There’s a new player in town aiming to reshape Ethereum’s development trajectory, and no, it’s not another Layer 2.
The Ethereum Community Foundation (ECF), launched by Zak Cole, is stepping in with a treasury of millions in ETH to fund projects that are immutable, tokenless, and ultimately support Ethereum’s monetary policy.
The idea? Bring real-world assets onchain, support validator infrastructure, and focus squarely on initiatives that boost ETH value by driving adoption and reducing token supply.
Funding public goods with a laser focus on ETH value
The ECF has a clear criteria: only support projects that contribute to ETH burn and avoid unnecessary token creation.
Cole emphasized that every integration the foundation backs must contribute to reducing ETH supply, a move designed to align activity on the network with the interests of ETH holders.
The foundation is particularly interested in real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, including stocks, real estate, and bonds, and infrastructure that supports validators.
One of the foundation’s first initiatives is the Ethereum Validator Association (EVA), which will empower validators to voice their preferences in protocol development.
The EVA will also provide funding for validator infrastructure, aiming to give these critical players in Ethereum’s consensus mechanism a larger role in shaping the network’s evolution.
Coin voting will dictate how grants are distributed, and every grant decision will be public, according to Cole.
Redefining Ethereum priorities amid ecosystem shifts
The launch of ECF comes as the Ethereum ecosystem experiences internal changes.
From a major leadership shake-up at the Ethereum Foundation to the emergence of Etherealize, a new firm focused on institutional marketing, Ethereum’s direction has been under review.
Cole’s message is that ECF isn’t trying to fork Ethereum’s code, but rather its priorities.
He claims the EF missed opportunities to course correct, so the ECF is stepping in to fill the gap. By avoiding token gimmicks and focusing on ETH-aligned infrastructure, the foundation aims to shift attention back to Ethereum’s mainnet and strengthen the network’s long-term position.
Government outreach and regulatory engagement are also part of the foundation’s broader agenda. More details on supporters and upcoming initiatives are expected in the coming weeks.
