The Ethereum Foundation puts a temporary pause on the Ecosystem Support Program’s open grant application process to focus on a more strategic funding model due to challenges reviewing a high volume of applications. Nearly $3 million was awarded in 2024, and $32.6 million in Q1 2025, supporting various projects.

As a nonprofit founded in 2014, the Ethereum Foundation is a key player in Ethereum’s development, introducing a more transparent treasury policy and committing to publishing quarterly and annual disclosures. With competition from faster, lower-cost alternatives, Ethereum is focusing on scaling, reducing costs, and enhancing user experience.

Interoperability is a priority for Ethereum as it faces rapid layer-2 protocol growth, with a $1 trillion security initiative launched earlier this year. Despite competition, Ethereum remains dominant in decentralized finance, with $91.5 billion in total value locked and strong backing from financial institutions, positioning ETH as the “Wall Street token.”

Read more at Cointelegraph: Ethereum Foundation Pauses Open Grants to Focus on Strategic Funding Model