COTI isn’t owned by a person or a company and that’s by design. Like most Web3 projects with serious infrastructure goals, it operates through a foundation + core contributor model. So let’s break it down. The protocol was founded by Shahaf Bar-Geffen, who still serves as CEO and remains one of the most visible figures leading its development. He helped launch the original COTI Layer 1 and now guides its evolution into COTI V2, a privacy-first Layer 2 built on Ethereum.
But Shahaf doesn’t “own” COTI in the traditional sense. The protocol is managed by the COTI Foundation, which oversees the project’s roadmap, token issuance, partnerships, and ecosystem development. The Foundation is supported by a core team of developers, cryptographers, and operations staff who continue to ship upgrades and push the protocol forward.
Then there’s the community - stakers, builders, and treasury participants who hold governance weight in the future of the ecosystem. With COTI V2, the protocol is shifting toward more decentralized governance, where key decisions (like treasury parameters or reward structures) will be influenced by users, not a central authority. COTI is also not owned by Cardano or Ethereum. It operates independently, but maintains close ties with both ecosystems, issuing Djed for Cardano and building its infrastructure on Ethereum.
So, who owns it? Technically, no one. Strategically, it’s led by a team with a clear direction. Economically, it’s governed by token holders who decide how the system evolves. That’s the Web3 model COTI follows, one that prioritizes infrastructure over personality and long-term autonomy over short-term control.
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