edge of major breakthroughs. This may be our best shot at deploying not only our technology, but our values, at planetary scale." Glamsterdam will be the first real test of this model, showing whether the Ethereum Foundation's streamlined "Protocol" can move from principles to production as scoping progresses.

Ask Aime: How will the Ethereum Foundation's restructuring of the Protocol engineering division benefit the upcoming major hard fork and the broader cryptocurrency market?