Cobie questions conflict of interest as Ethereum researcher reveals consecutive disclosures of being an EigenLayer advisor
Following Ethereum researcher Justin Drake publicly disclosing his role as an advisor to the Eigen Foundation, Ethereum Foundation researcher Dankrad Feist has also revealed his advisory position with the Eigen Foundation.
Ethereum researcher Justin Drake becomes advisor to EigenLayer, receives million-dollar Eigen tokens
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Ethereum Researcher Joins EigenLayer as Advisor
Justin Drake recently revealed that he has become an advisor to the Eigen Foundation, with compensation exceeding the value of all his crypto assets, and Dankrad Feist has similar conditions to Justin Drake.
Both emphasized that the substantial Eigen tokens received as advisor compensation will not change their critical stance or views on future developments. Dankrad Feist pointed out three major risks of EigenLayer in his article, including delegated staking, additional burden on stakers, and re-staking infrastructure.
Justin Drake, on the other hand, pledged to reinvest all advisor profits back into Ethereum ecosystem projects through investment or donation, while Dankrad Feist did not specify his plans.
Researcher's Conflict of Interest Questioned
Justin Drake and Dankrad Feist did not specify when they became advisors to the Eigen Foundation, but their disclosures coincided with well-known KOL Cobie questioning Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin.
In a tweet on the 18th, Vitalik stated:
I am proud that Ethereum has an open culture that allows people to freely express their views, even if those views are very negative about major things in the protocol or ecosystem. Some people wave the flag of the ideal of "open discussion," and some take it seriously.
Cobie replied here:
How do you feel about core developers or researchers at the Ethereum Foundation receiving life-changing compensation for becoming advisors to projects based on Ethereum, which may have conflicts of interest with Ethereum now or in the future? For example, EigenLayer.
Vitalik did not respond, and Justin Drake and Dankrad Feist disclosed their advisor roles on the 19th and 21st, respectively. According to Justin Drake, three Ethereum Foundation members have formal relationships with the Eigen Foundation.
