Szilágyi Exposes EF Pay Gaps and Governance in Ethereum
Ethereum lead developer Péter Szilágyi has publicly released a private letter dated May 22, 2024, accusing the Ethereum Foundation (EF) of unfair compensation and centralized control. Szilágyi says his six years at EF yielded just $625,000 in pre-tax salary while Ethereum’s market cap soared to $450 billion. He warns that the Foundation’s low pay model drives core Geth contributors into external advisory roles, raising conflict-of-interest risks.
Szilágyi also criticizes Vitalik Buterin’s disproportionate influence over resource allocation, describing an “elite circle” where key decisions hinge on his approval. He claims public dissent has led to the marginalization of his Geth work and questions EF’s ability to reverse these trends.
These governance and compensation issues highlight potential risks for Ethereum network upgrades and market confidence. Traders should monitor developer sentiment and EF reforms, as shifts could influence ETH liquidity and price stability.
Neutral
The governance dispute and compensation concerns raised by Szilágyi may unsettle some Ethereum investors, as core developer sentiment can affect upgrade timelines and network confidence. However, no technical failures or protocol splits are reported, and the Foundation may still address these issues. In the short term, ETH price could see mild volatility if traders react to governance risks. Over the long term, resolution of pay and governance gaps could stabilize confidence. Overall, the impact on ETH market走势 is expected to be neutral.