Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake has revealed his advisory role at Eigen Foundation, along with a corresponding allocation of Eigen tokens. This disclosure comes amid discussions about potential conflicts of interest between EigenLayer and the Ethereum Foundation, where core developers and researchers are taking advisory roles.
On May 18, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin expressed on X that he is proud of Ethereum’s culture, which allows individuals to freely express their opinions, including criticisms of the protocol or its ecosystem. In response, prominent crypto trader Jordan Fish, known as Cobie, questioned Buterin’s stance on Ethereum Foundation developers or researchers receiving substantial incentives from projects built on Ethereum.
Fish raised concerns about the potential conflicts of interest that could arise when Ethereum Foundation members accept large financial packages from such projects, citing EigenLayer as an example. Buterin did not respond to this query. However, the next morning, Drake disclosed his recent advisory position at Eigen Foundation, emphasizing the need for transparency within the community.
Drake revealed that his advisory role includes a significant incentive in the form of EIGEN tokens, which he said could potentially surpass the combined value of his other assets, mainly ETH. “We’re talking millions of dollars of tokens vesting over three years,” he noted. Drake pledged to “reinject” all proceeds into “worthy” projects within the Ethereum ecosystem, either through investments or donations.