Ethereum Foundation (EF) Executive Director Aya Miyaguchi and co-founder Vitalik Buterin have revealed the organization’s long-term vision, which is built on decentralization, community empowerment, and technological resilience.

In an April 28 co-authored blog post, the two stressed a renewed focus on Layer 1s (L1s), Blobs, and user experience (UX) to support global consumers of the Ethereum ecosystem.

Ethereum’s Vision

According to Buterin and Miyaguchi, the EF’s main goals are ensuring that ETH’s users benefit from its underlying properties as well as facilitating the ecosystem’s resilience and decentralization in a holistic way that addresses points of weakness in the stack.

In line with this, the foundation has plans to maximize meaningful ETH usage across various applications such as decentralized finance, social media, and AI coordination platforms. Another core objective is to ensure the resilience of the blockchain’s technical and social infrastructure through decentralization, risk management, and diversified development teams.

Key priorities outlined in the vision for the coming year include scaling the Ethereum mainnet, advancing blobs technology, and improving UX across the chain. It also emphasizes boosting L1 and L2 interoperability, refining the application layer, and giving more visibility to developers and applications at events such as Devcon.

Blobs, introduced in the recent Dencun upgrade through EIP-4844 (Proto-Danksharding), offer a more affordable way for L2 rollups to post data to the Ethereum mainnet. This addresses long-standing issues of high fees and network congestion.

Further, the non-profit is focused on refining both user and developer experiences. For users, this means improving wallet usability, simplifying gas fee comprehension, and ensuring seamless interaction across L2 networks. For developers, Ethereum aims to streamline the building process through better tools, documentation, grants, and education.

Leadership Changes

At the same time, the organization announced the restructuring of its leadership to enhance strategic execution, strengthen internal operations, and further support the network as it expands.

In March, the EF appointed Hsiao-Wei Wang and Tomasz K. Stańczak as co-executive directors in changes aimed at balancing operational and technical expertise.

Working closely with the broader management team, the pair will oversee strategic planning, ecosystem development, and daily operations. They are joined by Bastian Aue and Josh Stark, who have been brought on to strengthen areas such as organizational strategy, hiring, project management, and communications.

In a joint statement, Wang and Stańczak committed to upholding four guiding principles: censorship resistance, open-source development, privacy, and security. Stańczak will focus on accelerating technical infrastructure execution during his two-year term, while Wang will serve as a strategic bridge between the board and operations.

TL;DR

• Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) surged by double digits after Binance US embraced the asset.
• Analysts now predict further upside, with price targets between $2 and $5.

Outperforming the Elite

Over the past 24 hours, many major cryptocurrencies have consolidated near their April 28 price levels or posted minor losses. One low-cap altcoin that stood out with a significant surge is Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL).

Several hours ago, its valuation briefly climbed above $1.50, the highest level in more than two months. It later slightly retraced to the current $1.45 (representing a 15% rise on a daily scale). VIRTUAL’s market capitalization neared the $1 billion mark, thus positioning it as the 94th-largest cryptocurrency.

Perhaps the most evident factor igniting the asset’s rally is the support from Binance.US. The American subsidiary of the world’s biggest crypto exchange allowed deposits for VIRTUAL and introduced the VIRTUAL/USDT trading pair.

Listing on major platforms typically leads to increased accessibility, boosted credibility, and higher liquidity for the involved cryptocurrencies, hence the price uptrend. Those curious to see how Deep Book (DEEP) reacted after the recent support from Binance can take a look at our article here.

Earlier this month, Virtuals Protocol initiated the Genesis Launch – a token distribution mechanism for AI agents within its ecosystem. Shortly after, though, a project named PlayGameAI allegedly exploited the system by taking advantage of loopholes, deceiving users, and undermining trust. 

On April 28, Virtuals Protocol promised a compensation plan for affected participants. In a subsequent post on X, the entity revealed that all users who engaged with the project have been fully refunded. The only exception is three wallets that “did not bid for points but transferred VIRTUAL directly to PlayGameAI.” 

