Key Highlights:
- Vitalik Buterin sold about 19,268 ETH from wallet “0xfeb” at an average price just above $2,000, totaling nearly $38.7 million in value.
- Proceeds were diversified into multiple stablecoins within Ethereum’s DeFi ecosystem, signaling planned allocation toward long-term projects rather than reactive selling.
- Despite the sales, Buterin still holds around 224,000 ETH, while the Ethereum Foundation continues to focus on measured spending and ecosystem development.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin continues to be on an Ether(ETH) sell-off spree. On-chain data shows that he sold a larger amount of Ether than previously indicated as part of his long-term strategy.
Monitoring data from blockchain analytics platforms indicates that Buterin gradually sold holdings from a wallet known as “0xfeb” over the past several weeks. The address once held more than 19,300 ETH. It has now been almost fully emptied, with total sales estimated at about 19,268 ETH. The transactions were executed at an average price slightly above $2,000 per token, bringing the total value of the sales close to $38.7 million.
Vitalik Sells Off ETH For a Secure, Open Ecosystem
Earlier disclosures had suggested that around 16,384 ETH would be sold as part of a personal funding plan. The final amount was more than the initial estimate. The proceeds were converted into several stablecoins within the Ethereum decentralized finance ecosystem, i.e., USDtb, GHO, EURC, PYUSD, and LUSD. Analysts observed that the diversification into several stable assets indicates an intentionality to move assets instead of an opportunistic sale response of assets. Buterin still has a large ether holding buffer, even in the selloff. His holdings currently amount to about 224,000 ETH worth over $460 million at current market prices. The Ethereum Foundation recently hinted at a period of tighter financial management. Buterin said in earlier statements the organization has entered a phase of measured spending in support of two key objectives. The latter includes a sustained growth of Ethereum as a scalable, durable worldwide computing platform. The other is maintaining the foundation’s long-term sustainability and its ability to support core infrastructure and user access.
In these five years, the Ethereum Foundation is entering a period of mild austerity, in order to be able to simultaneously meet two goals:
1. Deliver on an aggressive roadmap that ensures Ethereum’s status as a performant and scalable world computer that does not compromise on…
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) January 30, 2026
Buterin said his personal sales are part of that broader plan. He indicated that funds from the ETH sales will be directed toward building an open, secure, and verifiable full-stack ecosystem that spans software, hardware, and public infrastructure. The goal is to support applications in finance, communication, governance, operating systems, and public health technologies.
Several of these initiatives are already on the way. These initiatives include work on privacy-focused communication tools, research into secure hardware and open silicon, and projects related to environmental monitoring and public health. These plans aim to create systems that give individuals more control over their data, security, and digital sovereignty. Buterin also touched upon the importance of open standards, verifiability, and user control across multiple layers of tech. He thinks of Ethereum as one element within a larger ecosystem which is created to support cooperation, security, and independence in digital and physical environments.
Note that the market reaction to the selloff has been sort of mixed. Some investors initially expressed concern about the scale of the transactions. But, others noted that the sales were made gradually and transparently via on-chain activity, which reduces the likelihood of sudden market disruption. The global crypto market remained stable in the period, with a market cap of $2.42 Trillion, after a surge of 3.9% in the last 24 hours. Ethereum, on the other hand, is currently trading at $2,048.46. In the early hours of today, Ethereum surged further, up more than 13 percent to near $2,048.46, as the asset (and Bitcoin) saw an uptrend after the popular-at-the-time ‘10 a.m. dump’ pattern seemingly paused.
Also Read: Institutional RWA Adoption Adds Bullish Tailwind to Ethereum Recovery
