Ethereum Developer Claims Foundation Controls Ecosystem Despite Decentralized Claims

A former Ethereum core developer has ignited a controversy surrounding the Ethereum Foundation, accusing it of centralization despite the network’s intended decentralization. Péter Szilágyi, who led the Geth client from 2015 until his departure in 2025, alleges that the foundation’s practices effectively concentrate power around co-founder Vitalik Buterin, potentially undermining Ethereum’s principles of open participation and equality. Szilágyi publicly voiced grievances, highlighting a lack of compensation despite the network’s growing market value and claims of indirect control over project funding and direction. !