Virtuals Protocol is a decentralized platform that allows people to create, monetize, and co-own tokenized AI agents. The ecosystem is powered by VIRTUAL, which serves numerous functions. For instance, it is employed for transactions and governance decisions. 

The token saw the light of day at the end of 2023. It reached an all-time high of over $4.50 at the beginning of this year when its market capitalization exploded beyond $4.5 billion. 

Price Forecasts

VIRTUAL’s latest rally caught the eye of many analysts who think there’s more room for growth. The X user 0xCB set $1.50 as a “breakout confirmation” and $3 as the “last barrier before $5 ATH retest.” 

“If BTC stays above $100K, new ATH is incoming unless force majeure hits (e.g., wars),” the analyst added.

It is important to note that the largest cryptocurrency currently trades at around $95K and the last time it crossed  $100,000 was in February this year. 

Degen Ape Trader also chipped in. The X user foresees “much higher” levels in the long term, predicting a rise to $2 after the breakout of $1.30. 

At Paris Blockchain Week 2025, Michael Stroev, CEO of Venga, discussed how his company is positioning itself in the evolving digital finance landscape.

With a focus on accessibility, education, and innovation, Venga aims to address some of the major barriers that still prevent mass adoption of cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance (DeFi).

Making Crypto Accessible to the Masses

Venga launched officially in September 2024 to provide a simpler gateway into the crypto space. According to Stroev, the platform offers users the ability to deposit euros, buy cryptocurrencies, and either withdraw their assets to a decentralized wallet or keep them within Venga’s ecosystem for additional services.

“Our mission as a team, as a company, is to take innovations from DeFi, formerly Web3, and bring those innovations to the masses,” Stroev explained.

He emphasized that despite offering basic services like euro deposits and withdrawals, Venga’s primary focus remains rooted in promoting decentralized technologies rather than replicating traditional financial products.

Although Venga currently provides IBAN accounts to support fiat transactions, Stroev stressed that traditional finance elements are secondary. “We’re very much on the innovation up on the Web3 and DeFi side,” he said, noting that more fintech-related products could be introduced later.

Overcoming Barriers of Education and Discovery

In Stroev’s view, two key barriers still stand in the way of mass crypto adoption: education and discovery. While public awareness of assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum has grown, he believes most people remain unfamiliar with the broader potential of Web3 technologies.

“Education is still a huge roadblock for allowing people to enter into the space,” Stroev said.

He added that users need better ways to discover reliable projects before education can begin. Drawing from his own experience, he described the current discovery process as time-consuming and complex, often requiring attendance at events like Paris Blockchain Week or extensive research across social media platforms.

“We want to vet all these projects and all these innovations for people,” Stroev said, positioning Venga as a potential marketplace for trusted Web3 and DeFi projects. The idea is to provide users with a curated experience that simplifies their entry into an otherwise complicated ecosystem.

Building for the Long Term Despite Market Challenges

Launching during a difficult period for the crypto industry has not deterred Stroev’s optimism. He explained that when Venga announced its launch, the platform was still in a minimal stage, offering limited products. Now, with a full MVP available, the company feels better prepared to compete and grow.

“We’re at the very starting point of our hyperparabolic curve,” he said, indicating that several new products are planned for 2025.

Asked about the impact of market downturns, Stroev reflected on previous crises, such as the collapses of Terra Luna and FTX. “At that time, I kind of said, ‘Wow, it’s the end of the world.’ Now, I’m not so much worried,” he said. He attributes current market conditions largely to evolving U.S. policies, noting that legislation under development, such as a stablecoin bill, could eventually drive significant positive change.

Ultimately, Stroev sees Venga’s development as a long-term effort, regardless of short-term market volatility.

This interview was produced in partnership with Paris Blockchain Week 2025.