Ethereum Staking Tax Proposal Sparks Governance Dispute and Launch of EthLabs

Ethereum's core research and development has long relied on the Ethereum Foundation and grant programs. However, former foundation contributor Trenton Van Epps warned that more than 10 client, research and coordination teams need about $30 million annually and that existing funding could run dry within three to nine months. The warning underscores a governance challenge for decentralized protocols: who should fund development and who should allocate those resources.

In June 2026, Kleros co-founder Clément Lesaege proposed diverting up to 10% of validators' staking rewards. A levy estimated at 5% to 10% could raise 50,000–70,000 ETH annually, worth about $82.5 million–$115.5 million. On June 22, five former Ethereum Foundation researchers launched the nonprofit EthLabs with backing from BitMine, SharpLink and Joseph Lubin, among others, offering voluntary sponsorship as an alternative to a protocol-level levy.