Ethereum Shake-Up: Developer Exits as Vitalik Reshapes EF Leadership

OG Ethereum dev Eric Conner dips after EF leadership shake-up, joins FreysaAI to safeguard crypto prize pools with AI.

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Etherium (ETH) was proposed by Vitalik Buterin in 2013, when he was only 19 years old. He managed to raise seed funding through crowdsale, and the network went live in 2015. Etherium became the first smart contract platform to break new ground in blockchain! #Ethererum

— Martin Suger (@Martin_workHR) January 10, 2025

Big changes are hitting the Ethereum world. Eric Conner, one of the real OGs of Ethereum development, just announced he’s leaving the community. This comes right after Vitalik Buterin dropped news about reshuffling the Ethereum Foundation (EF) leadership.

Eric’s been in the game for over a decade, making waves in Ethereum’s DeFi scene. His standout work is basically co-authoring EIP-1559, the game-changing upgrade that revamped how transaction fees work. Pretty legendary stuff.

In an X post, Eric shared how Vitalik’s early pitch for Ethereum hit him harder than Bitcoin ever did. But now? The vibe’s different. Eric’s passion for Ethereum faded as the EF’s upper management shifted directions. He felt like the connection between the community and leadership got blurry after Vitalik stepped back.

“I respected Vitalik as a genius and a solid leader,” Eric said. “But with him taking a step back, EF just didn’t feel the same.”

So, what’s next for Eric? He’s diving into the AI world, joining FreysaAI—a project on the Base blockchain. Their mission? Using AI agents to protect crypto prize pools. A fresh chapter for a DevFi legend.