How to Apply

Decentralized RPC Access for Developers and End Users

Ethereum’s default access layer still relies heavily on centralized RPC providers, which serve most wallets, dapps, and users. This dependence introduces single points of failure and undermines Ethereum’s resilience. Over time, an entire ecosystem has formed around these providers, adding sophisticated capabilities such as MEV protection, privacy-enhanced routing, load balancing, and analytics, yet the underlying foundations remain centralized. At the same time, decentralized approaches have advanced significantly. Light clients such as Helios, Nimbus, and Lodestar bring verifiable access to chain data, while peer-to-peer RPC networks and the Ethereum Portal Network aim to distribute data availability and routing across many independent participants. Together, these approaches point toward a model of open, verifiable, and censorship-resistant access to Ethereum. We aim to support work that moves Ethereum toward decentralized, verifiable, and open RPC access that anyone can use freely. Possible directions include improving light client usability and integration, developing hybrid systems that combine verification with distributed routing, or creating new infrastructure that prioritizes openness, neutrality, and public availability. We are especially interested in candidates demonstrating a clear go-to-market path and practical deployment strategy. The focus is on usable, testable infrastructure that can realistically serve users and developers at scale. Our goal is to make decentralized, censorship-resistant, and verifiable RPC access the default way users and developers connect to Ethereum.