Aya Miyaguchi (宮口あや) is a respected figure in the crypto space, known for her roles at the Ethereum Foundation. The news came today that she transitioned from her position as Executive Director since from 2018 to become the President of the foundation to save its price.
Miyaguchi’s journey is inspiring. She blends educational roots, traditional finance, and a commitment to DeFi. Her background shows how diverse experiences can shape the future of
.cwp-coin-chart svg path {
stroke-width: 0.65 !important;
}
Price
Volume in 24h
<!–
?
–>
Price 7d
Aya first shared the idea of transitioning from ED of @ethereumfndn to President a year ago.
She has accomplished much in her seven years as executive director of the EF. As I see it, the role of an ED is to create an environment where others can shine and do their best work,…
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 25, 2025
Who is Aya Miyaguchi? From A Classroom to Blockchain Professor
Born in Japan, Aya Miyaguchi’s early life pivoted around education and literature. She studied English Literature before starting a career as a high school teacher in her home country.
As an educator, she focused on encouraging her students to explore the world beyond Japan. Feeling that teachers should lead by example and experience diverse fields, she left her teaching position and moved to the United States.
In the US, she pursued graduate studies, a decision that eventually led her to blockchain tech.
Miyaguchi’s entry into crypto started in 2011 with
.cwp-coin-chart svg path {
stroke-width: 0.65 !important;
}
Price
Volume in 24h
<!–
?
–>
Price 7d
. At the time when blockchain was still an exotic concept, educational resources for this were still limited.
Nevertheless, she engages herself in crypto, especially because of its ability to support financial fairness, given her studies in microfinance during graduate school.
By 2013, Aya Miyaguchi joined Kraken as the managing director of Japan’s operations. In this role, she educates regulators, venture capitalists, media, and the public about the future of crypto.
However, she was not stopping there; Miyaguchi’s efforts extended beyond Kraken. During her Kraken time, she founded the Japan Blockchain Association, being the voice of Japan’s growing crypto community by showcasing her networking skills.
Her connection to Ethereum began too during her Kraken, where she met Vitalik Buterin and made news in 2013. Vitalik, then just 19, was writing for Bitcoin Magazine and promoting Ethereum’s white paper.
She was struck by his vision of a decentralized platform. Vitalik proposes an open-source platform that would enable smart contracts and decentralized applications.
Following this, Vitalik invited her to join the Ethereum Foundation as Executive Director in 2018. She stepped into a position that required coordinating the foundation’s activities and supporting core research, development, grants, and community engagement.
As Executive Director, Aya Miyaguchi led big milestones, including Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake with “The Merge” in 2022. The Merge then slashed Ethereum’s energy consumption by 99.9% while improving security. Miyaguchi favored this upgrade, executed without a centralized authority.
She introduced the concept of
.cwp-coin-chart svg path {
stroke-width: 0.65 !important;
}
Price
Volume in 24h
<!–
?
–>
Price 7d
as an “Infinite Garden,” a decentralized creative ecosystem that thrives on community. Again, something that goes hand in hand with Ethereum ideology.
“Decentralization isn’t just a system—it’s the freedom to grow without gatekeepers.”
What’s Next for Ethereum Foundation? Will She Save Ethereum Price?
Now, as President of the Ethereum Foundation, Miyaguchi will strengthen institutional partnerships and expand Ethereum’s global influence while staying true to its core values.
Ethereum’s strength lies in its massive, global network of coders, dreamers, and doers. No single entity owns it, which is something that makes Ethereum special. Miyaguchi’s been vocal about “subtraction” and letting the community lead while the Foundation steps back from micromanaging.
With Miyaguchi as President, Ethereum could avoid centralized pitfalls that scare off crypto purists, keeping community trust high and keeping the news bullish. When trust grows, so does investor confidence. People will hold long-term, with the Foundation as the stabilizer.
High fees and sluggish speeds have driven some users to competitors, and Ethereum price has felt the heat. Ethereum has been in the news by lagging behind Bitcoin’s 112% pump in 2024, with only a 42% climb. Miyaguchi’s critics say she didn’t push scaling hard enough as Executive Director, but her new role will change that.
As President, she’s less bogged down in day-to-day ops and more focused on big-picture strategy.
Looking at Ethereum’s current trajectory, the outlook remains bullish despite price fluctuations. Institutional interest in ETH continues to grow, even amid market dips.
Major financial players, including hedge funds and asset managers, are accumulating ETH. They view Ethereum’s price as a long-term investment in Web3.
Aya Miyaguchi’s journey from a Japanese classroom to the President of the Ethereum Foundation offers an inviting narrative. It shows that you don’t need to be a tech wizard or financier to build something revolutionary.
Ethereum represents an accessible entry point into crypto, with its vast ecosystem of decentralized apps, NFTs, and DeFi platforms offering practical ways to engage with the technology.
Ethereum network’s fundamentals, developer activity, and adoption remain robust. Institutional buyers are still buying while the ETH/BTC price hit its low.
Miyaguchi’s leadership, focusing on community, will steer Ethereum toward even greater heights. This is an exciting time for the “Infinite Garden” she envisions.
EXPLORE: 15 New & Upcoming Coinbase Listings to Watch in 2025
Join The 99Bitcoins News Discord Here For The Latest Market Updates
Key Takeaways
- Aya Miyaguchi, from early life to Ethereum Foundation.
- Will Aya Miyaguchi save Ethereum price? What’s next?
The post Who is Aya Miyaguchi? New Ethereum Foundation Head – Can She Save Ethereum Price? appeared first on 99Bitcoins.
