Ethereum News Today: Ethereum Foundation recruits DeFi specialist as DeFi funds rise 15% weekly ETH surges 25%

The Ethereum Foundation has launched a targeted recruitment drive for a DeFi specialist, signaling its commitment to advancing decentralized finance initiatives within its strategic framework. The foundation aims to bolster its capabilities in privacy-preserving onchain solutions and expand the functionalities of Ethereum-based protocols. This hiring effort coincides with a 15% weekly increase in funds locked within DeFi protocols, indicating growing participation from retail and institutional actors [4].

A key focus area for the foundation is enhancing onchain privacy, a challenge as DeFi adoption accelerates. Projects like RAILGUN, highlighted in a Bankless analysis, are gaining attention for balancing anonymity with Ethereum’s inherent transparency [1]. This aligns with the foundation’s “Defipunk” initiative, which seeks to address surveillance risks while maintaining blockchain’s open ethos. The recruitment of a specialist with expertise in privacy tools is seen as critical to achieving this balance.

Cross-chain scalability is another priority. Technical efforts such as bridging Ethereum to Aptos via Stargate demonstrate the role of DeFi engineers in optimizing transaction efficiency and reducing costs [3]. These advancements are vital as Ethereum competes with emerging layer-1 blockchains. Analysts suggest that institutional adoption and scaling solutions could expand Ethereum’s use cases in 2025, provided macroeconomic conditions remain stable [6].

The demand for DeFi talent reflects broader industry trends. Career platforms emphasize the need for professionals skilled in both technical complexity and decentralized governance, with opportunities expanding at crypto startups and Web3 firms [5]. The Ethereum Foundation’s recruitment drive aligns with this demand, seeking candidates to drive protocol-level improvements and engage with global developers and users.

The timing of the initiative aligns with Ethereum’s recent price performance. The asset surged 25% in a week, fueled by $2.6 billion in whale buying and ETF-related inflows [2]. While experts like VanEck and CryptoQuant predict Ethereum could reach $8,000–$10,000 by late 2025 under favorable conditions [8], such projections remain speculative and contingent on regulatory clarity and network upgrades.

The recruitment underscores the foundation’s intent to maintain leadership in DeFi amid a competitive landscape. As MetaDAOs and multi-chain deployments gain traction, attracting top-tier talent will be pivotal to navigating regulatory compliance while fostering innovation. This strategic move positions Ethereum to address evolving ecosystem needs, particularly in balancing scalability with privacy as decentralized finance matures.

Source:

[1] [Your Onchain Private Life] [https://www.bankless.com/read/your-onchain-private-life]

[2] [Why Ethereum Is Surging: Expert Forecasts, Whale Buying, ...] [https://yellow.com/research/why-ethereum-is-surging-expert-forecasts-whale-buying-and-the-future-of-eth-in-2025]

[3] [How to Bridge from Ethereum (ETH) to Aptos Using Stargate] [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-bridge-from-ethereum-eth-aptos-using-stargate-guide-kumud-chouhan-uqizf/]

[4] [After Ethereum "surpassed" Bitcoin: Behind the carnival, ...] [https://www.moomoo.com/news/post/55847004/after-ethereum-surpassed-bitcoin-behind-the-carnival-who-is-secretly]

[5] [5 new age finance careers you should know in 2025] [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/careers/fintech-to-crypto-5-new-age-finance-careers-you-should-know-in-2025/articleshow/122904511.cms]

[6] [Ethereum Rises 25% in Week on Institutional Buying, ETFs] [https://www.ainvest.com/news/ethereum-news-today-ethereum-rises-25-week-institutional-buying-etfs-90-holders-profit-2507/]

[8] [Ethereum to $10K or Ozak AI to $1 First? Experts Share ...] [https://www.analyticsinsight.net/cryptocurrency-analytics-insight/ethereum-to-10k-or-ozak-ai-to-1-first-experts-share-bold-2025-price-predictions]

[10] [MetaDAOs and the New Blueprint for On_Chain Ecosystems] [https://x.com/castle_labs/status/1948442903644147738]