What To Know:
- At Hong Kong FinTech Week, Tomasz Stańczak stressed that Ethereum’s decade-long security record forms the foundation for blockchain’s role in future finance.
- The Ethereum Foundation launched new resources for companies exploring on-chain finance, with firms like BlackRock, Visa, and eToro.
- Ethereum has changed its Ecosystem Support Program, introducing Wishlist and RFP tracks to strategically fund projects in cryptography, privacy, and security.
At the Hong Kong FinTech Week’s “Policy and Vision Forum” on November 4, Ethereum Foundation Co-Executive Director Tomasz Stańczak reiterated a message that Ethereum’s security remains the bedrock of blockchain innovation.
In his discussion with SNZ Holding CIO Wang Keyi, Stańczak shared that for blockchain to power the next generation of global finance, robust security must come before scalability or speed. “Financial systems cannot afford compromise,” he noted, pointing to Ethereum’s decade-long record of zero downtime or critical security breaches.
Ethereum’s Tomasz Stańczak Speaks on Future of Finance
He outlined Ethereum’s ongoing roadmap, a three-pillar approach focused on scalability, security, and sustainability. The foundation, he explained, is investing heavily in customized privacy templates and development kits tailored for institutional adoption. These tools allow banks, asset managers, and enterprises to include Ethereum-based applications without sacrificing compliance or confidentiality.
“Ethereum’s infrastructure has matured into something that can handle institutional-grade applications,” Stańczak said. “From DeFi to tokenization, we’re witnessing the groundwork for a transparent and open financial network.”
Ethereum has built a rare track record of resilience with thousands of developers, researchers, and white-hat security experts contributing to the network. This decentralized governance, Stańczak argued, is what ensures the technology’s longevity and trustworthiness. The decentralized governance is a stark contrast to the centralized models that dominate traditional finance.
The Ethereum Foundation’s recent efforts hint that its institutional push is accelerating. A new online resource launched by the foundation now guides companies looking to build on Ethereum. It outlines case studies in stablecoin issuance, asset tokenization, and DeFi applications. The site even lists names like BlackRock, Visa, and eToro, which are already exploring Ethereum integrations.
The foundation has also supported academic and market research into Wall Street’s growing curiosity about blockchain. One such project, Etherealize, is examining how traditional financial instruments can interact with Ethereum-based infrastructure, an initiative co-funded by the foundation and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.
‘Institutions need someone to represent Ethereum,” Stańczak said in a prior interview. “Our goal is to provide both the technology and the governance model that institutions can trust.”
This growing engagement coincides with a mixed picture in Ethereum’s market performance. According to the latest data, Ethereum spot ETFs have seen $136 million in net outflows over four consecutive days, while rival Solana ETFs recorded $70 million in inflows. When it comes to the market performance, ETH is trading at $3,501.65, down 5.8 percent in 24 hours.
Still, despite short-term volatility, institutional confidence in Ethereum’s technology remains high. Its programmable infrastructure continues to anchor real-world asset projects and decentralized financial platforms, areas that traditional finance is watching closely.
Even as Ethereum improves its institutional presence, it is also reshaping how it supports its grassroots community. The Ethereum Foundation recently overhauled its Ecosystem Support Program (ESP), a grant system that has funded countless developer and research initiatives since Ethereum’s early days.
Under the new framework, the open-application process has been replaced by two structured pathways i.e., Wishlist and Requests for Proposals (RFPs). The aim is to make funding more strategic, aligning resources with areas that offer the highest impact on the network’s long-term growth.
The Wishlist track allows developers to submit proposals addressing broad ecosystem priorities such as cryptography, privacy, and security. Instead of prescribing specific projects, it identifies open areas where innovation is most needed. The RFP track focuses on clearly defined problems or opportunities with measurable outcomes and deadlines.
Ethereum has transitioned from a community of experimenters into a global platform underpinning applications from DeFi to NFTs and beyond. Its new grant model recognizes that continued growth will depend on both focused research and open-ended creativity.
