# Panel I The Ethereum Governance Process with Christine Kim | Pragma New York 2023

- Speakers: [Christine Kim](https://streameth.org/speakers/christine-kim)
- Channel: [ETHGlobal](https://streameth.org/ethglobal)
- Date: 2023-10-09
- Duration: 31:46
- Topics: Ethereum governance, Christine Kim, Galaxy Digital, Ethereum upgrades, EIP 4844, EIP 7514, Cancun Deneb, validator set growth, Ethereum Foundation, core developers, dApp developers, ACD calls, GitHub, EthMagicians, Ethereum consensus, Ethereum roadmap, decentralized governance, Ethereum nodes, Ethereum validators, Ethereum protocol changes, Ethereum client teams, Ethereum decentralization, Ethereum research
- Watch: https://streameth.org/watch/yt-2T4h-r9wu44
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T4h-r9wu44

## Description

Christine Kim, VP of Research at Galaxy Digital, breaks down the complexities of Ethereum’s governance in this in-depth session at Pragma New York 2023. Learn how Ethereum upgrades happen, who the key stakeholders are, and why the governance model has evolved far beyond Bitcoin’s classic trilemma of developers, miners, and nodes.

Christine explains the roles of the Ethereum Foundation, client teams, validator node operators, and dApp developers, while also detailing how proposals like EIP-4844, EIP-7514, and Cancun-Deneb are shaped and debated. Gain insights into how decisions are made on ACD calls, through GitHub, EthMagicians, and Discord, and why protocol upgrades are becoming slower but more critical. Whether you're a builder, researcher, or stakeholder, this talk is a must-watch for understanding Ethereum’s decentralized coordination and the future of its upgrade process.

00:00 Introduction to Ethereum governance
00:37 Agenda overview and disclaimer
01:12 Bitcoin governance model explained
05:30 Why Ethereum governance is different
06:43 Ethereum’s diverse developer base
07:49 Validators vs node operators
10:14 Challenges in identifying Ethereum node users
10:49 Ethereum’s four key governance actors
11:24 Role of the Ethereum Foundation
13:44 Ethereum client teams and core devs
15:20 Validator node operators and upgrade influence
18:52 Motivations behind validator behavior
19:22 Importance of dApp developers in governance
22:12 Governance decision-making forums
24:00 GitHub’s role and centralization concerns
25:06 History of Ethereum upgrades
26:06 Governance evolution post-merge
26:40 Cancun-Deneb upgrade timeline
27:13 EIP-7514 and validator set growth
28:58 Call for broader governance participation
29:34 What’s next: Prague-Electra upgrade
30:37 Why upgrades are getting more complex
31:12 Final thoughts and closing remarks

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🇺🇸 *Pragma New York*
The fifth edition of Pragma took place in New York in September 2023 with a curated series of high-quality talks that sparked thought and discussion. Pragma is a one-stage conference with founders-only on stage, bringing together a small group of curated attendees and speakers to discuss the future of web3 and reflect on the past. Watch the full Pragma New York 2023 playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXzKMXK2aHh6xsRbmx2niHEDyOyt1mddu&si=6Ic960b2hQyz9RGw

ETHGlobal's Pragma series takes place in cities around the world, and is designed to be a different kind of event. Ever since we first introduced our new event series, Pragma, in Tokyo in the spring of 2023, we have been fostering a curated, global community of individuals who deeply care about web3. 

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