Ethereum Foundation Launches EPF7 Fellowship Amid Holdings Drop to 92,000 ETH

The Ethereum Foundation opened applications for its EPF7 protocol fellowship on April 30, 2026, targeting a smaller cohort for six-month stipends and mentorship from June to November (deadline May 13). This follows a major ETH sale to BitMine six days earlier, slashing holdings from ~172,000 ETH in January to over 92,500 ETH per Arkham data. Amid Vitalik Buterin's austerity push and 16,384 ETH pledge over five years, Q1 grants continue funding EthereumJS, Lighthouse, L2BEAT, and benchmarking. Market impact evolved from neutral to potential short-term downward pressure from supply, balanced by long-term development support.