Ethereum's founder Vitalik Buterin was spotted moving funds amidst a crypto market upswing. Recent data shows Buterin donated 274 ETH to a Web3 researcher working on the Zuitzerland project.
Details of the $500K Donation
According to SpotOnChain, Vitalik Buterin transferred $500K worth of Ethereum as a donation or grant to a multisig deployed by Isla. This researcher is developing the Zuitzerland project, inspired by the Zuzalu experiment initiated by Buterin in 2023 in Montenegro, which gathered tech enthusiasts, longevity researchers, and decentralized governance. Beterin is known for his support of decentralized, community-driven projects.
Crypto Market Movements and Buterin's Actions
Prior to the donation, Vitalik Buterin sold Dohrnii and LEDOG tokens for a total of $109.5K. These tokens were received from their founders in late 2024 and early 2025 and have been gradually sold off. Meanwhile, over the last 24 hours, Ethereum liquidations exceeded $61 million, of which 61% were short positions.
Are There Signs of Ethereum Recovery?
Ethereum's price increased by 5% in the last 24 hours as Bitcoin attempts to restore the $85K mark. Despite this gain, the average price of ETH at $1,883 remains down by 61% from its all-time high. US ETH spot ETFs also recorded a two-day consecutive inflow, indicating some level of market activity.
Vitalik Buterin's donations and Ethereum's market movements suggest potential renewed interest in the cryptocurrency, though the market remains highly volatile.
