Ethereum Foundation Co-Executive Director Hsiao-Wei Wang Steps Down
The Ethereum Foundation has been hit with yet another leadership exit, and this time it’s a big one. Co-executive director Hsiao-Wei Wang has officially stepped down, confirming the news in a post on X on Thursday. Her departure adds fresh uncertainty to an organization that has already lost a string of senior figures this year.
Wang explained that the decision came after a recent sabbatical that gave her room to think about what’s next for her. “I’ve come to feel that this is the right moment for me to step back,” she wrote, while noting that Ethereum’s mission has always been bigger than any single person, role, or organization.
The Ethereum Foundation Hsiao-Wei Wang steps down story doesn’t exist in isolation. It follows closely on the heels of fellow co-executive director Tomasz StaÅ„czak’s resignation earlier this year, after he said the restructuring goals he was brought in to deliver had largely been completed. StaÅ„czak has since said he plans to focus on building agentic AI systems rather than continuing in an administrative role at the Foundation.
With both co-executive directors now gone, board member Bastian Aue, who had already been helping steer the organization during Wang’s sabbatical, is taking on a bigger role in guiding the Foundation through the transition. Aue had previously stepped into the co-ED seat alongside Wang after StaÅ„czak’s exit, and now finds himself central to keeping the ship steady.
Wang’s exit brings the total number of senior departures from the Ethereum Foundation to at least eight over the past five months, a wave that includes respected researchers and long-serving operations staff. The exodus has triggered intense community debate over the Foundation’s governance, strategic direction, and overall priorities, especially as Ethereum faces growing competitive pressure from rival blockchains chasing market share.
Wang joined the Ethereum Foundation back in 2017 as a Layer-1 researcher and became one of the key technical minds behind the Beacon Chain, playing a central role in Ethereum’s shift from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake during The Merge. She moved into formal leadership in late 2023 before being named co-executive director alongside StaÅ„czak in March 2025, succeeding longtime leader Aya Miyaguchi.
For now, the Ethereum Foundation has not named a permanent replacement for either co-executive director role, leaving Aue to manage the interim period as scrutiny over the organization’s future direction continues to build.
