Tomasz Stańczak is a software engineer, entrepreneur, and figure in the blockchain development space, known as the founder of the Ethereum infrastructure company Nethermind and the decentralized finance project Oiler Network. He also serves as a co-executive director of the Ethereum Foundation. ^{[1] [8]}

Education

Stańczak graduated from Adam Mickiewicz University with an MSc in Information Technology in 2009. ^[9]

Career

Stańczak began his career in 2007 as a software developer at Comarch SA, where he worked on extensions and core components for the company’s ERP platforms. From 2009 to 2011, he was with itelligence/Cirquent, contributing to MunichRe projects and maintaining applications used in underwriting and premium calculations. In 2011, he joined CME Group/Elysian Systems to support the development of the CME Direct trading platform for commodity futures.

Between 2011 and 2016, Stańczak worked at Citi in London, advancing from an intermediate programmer analyst to Vice President of FX eTrading Technology. His responsibilities included building frameworks for trading applications, developing pricing and risk platforms, managing teams, and working with front-office trading desks. In 2016, he joined Rokos Capital Management as a software developer, a position he held until mid-2017.

In 2017, he founded Nethermind, a London-based technology company focused on Ethereum infrastructure and related development. He later established Oiler Network in 2020. Stańczak became involved in multiple blockchain initiatives, including serving as a member of the Forta Foundation council, a board member of the Starknet Foundation, and a participant in Flashbots.

In 2022, he joined Twinstake as Chief Executive Officer, a position he held until 2024, after which he became Chairman of the Board until 2025. Over the same period, he continued his work with Nethermind while maintaining advisory and governance roles in the broader blockchain ecosystem. ^[10]

Interviews

Ethereum Foundation

In a July 2025 interview with the Unchained podcast celebrating Ethereum's 10th anniversary, Stańczak discussed the organization's focus on technological issues rather than on the price of Ether. He highlighted that the foundation avoids engaging in discussions about Ether's price except when considering treasury management. Stańczak emphasized the vital challenges facing Ethereum, particularly interoperability, and outlined the foundation's short-term goals, which included scaling Layer 1, improving user experience, and supporting technological innovation. While acknowledging the complexity of Ethereum's economy, he emphasized the importance of upholding the core values of security and decentralization. Additionally, Stańczak noted the need for the foundation to act as a connector within the Ethereum ecosystem, facilitating communication between various stakeholders and reaffirming the foundation’s commitment to supporting builders and addressing community concerns without directly engaging in price speculation. ^[3]

Ethereum Zoom Out

On the Clear Crypto Podcast in July 2025, hosts Nathan and Gareth welcomed Stańczak, the co-executive director of the Ethereum Foundation and founder of Nethermind, a key execution client for the Ethereum network. Stańczak discussed the concept of Ethereum as a decentralized "world computer" that enables participants to verify computations in a trustless manner, facilitating a range of applications from financial markets to automated systems. He shared his journey into the blockchain space, which began a decade ago at a meetup in London, and detailed the transformative potential of Ethereum for the traditional finance industry. The conversation also touched upon Ethereum’s ongoing upgrades, particularly the transition from a proof-of-work to a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, and the crucial role of the Ethereum Foundation in coordinating development and upgrades within the decentralized network. ^[2]

Presentations

Vision for Ethereum

At EthCC in June 2025, Stańczak delivered a presentation on Ethereum's vision. He acknowledged the significant contributions of the community, including Vitalik Buterin, in shaping this vision, which he felt was his responsibility to execute. Stańczak expressed gratitude for the venue and attendees, highlighting the importance of communication and visibility in promoting Ethereum's values of open source, privacy, and security, particularly in a rapidly evolving technological landscape influenced by AI. He highlighted key goals for Ethereum, including enhancing protocol resiliency, improving the user experience, and exploring the integration of AI and real-world assets. Stańczak emphasized the need for collaboration across diverse communities to promote privacy and facilitate institutional adoption while ensuring that Ethereum remains a platform that prioritizes and protects human agency amidst increasing automation. He discussed ongoing initiatives, security projects, and the foundation's strategy to engage with developers and global communities to advance Ethereum's goals in the coming years. ^[4]

Ethereum Apps

During a presentation at DAPPCON in June 2025, Stańczak discussed his experiences with Ethereum applications, highlighting both the strengths and weaknesses of user experiences on the platform. He noted that while stablecoins have emerged as a significant application for Ethereum, the overall user experience remained fraught with challenges, particularly in terms of onboarding and privacy. Stańczak shared his journey of trying to set up wallets and transfer funds, which was often impeded by frustrating user interfaces, requirements for personal information, and technical hurdles. He reflected on how regulatory pressures affected privacy and the ease of use, suggesting that many users, particularly newcomers, faced significant obstacles that detracted from the potential benefits of Ethereum applications. Through his exploration, he aimed to shed light on these issues within the Ethereum community, emphasizing the need for improvement in user experience across various applications. ^[7]

Scaling Ethereum

Stańczak from Nethermind delivered a presentation at Pragma Singapore in October 2024, focusing on miner extractable value (MEV) and its implications for scaling Ethereum. He discussed how MEV drives innovation in Layer 1 (L1) performance, as searchers and arbitrage traders seek faster methods to execute transactions. This competition motivates execution client implementers to enhance their systems, ultimately benefiting validators and stakers. Stańczak highlighted the upcoming Ethereum roadmap and improvements, including the potential for higher data availability and faster block simulation times. He noted the impact of MEV on Layer 2 (L2) decentralization, validator behavior, and the design of censorship-resistant systems. Additionally, he addressed the challenges presented by centralization in block production and emphasized the importance of ongoing research to address these issues in the Ethereum ecosystem. ^[5]

Starknet

In an August 2024 presentation at StarknetCC led by Stańczak, the concept of Miner Extractable Value (MEV) within the Starknet ecosystem was explored, emphasizing the need for awareness and understanding among developers. Stańczak explained MEV as a form of potential profit extracted by privileged actors, particularly sequencers, who might take advantage of transaction ordering. He categorized MEV into front-running, back-running, and sandwiching, illustrating how these practices could be detrimental or beneficial to users. The conversation highlighted ongoing initiatives aimed at mitigating malicious MEV while fostering a deeper comprehension of transaction sequencing among developers, particularly during a period of growth in decentralized finance (DeFi) on Starknet. There was a call for collaboration within the community to create tools and content that could enhance the overall ecosystem, address potential MEV risks associated with increased activity, and facilitate a more streamlined integration of market opportunities. ^[6]