ENS Reshapes Its Governance as Foundation Takes Administrative Control of $65M Endowment

ENS token holders executed the “Next Era of ENS DAO” proposal on August 11, giving the ENS Foundation expanded operational authority, according to the ENS governance forum and the project’s announcement. The vote received roughly 70% support and establishes the Foundation as a fully operational organization.

The new structure places administrative control of an approximately $65 million Endowment with the Foundation, alongside responsibility for off-chain policy, trademarks, grants and institutional engagement. ENS Labs will remain focused on protocol development, including ENSv2, while the DAO retains control over protocol-level decisions and its majority ENS holdings. A one-time 1 million ENS transfer will fund Foundation employee compensation. The arrangement is designed to give ENS a clearer institutional structure while preserving decentralized control over core protocol governance.

The Foundation will operate through a five-member board, including three independent directors, with tokenholders retaining the ability to appoint or remove directors. Endowment transactions will also face a nine-day timelock, adding an additional governance safeguard. The Foundation plans to publish annual audited financial statements and quarterly grant updates, providing additional visibility into how ecosystem resources are managed.

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