As a co-founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin's every move draws significant attention. His wallet activity has become a "reference point" for crypto investors monitoring industry trends—sometimes even triggering market reactions and influencing cryptocurrency prices.
On October 18, Vitalik Buterin clarified on social media:
"If you see an article saying 'Vitalik sent * ETH to an exchange,' that’s not actually me selling. I’ve made donations to charities, nonprofits, or other projects, and those sales were made by the recipients—usually to cover expenses. But since 2018, I haven’t sold ETH for personal profit."
However, Buterin didn’t disclose which organizations sold his donated ETH. Notably, he operates his own charity, Kanro (Vitalik Charity). To address community suspicions about potential "cashing out," we investigated Kanro’s wallet activity.
Kanro (Vitalik Charity): Funds, ETH Sales, and Transparency
In June 2024, Buterin revealed Kanro, his charity focused on combating Covid-19 and other pandemics. He pledged $100M in donations to related research and publicly shared Kanro’s wallet address.
Key Findings from Chain Data (via Arkham):
$100M Deposit: Four months ago, Kanro received:
- ~90M USDC
- 3.72M MVRS
- 777 LKT
- 1,000 MTV
(Timing matches Buterin’s $100M pledge.)
- ETH Transactions: Only 0.01 ETH was transferred (likely for testing), later returned to Buterin.
Recent Outflows: 15M USDC moved to a Gnosis Safe multisig wallet, then split across:
- Coinbase: ~499K USDC (two addresses)
- Gemini: 14.93M USDC
Current Holdings:
~$75M in assets:
- 74.57M USDC
- 1,000 MTV
- 3.72M MVRS
- Zero ETH held.
Technically, Buterin’s statement holds: No ETH was sold for personal gain.
Vitalik Buterin’s Personal ETH Holdings: Then vs. Now
2018 Disclosure:
- Claimed 0.9% of ETH supply (~675K ETH at the time).
- Denied holding 900K ETH or reaching a $1B net worth.
2024 Estimates (via The Block):
- Public Wallets: ~250K ETH ($390M at current prices).
- Sent to Exchanges: 205K ETH (30% of total holdings)—allegedly for donations.
- Note: Undisclosed wallets or private transactions may exist.
Why ETH Sales Aren’t a Threat to Ethereum
- Decentralized Ecosystem: Ethereum’s development is now community-driven, reducing reliance on Buterin.
- No "Rug Pull" Risk: Buterin’s gradual sales differ from sudden dumps by malicious actors.
- Market Maturity: Large-scale ETH movements are priced in, minimizing volatility.
FAQ
1. Did Vitalik ever sell ETH for personal use?
According to him, no—not since 2018. Sales were by donation recipients.
2. How much ETH does Kanro hold?
None. Its portfolio is primarily stablecoins (USDC) and niche tokens.
3. Could Buterin’s sales crash ETH prices?
Unlikely. His 250K ETH is a fraction of daily trading volume (~$10B).
4. What’s Kanro’s main purpose?
Funding pandemic research (e.g., Covid-19) via $100M in pledged grants.
5. How transparent is Vitalik’s wallet activity?
Partial. Public addresses are shared, but some transactions remain private.
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Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
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