Vitalik Buterin sells Ethereum as ETH slides and ETF outflows grow
Vitalik Buterin’s recent Ethereum sales are drawing fresh scrutiny as Ether extends a steep downturn and U.S.-listed Ethereum exchange-traded funds record new outflows.
On-chain trackers show the Ethereum co-founder has sold roughly 3,000 ETH in recent days, activity that coincides with heavy derivatives liquidations and renewed debate over how closely founder wallets should be read as a market signal.
Founder wallet activity rises as Ether slides
According to data from Lookonchain, Buterin-linked wallets sold 2,900 ETH worth about $6.6 million over the past three days at an average price of $2,228 per coin. Separate on-chain data from Arkham Intelligence places the figure at roughly 2,961.5 ETH, valued near $6.7 million, also at an average price of around $2,228.
The sales follow other recent movements from Buterin’s wallets, including a reported transfer of more than 16,000 ETH in a single transaction. While such activity can fuel bearish sentiment during periods of market stress, analysts note that the transactions appear consistent with funding and liquidity management rather than a full exit from Ethereum.
Funding the Ethereum Foundation, not leaving the network
Buterin said last week that he withdrew $44.7 million of his personal funds to support the Ethereum Foundation during what he described as a period of “mild austerity.” The move involved reallocating assets between wallets rather than liquidating them outright, signaling internal capital management, Cryptopolitan reports.
Arkham data shows Buterin still controls approximately 16,300 ETH across wrapped Ether, native ETH and AETH-linked positions, with a combined value of about $38.5 million at the time of the snapshot. Recent swaps involving WETH and stablecoins were executed via the CoW Protocol, while overall ETH exposure remained largely intact.
ETF outflows and liquidations add pressure
The founder-linked sales come as institutional demand continues to weaken. Data from SoSoValue shows net outflows of $79.48 million from U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs, led by $58.95 million from BlackRock’s ETHA and $20.53 million from Fidelity’s FETH.
Market stress has also intensified in derivatives trading. Ether was trading near $2,120 on Thursday morning, down 7.28% over 24 hours and more than 28% over the past week, according to CoinMarketCap data. CoinGlass reported liquidations of more than $210 million in long ETH positions within a single day.
Read also: Ethereum L2s face identity shift after Vitalik Buterin comments
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