Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin Reclaims Billionaire Status
Ethereum’s co-founder, Vitalik Buterin, has once again entered the billionaire ranks after the price of Ethereum (ETH) surpassed $4,000, a milestone last seen in December 2024. This increase in ETH’s value has pushed Buterin’s on-chain portfolio to over $1 billion, with his core holding consisting of 240,042 ETH.
Buterin’s portfolio also includes smaller allocations in various tokens, such as Aave Ethereum (Aeth), Whiterock (Wite), Moo Deng (Mood), and wrapped Ethereum (WETH). The blockchain intelligence agency, Arkham, reported that Buterin’s on-chain portfolio is now valued at approximately $1.04 billion.
Ether Price Surges to $4,332
Over the weekend, Ether expanded its rally, rising by 6.38% to $4,332 on Saturday after breaking the $4,000 barrier on Friday. At the time of writing, ETH is trading at $4,244. This price surge has renewed optimism among traders, with some predicting a potential test of the all-time high of $4,878 reached in November 2021.
Crypto analyst Ted believes that a new all-time high is “only a question of days,” citing the recent breakout as evidence. Market data suggests that a move to $4,500 could trigger a significant short squeeze, with Coinglass estimating that short positions worth around $1.35 billion could be liquidated if this level is reached.
Institutional Interest in ETH Grows
Arkham also noted an emerging shift in ETF flows, with Ether favored over Bitcoin. On Friday, ETH ETFs recorded $461 million in inflows, exceeding Bitcoin ETFs at $404 million. In the last five trading sessions, US Spot Ether ETFs have registered $326 million in net inflows, compared to $253.2 million for Bitcoin ETFs.
This growing institutional interest in ETH is a significant development, with companies like Bitmine Immersion Technologies adding to their crypto reserves. Last week, the company, chaired by Tom Lee of Fundstrat, added 208,137 ETH to its holdings, increasing its total stock to 833,137 ETH, now worth over $3 billion.
Buterin Warns of Risks Behind ETH Treasury Boom
While ETH’s recent run has been fueled by institutional inflows and corporate adoption, Buterin has cautioned against the risks behind the trend. In a recent interview, he warned that excessive leverage within ETH treasury crowds could pose long-term risks, stating that if the government bonds were to lead to the downfall of ETH, it would likely be due to the market being turned into an “over-leveraged game.”
Buterin’s warning serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible investment and risk management in the crypto market. As ETH continues to surge, it remains to be seen whether the coin can sustain its momentum and reach new heights, or if the warnings of Buterin and others will prove prophetic.
