Ethereum wallets support Danny Ryan for foundation leadership

An informal community vote involving Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH) wallets holding $159 million worth of Ether has shown overwhelming support for Danny Ryan to lead the Ethereum Foundation.

The poll, hosted on a website created by Fabrice Cheng, co-founder of Quadrata, allowed participants to vote “yes” or “no” on whether Ryan should become the executive director of the foundation.

There are 582 wallets had participated, with 569 votes (99.98%) in favor and only 13 against.

The voting process is not officially connected to the Ethereum Foundation and does not represent a formal governance proposal.

Ryan is a well-known figure in the Ethereum ecosystem, having played a pivotal role in projects like the Merge and the launch of the Beacon Chain.

He stepped away from his position at the Ethereum Foundation in September 2024 due to health concerns but has recently re-engaged with the community.

The push for new leadership comes as Ether’s market performance has lagged behind other cryptocurrencies like Solana (CRYPTO:SOL) and XRP (CRYPTO:XRP) during the current bull market.

Criticism has been directed at current executive director Aya Miyaguchi, who has led the foundation since 2018.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has defended Miyaguchi, stating in a social media post that she has faced “undue criticism” and even threats.

Buterin also reaffirmed his authority over leadership decisions until a formal board is established, urging the community to avoid hostility toward key contributors.

“Even if you want to see changes with the EF... please look toward and help build a positive future,” Ryan stated in a post, calling for peace within the community.

He also revealed that he has opened discussions with Buterin and others about his potential involvement in what he described as a “new era” for Ethereum leadership.

At the time of reporting, the Ethereum price was $3,240.44.