World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a crypto project backed by the family of U.S. President Donald Trump, sold roughly $5 million worth of Bitcoin (BTC).
Additionally, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin moved to sell about $7 million in Ethereum, according to blockchain tracking posts that quickly sparked backlash from traders.
The sales come as crypto markets remain under pressure after a sharp decline, deepening investor uncertainty.
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Trump-Linked WLFI and Buterin Sales Spark Backlash
According to on-chain data , WLFI sold 73 WBTC on the day, generating $5.04 million in proceeds.
The move drew attention because it occurred during a broader market slide, with Bitcoin falling more than 8% at one point and slipping below $60,000.
Separately, social media commentary focused on Buterin after crypto commentator Ted Pillows wrote on X :
“Vitalik has sold another $6,700,000 in $ETH in the past few hours.”
Pillows added:
“Somebody tell him to take a look at the ETH chart.”
A user replied that the sale made it appear Buterin was “the only one not bullish on his own chain.”
“Yeah, timing feels kinda notable,” wrote Pillows.
The sales, while small relative to the total crypto market, fed into a growing narrative among traders that key insiders and politically linked projects may be de-risking while retail buyers hesitate to step in.
Why the Crypto Picture Is Not Clear
Market participants cautioned that wallet activity alone does not confirm a directional view.
In WLFI’s case, the sale could reflect treasury management, liquidity needs, or operational cash requirements, rather than a bearish call on Bitcoin.
For Buterin, transfers and sales have historically been tied to donations, grants, tax payments, and ecosystem funding — though the timing still drew scrutiny given Ethereum’s recent price weakness.
With neither WLFI nor Buterin publicly detailing the motivation behind the moves, the broader market has been left to speculate.
Trump Says He Helped Crypto — While Former Advisor Turns Bearish
Many online have called out WLFI’s Bitcoin sales as a sign of hypocrisy, after he publicly embraced crypto in recent remarks, stating on Monday :
“...I’m a big crypto person. I’m the one that probably helped crypto more than anybody because I believe in it.”
Trump also cast crypto as part of a broader geopolitical competition with Beijing, saying:
“If we don’t do it, then China is going to do it. Right? If we don’t do crypto, then China is going to do it. And it’s just like AI.”
But that bullish tone was clashed with skepticism voiced by Thor Torrens, a technology entrepreneur who previously worked as an advisor for Trump.
In a post on X this week , Torrens argued Bitcoin’s transparency would be the reason it never reaches a seven figure amount, writing:
“Bitcoin is never going to $1,000,000 a coin.”
When asked why, he added:
“Public ledger. Too traceable now with AI, everyone will realize soon.”
His comments sparked immediate backlash online, with critics calling the argument flawed and noting Bitcoin’s traceability has always been a known feature of the network.
Bitcoin Price Outlook
While social media has focused on the optics of selling, technical analysts have pointed to more serious chart developments.
CCN analyst Victor Olanrewaju said Bitcoin has now broken below a major long-term threshold:
“From a technical perspective, Bitcoin’s price has now broken below a key long-term support level that had held for nearly three years.”
He also drew comparisons to the 2022 bear market:
“When compared to the 2022 bear market, there are striking similarities. In 2022, BTC also lost major Fibonacci supports, followed by a sharp drawdown of roughly 70–75% from the cycle high.”
While the current decline is not as deep yet, he warned the pattern is developing in a familiar way:
“The current decline, while not yet as deep in percentage terms, is unfolding in a similar pattern.”
“Looking ahead, if Bitcoin continues to behave as it did in 2022, the next critical test lies significantly lower, around the 0.382 Fibonacci region and potentially closer to the prior cycle’s long-term cost basis zones.”
In that scenario, he said Bitcoin could slide toward “$50,196.”
Still, Olanrewaju noted one key difference versus prior bear phases:
“However, one key difference this time is that on-chain fundamentals and realized price are much higher than in 2022, which could limit downside compared to the last bear market.”
