Former Ethereum Foundation (EF) employee Trent Van Epps has warned that the Ethereum ecosystem may face a "slow-growing financing crisis" in the next 3-9 months. In his article, he criticized the foundation’s philosophy of "Subtraction" (resistance to accumulation of value within an organization), noting that legitimacy and control still remain with EF. He cited as the main factors of pressure the reduction of treasury expenses and the end in April 2026 of the program of stimulation of client teams (Client Incentive Program), which has not yet been replaced.

Van Epps estimates that the ecosystem requires around $30 million in annual funding to support more than 10 client teams and research groups. The funding shortfall risks losing key expertise, lagging in scale and preparedness for quantum threats, and risks to network reliability. The developer called for economic contracts to be revised and scalable financing mechanisms established.

Previously, ConsenSys head Joseph Lubin denied the fund’s crisis, but the situation requires urgent attention.