Bitcoin Foundation Election Results in Run-Off. 'Anti-Foundation' Candidate Oliver Janssens Grabs First Place

Oliver Janssens led the field with 46.7% support. He financed Lighthouse, a crowdfunding platform designed to challenge the Foundation's control over development funding. The Foundation has no control over Bitcoin Core code itself, but it employs the people who decide which proposals get committed to the codebase and bankrolls most development work. Janssens thinks the Foundation should push adoption instead of managing technical direction. Voters embraced his skepticism of the Foundation's role.

The other three finalists offer separate views. Bruce Fenton launched the Satoshi Roundtable and helped organize the Dubai Bitcoin Conference. His 22 years in finance shaped his belief that the Foundation should focus on core development. Jim Harper worked as the Foundation's Global Policy counsel until late 2014. He sits on the board of the Cato Institute and advised Senate and House committees as well as companies including PayPal and Verisign. Harper doesn't want the Foundation dismantled but says rebuilding it should remain an option. Michael Perklin works in cybersecurity for Bitcoinsultants and directs the Bitcoin Alliance of Canada. He testified before the Canadian Senate with Andreas M. Antonopoulos. Perklin wants the Foundation's work to center on code.

The runoff vote runs Friday, February 27 from midnight to midnight EST. The Foundation will announce winners on Saturday, February 28. Members who already registered for the initial election need not register again. Annual and lifetime members who missed the first registration window can still sign up for the runoff.