As the co-founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin's actions and wallet movements are closely watched by the crypto community. These activities often serve as market indicators, sometimes impacting cryptocurrency prices. On October 18, Buterin took to social media to clarify:
"If you see an article saying 'Vitalik sent * ETH to an exchange,' that’s not me selling. I’ve donated to charities, nonprofits, or projects, and the sales are made by the recipients—often to cover operational costs. Since 2018, I haven’t sold ETH for personal gain."
While Buterin didn’t name specific organizations selling donated ETH, he did confirm his own charity, Kanro (Vitalik Charity), is among them. To address concerns about potential misuse, we analyzed Kanro’s wallet activity.
Kanro (Vitalik Charity): Funds, Transactions, and ETH Holdings
In June 2023, Buterin unveiled Kanro, a charity focused on combating Covid-19 and other epidemics, pledging $100 million for research. Blockchain data from Arkham confirms this transfer, including:
- ~90M USDC
- 3.724M MVRS
- 777 LKT
- 1,000 MTV
Notably, only 0.01 ETH was ever sent to Kanro—likely for testing—and promptly returned.
Recent Transactions
A week ago, Kanro moved funds via three transactions:
- 15M+ USDC to a Gnosis Safe multisig wallet (
0xf20...). Subsequent transfers to exchanges:
- Coinbase: ~498,980 USDC (across two addresses).
- Gemini: 14.934M USDC.
Current Holdings: ~$75M in assets, including:
- 74.567M USDC
- 3.724M MVRS
- 1,000 MTV
- Zero ETH
Technically, Buterin’s statement holds: Kanro hasn’t sold ETH.
Vitalik’s Personal ETH Holdings
In 2018, Buterin disclosed owning 0.9% of ETH’s supply (~675K ETH). Today, per The Block’s Simon Cousaert:
- Estimated Holdings: ~250K ETH (~$390M at current prices).
- Sent to Exchanges: 208K ETH (30% of his known holdings), earmarked for donations.
Key Takeaways
- No Mass Sell-Offs: Buterin avoids sudden dumps, unlike Rug Pull schemers.
- Decentralized Role: Ethereum’s growth now relies on its broader community, minimizing reliance on any individual.
👉 Explore Ethereum’s latest developments
FAQs
Q1: Did Vitalik sell ETH recently?
A: No—only donated ETH was sold by recipients (e.g., Kanro).
Q2: How much ETH does Vitalik own?
A: ~250K ETH across known wallets; exact totals are unclear.
Q3: Why does Kanro hold no ETH?
A: Its primary assets are stablecoins (USDC) and niche tokens.
Q4: Could Vitalik’s sales crash Ethereum?
A: Unlikely. Ethereum’s resilience stems from its decentralized ecosystem.