ETH price on September 1, 4PM UTC

Stańczak departure planned, with successor already named

Bastian Aue steps in as interim co-ED alongside Hsiao-Wei Wang effective end of February 2026. Stańczak framed the exit as mission-complete, saying key EF goals — faster decisions, clearer policies, greater transparency — have been achieved or are improving, limiting governance shock.

Vitalik endorsement softens any leadership-change uncertainty

Buterin publicly credited Stańczak with enhancing departmental efficiency and pushing the EF to engage AI's role in blockchain — a rare public endorsement that signals continuity of strategic direction and dampens speculation of internal conflict driving the departure.

Stańczak moves to build on Ethereum, not exit the ecosystem

From March 1 he plans to develop his own Ethereum project, explicitly denying his exit is linked to Vitalik's recent L2 comments. His continued ecosystem presence keeps institutional and builder relationships he cultivated as co-ED within the Ethereum orbit.

EF adds first board member since June resignation, ending contraction

The board shrank to three members when Hsiao-Wei Wang resigned on June 18, 2026. Caversaccio's appointment is the first expansion since, restoring a four-member board and signaling that the governance instability cited during ETH's 22% June drawdown is continuing to resolve.

Board seat grants Caversaccio fiduciary veto power under Swiss law

Under Swiss foundation law, Caversaccio as a board member can formally oppose decisions that violate the EF's mandate — structural authority no one at the operational level previously held. This moves security principles from advisory influence to enforceable board oversight.

SEAL 911 track record lends credibility to EF's security-first pivot

Caversaccio co-leads SEAL 911, which has handled 3,300 support tickets, managed 125+ war rooms, and recovered $50M+ in crypto assets. His appointment aligns with the EF's June 2026 declaration that privacy and security are non-negotiable protocol guarantees.