Protocol Guild

Protocol Guild is a collective funding mechanism for Ethereum’s layer 1 R&D maintainers. It has three components:

  1. An eligibility framework

  2. A member registry

  3. Onchain donation contracts

The eligibility framework determines which projects’ contributors should receive a share of the funding. This framework can then be used to maintain an active member registry. The registry addresses and weights are regularly published onchain to a split contract, where funding (vested over 4 years) can be claimed.

Protocol Guild is only concerned with managing the aforementioned components and soliciting funding to support the eligible work. The day-to-day stewardship discussions surrounding the Ethereum protocol continue to happen in other existing venues (All Core Devs calls, ethresear.ch, Magician’s forum etc.), with the participation of a much broader set of contributors. Donations to the Protocol Guild have no bearing on stewardship decisions taking place in those existing venues.

Protocol Guild is a simple but powerful mechanism which allows Ethereum’s layer 1 R&D to be funded in the same way it is produced: a commons of peers and their collaborative effort over time.

“And, Ebling, there’s another, greater purpose. Hari Seldon founded two Foundations three centuries ago; one at each end of the Galaxy. You must find that Second Foundation.” Foundation, Isaac Asimov

Table of Contents

The Protocol Guild is a mechanism that learns and adapts - this documentation is regularly updated.