Vitalik Buterin Completes 39M ETH Sale as Ethereum Price Tests $2000

TLDR

• Vitalik Buterin sold 19,326 ETH for about $39.36M at $2,037 average.

• ETH has fallen 37% in one month and trades near $2,050.

• More than 30% of ETH remains locked in staking with 2.8% yield.

• Funding rates on Binance turned positive after recent volatility.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has completed a major round of Ethereum sales, bringing the total value of liquidated tokens to nearly $39 million. The transactions come during a period of elevated volatility, with ETH attempting to stabilize above the $2,000 level after a steep monthly decline.

On-chain data confirms that Buterin sold 19,326 ETH at an average price of $2,037 per token. The sales followed his earlier public disclosure that he intended to liquidate a portion of his holdings to fund privacy-focused and open-source development initiatives.

Pre-Announced Sale Plan Now Completed

Blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain reported that the transactions were executed through Buterin’s Gnosis Safe wallet. Arkham Intelligence records show a series of Wrapped Ethereum settlements routed through the CoW Protocol, with varying transaction sizes spread across multiple transfers.

Individual movements included batches such as 70.776 WETH and 45.455 WETH, alongside smaller incremental amounts, suggesting efforts to reduce slippage while securing favorable pricing. These structured transactions aligned with his previously disclosed plan announced on January 30.

At that time, Buterin stated that he would withdraw and sell exactly 16,384 ETH, which was valued at nearly $45 million when announced. He explained that the capital would be deployed over several years to support secure, verifiable, and privacy-oriented open-source software and hardware systems.

Wallet balance data shows a broader decline throughout February, with holdings falling from roughly 241,000 ETH at the beginning of the month to approximately 223,804 ETH after continuous outflows.

Ethereum Price Remains Under Pressure

Ethereum has declined 37% over the past month and remains nearly 58% below its August 2025 high of $4,946. Although the token has rebounded modestly in recent days, the broader price structure still reflects weakness.

At the time of writing, ETH trades near $2,050, marking a daily gain of around 3% and a weekly recovery of approximately 9%. However, the asset continues to face technical resistance near $2,200 and, more critically, at $2,500.

Source: X

Earlier in February, Ethereum traded within a $2,200 to $2,400 range before sellers regained control mid-month. The selloff intensified around February 24 and 25, driving the price toward $1,800 before buyers re-entered the market.

Despite the rebound above $2,000, market participants are assessing whether the move represents stabilization or a temporary relief rally within a broader downtrend.

Derivatives Market Signals Mixed Sentiment

Derivative data indicates a notable shift in positioning across major exchanges. Funding rates on Binance, which had turned sharply negative during the recent decline, have now flipped back into positive territory.

Earlier this year, funding remained positive for an extended stretch, meaning long traders were paying shorts, yet the price failed to sustain upward momentum. As the market weakened and short positions increased, funding turned negative, reflecting heightened downside pressure.

Source: Cryptoquant

With funding now positive again, immediate liquidation risk appears reduced, although positive rates alone do not confirm sustained recovery. Elevated volatility, currently at its highest level since March 2025, suggests that a larger directional move may still be developing.

More than 30% of Ethereum’s circulating supply remains locked in staking contracts, with yields compressed to roughly 2.8%. As Buterin’s wallet activity pauses following the completion of his announced sales, attention now shifts to whether broader market forces can support Ethereum’s attempt to reclaim higher resistance levels in the weeks ahead.

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