In light of emerging conflict of interest issues related to EigenLayer incentives, the Ethereum Foundation has taken swift action to expedite the development of a formal policy. This decision follows revelations that two of its researchers received substantial incentives from EigenLayer, sparking discussions on the necessity of clear governance structures within the organization.

Intensified Efforts on Conflict Policy

Under the leadership of Executive Director Aya Miyaguchi, the Ethereum Foundation has acknowledged the limitations of relying solely on cultural norms and individual discretion to address conflicts of interest. Miyaguchi, in a recent statement, stressed the Foundation's commitment to neutrality in upholding its crucial role in the Ethereum ecosystem. While work on a formal policy was already in progress, the current dialogue has prompted an acceleration of these efforts. Miyaguchi has assured the community that an update on the policy will be shared soon.

Calls for Fair Compensation

Former Ethereum software engineer and Rotki founder, Lefteris Karapetsas, has advocated for the Foundation to provide adequate compensation to its staff. He argues that sufficient internal rewards could mitigate the need for team members to seek external incentives, thereby reducing potential conflicts of interest.

EigenLayer's Impact on Ether Staking

The issue surfaced when Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake disclosed his advisory role with EigenLayer, accompanied by a significant incentive in EIGEN tokens. This disclosure, followed by another researcher, Dankrad Feist, announcing a similar advisory position, raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest within the Foundation. EigenLayer's innovative platform for depositing and re-staking ether from various liquid staking tokens represents a notable advancement in the staking landscape, emphasizing the evolving dynamics of the cryptocurrency ecosystem.