Reports say that Vitalik Buterin moved a decent chunk of his Ether in a few days, and the trade attracted immediate attention. About $6.6 million in ETH changed hands in the short window. The way it was done was as important as the money. Careful withdrawals kept prices from being pushed down by one big trade.
Measured Via CoW Protocol
Reports note that the transmission, which was carried out over a period of three days, was split into multiple exchanges and transmitted through the CoW Protocol. This method is designed to hide one large object and limit sliding. It worked. The market impact was reduced, and observers reading the order books saw not a single, panic-driven sell-off.
Such methods are now often used by large owners who want to understand. Ten or so small changes can look like a routine task. That’s exactly what happened here.
vitalik.eth(@VitalikButerin) discards $ETH quickly!
In the last 3 days, Vitalik sold 2,961.5 $ETH($6.6M) for an average price of $2,228 — and sales are still ongoing. pic.twitter.com/C1vBn5UimJ
– Lookonchain (@lookonchain) February 5, 2026
Ether: Funding for Privacy and Hardware
According to reports, Buterin put $16,384 ETH – about $45 million – to work on privacy-focused tools, open source hardware, and software whose movements can be verified.
He said that the Ethereum Foundation will operate on tight budgets for a while, and that he personally handles tasks that special projects may undertake.
Vitalik Buterin. Image: TechCrunch
The money is planned to be used sparingly, in specific efforts aimed at protecting private properties and public infrastructure alike. This is a long-term move, not a cash dash.
In these five years, the Ethereum Foundation enters a period of mild austerity, to be able to meet two goals at the same time:
1. Deliver on an aggressive roadmap that confirms Ethereum’s status as the world’s most efficient and risk-free computing…
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) January 30, 2026
Market Ripple Effects
Reports say the broader market has weakened, and that weakness is shaping how these sales will be viewed. Some sellers are forced to sell to pay off mortgages, and the pressure to sell makes every high-profile transfer feel overwhelming.
— Matt Hougan (@Matt_Hougan) February 3, 2026
Matt Hougan at Bitwise described the market as a fully-fledged crypto winter from January 2025, and some think that the end of this expansion may be near.
On-chain metrics, however, show that referrals and activity remain strong; network usage does not roll. A gap exists between value action and daily network usage.
The Plan Looks Like a Long Bet
What matters is the purpose behind the setting aside of money. Reports say that these funds aim to strengthen tools and systems that are essential to the security and future of Ethereum.
Strengthening software and hardware won’t remove prices next week, but it can reduce risks over the years. Some investors will still see any sale of a popular developer and panic.
That reaction is normal. However, the movement is done in ways that reduce shock quickly.
Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
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