Vitalik Buterin Sells 17,196 ETH, Sparking Market Discussions Amid Ethereum Rally

TheNewsCryptoPublished on 2026-02-26Last updated on 2026-02-26

Abstract

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has sold 17,196 ETH worth approximately $34.96 million, exceeding his previously announced plan to sell 16,384 ETH. The sales occurred amid an 8% price surge for Ethereum over 24 hours, sparking discussions among traders regarding his broader strategy. Buterin stated that these sales are not for personal profit or market timing but to fund long-term projects aligned with his vision for Ethereum. Despite recent gains, with ETH trading around $2,053 and daily volume up 61%, the price remains 30% lower over the month. Significant liquidations, mostly from short positions, and a rise in open interest indicate heightened market activity.

Vitalik Buterin is continuously selling ETH beyond his selling plan, as he sold more than $34 million in Ethereum. The latest sales occurred as Ethereum gained more than 8% in the past 24 hours, indicating a resurgence of positive momentum, and causing debates among traders over Buterin’s broader strategy.

The blockchain analytics platform, Lookonchain, reported today that Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has continued selling ETH, with his cumulative sales reaching 17,196 ETH worth of $34.96 million.

As Buterin’s current total sales already surpass his previously planned sales of 16,384 ETH. On January 30, Buterin shared a post on X and said that the planning isn’t about personal profit or market timing, it’s about funding long-term projects aligned with his vision of Ethereum and broader digital autonomy.

With that, Buterin’s recent excess ETH sales created a discussion on whether additional ETH sales could follow and what the broader strategy behind the transactions could be. According to previous sales data, Buterin sold around 3,788.57 ETH, worth $7.3 million, nearly three days before February 24, while ETH was trading lower at around $1,820.

ETH Market Movements

While writing the article, Ethereum is trading at $2,053.87, as the daily trading volume surged 61.47%, reaching towards $30.78 billion, which outperforms Bitcoin, XRP, and BNB. With that, it has increased by around 4% over the past week. But, in the broader sense, the price remains weak by 30% down over the month.

Ethereum’s total liquidations in the last 24 hours are $203.29 million, of which the majority were wiped out through short positions around $176.56 million, which indicates that bearish traders were largely caught. Meanwhile, open interest has climbed nearly 16%, pointing to a significant increase in active futures contracts.

Even during these gains, ETHZilla announced that it will rebrand as Forum Markets, shifting to a treasury-focused model centered on holding Ethereum, as the move follows a slump in crypto prices that caused the company’s shares to collapse.

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Related Questions

QHow much ETH did Vitalik Buterin sell, and what was its total value?

AVitalik Buterin sold 17,196 ETH, with a total value of $34.96 million.

QWhat reason did Vitalik Buterin give for his ETH sales according to his post on X?

AHe stated that the sales were not for personal profit or market timing, but to fund long-term projects aligned with his vision for Ethereum and broader digital autonomy.

QWhat was the price of Ethereum at the time the article was written, and what was its 24-hour trading volume?

AAt the time of writing, Ethereum was trading at $2,053.87, with a 24-hour trading volume of $30.78 billion.

QWhat was the total value of liquidations in the Ethereum market in the last 24 hours, and what type of positions made up the majority?

AThe total value of liquidations was $203.29 million, with the majority ($176.56 million) being short positions.

QWhat significant company announcement was made regarding Ethereum during this period?

AETHZilla announced it would rebrand as Forum Markets and shift to a treasury-focused model centered on holding Ethereum.

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