Ethereum Co-Founder Sells $158 Million in ETH

Ethereum Co-Founder Sells $158 Million in ETH

Summary:
Jeffrey Wilcke, co-founder of Ethereum, recently sold 79,859 ETH, amounting to approximately $158 million, depositing it into the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange. This move comes during a challenging time for Ethereum's market price, which is currently under $2,000.

Key Takeaways:

Jeffrey Wilcke deposited 79,859 ETH, worth about $158 million, into Kraken.
The price of Ethereum is facing pressure and is trading below $2,000.
Wilcke's wallet now contains only 16,037 ETH, valued at roughly $31.66 million.
Since leaving Ethereum's development in 2019, Wilcke has gradually sold off his early-acquired ETH.
He has previously moved over $500 million in ETH to Kraken.
Vitalik Buterin, another Ethereum co-founder, is also selling his ETH, having liquidated a significant portion of his holdings to support the Ethereum Foundation.

Ethereum Co-Founder's Recent Sale

Blockchain analytics platform Onchain Lens reported that Jeffrey Wilcke, an Ethereum co-founder, has recently transferred 79,859 ETH (approximately $158.31 million at the time of reporting) to the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange in the last 24 hours. This significant transaction occurs amid Ethereum's ongoing struggles with price resilience, as the cryptocurrency trades below the crucial $2,000 mark.

Following this latest sale, Wilcke’s known wallet now holds just 16,037 ETH, which is worth around $31.66 million.

Wilcke’s Ongoing Divestiture

Since stepping back from hands-on Ethereum development in 2019 to concentrate on his own gaming enterprise, Wilcke has consistently sold off his early-allocated ETH. Thus, this recent transaction is consistent with his past actions. Over the last few years, he has transferred well over $500 million worth of ETH to the Kraken exchange. For example, last May, Wilcke moved 105,736 ETH, approximately valued at $262 million at that time, to Kraken.

Other Co-Founders Following Suit

Wilcke is not alone in offloading his Ethereum assets. Vitalik Buterin, another co-founder of Ethereum, has also been actively selling off portions of his personal ETH holdings. In January 2026, Buterin revealed his intention to liquidate 16,384 ETH to support what he termed an "austerity period" for the Ethereum Foundation.

By late February and early March 2026, Buterin had already divested over 19,300 ETH, which amounted to about $40 million.

In summary, both Wilcke and Buterin's recent sales underline a broader trend among Ethereum's founders focusing on liquidity and funding initiatives within the ecosystem.