A prominent voice in the crypto space has sounded the alarm over what he calls Ethereum’s “cultural drift”, arguing that the platform’s core ethos is at risk amid shifting priorities and internal fragmentation.
The criticism came from an Ethereum veteran, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed but who is known to have worked closely with early Ethereum developers. In a widely shared blog post, the veteran expressed concern that Ethereum’s original vision of decentralization, neutrality, and censorship-resistance is being diluted as the network evolves.
Okay so I’m drunk, bored and on a plane, so I’m going to address this point by point. I’m doing this because I despise the part of the Ethereum religion that promotes euphemisms over reality, as in my view it gets in the way of real progress.
— Ameen Soleimani (@ameensol) April 17, 2025
Why do you think I named it… https://t.co/Mu4hNVbDeb
“Ethereum is becoming a product for institutions, not a platform for the people,” the post states. “This is not about code. It’s about culture—and culture drifts.”
🧭 What’s Behind the ‘Cultural Drift’ Claim?
The author points to several recent trends that, in his view, signal a loss of Ethereum’s grassroots ethos:
- The increased influence of corporate interests and VC-backed protocols
- A growing focus on scalability and profit-driven metrics over decentralization
- The centralization of staking among major validators and liquid staking platforms
- The shift in community dialogue from ideological goals to financial outcomes
These changes, the post argues, could alienate the developer and activist base that helped Ethereum become the leading smart contract platform.
🔧 The Post-Merge Identity Crisis?
Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake following the 2022 Merge was hailed as a technical triumph. But some believe it also accelerated institutional alignment, particularly through the rise of liquid staking protocols and regulatory-friendly upgrades.
The veteran calls on the Ethereum community to re-examine its direction before drifting too far from its roots.
“We must ask who Ethereum is for—coders, creatives, and communities, or institutions and gatekeepers?” the post reads.
🧠 Community Response
Reaction within the Ethereum community has been mixed. While some users echo the concerns, others argue that evolution is natural and necessary to scale globally. A few critics have dismissed the post as nostalgic gatekeeping.
Still, the debate raises key questions as Ethereum eyes major milestones in 2025, including:
- The rollout of “Proto-Danksharding” upgrades
- Increasing pressure to comply with global financial regulations
- Ethereum’s growing role in CBDC, DePIN, and tokenized asset platforms
