GreenPill S.10 Ep.6 Public Goods Funding in 2026 & What Builders Should Do Next with Vitalik ButerinVitalik Buterin on Public Goods Funding in 2026 : Mechanisms, Money & What Builders Should Do Next
Dec 4, 2025
Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum and visionary in blockchain, joins the discussion to delve into public goods funding for the future. He highlights the shift from vibes-based funding to verifiable mechanisms, arguing that now is the perfect time for reform with new technologies. Vitalik explores where funding will come from in 2026, the importance of accountability in open-source projects, and how innovative strategies like programmable cryptography and AI can enhance funding models. His insights are pivotal for builders aiming to align their projects with these transformative ideas.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Public Goods Are Core To Crypto's Purpose
- Public goods funding matters because it sustains infrastructure we all rely on and preserves openness over centralized extraction.
- The crypto space's goals (censorship resistance, money growth, institution design) make PGF especially critical for decentralization.
Act Now To Reform PGF
- Now is the best moment to reform public goods funding using new tech and principles developed in the last few years.
- Builders should pursue high-leverage, novel PGF solutions rather than incremental duplication of existing apps.
Expand Funding Beyond Token Pools
- Sustainable funding must plug into large stable streams (e.g., block rewards) and expand beyond crypto into licenses and taxes.
- Mechanisms like licensing with dependency funding can nudge openness while creating revenue for public goods.