The turbulence in the crypto market over the last week has been costly for many high-profile investors, and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is no exception.
Key Takeaways:
- Vitalik Buterin’s net worth is currently estimated at $706.9M.
- ~98% of his wealth is tied to Ethereum, making his fortune extremely sensitive to ETH price swings.
- Last week’s crypto sell-off reduced his portfolio by about $71.7M.
- Memecoins in his wallets were airdropped without his consent and are not active investments.
New on-chain tracking shows that his personal fortune has slipped noticeably during the recent sell-off, bringing renewed attention to how his assets are allocated.
Nearly all of Buterin’s wealth moves with ETH
Buterin’s net worth is now estimated at about $706.9 million, and the reason his fortune fluctuates so sharply becomes obvious when reviewing his wallets: almost everything he owns is tied directly to Ethereum’s price.
Across ten addresses publicly linked to him, he controls 241,011 ETH, a stash valued at roughly $696.1 million at current market levels. The dominance is so extreme that Ethereum represents roughly 98% of his total portfolio, something rarely seen among founders of major crypto projects who often diversify.
A smaller share sits in 2,921 AETHWETH supplied through Aave v3, another position that rises and falls in tandem with ETH rather than providing independent exposure.
Memecoins appear — but not by choice
The remaining balances inside Buterin’s wallets look chaotic at first glance:
tokens such as WHITE, MOODENG, and KNC add up to millions of dollars on paper.
However, none of these were strategic investments. They were airdropped to his wallet without consent, a tactic meme projects frequently use to imply celebrity backing.
These unsolicited coins include:
- around $1.28 million in WHITE
- MOODENG holdings shown at approximately $385.8 million plus a second allocation nominally labeled at $30 billion (not liquid)
- roughly $235,400 worth of KNC from the early DeFi era
Most of these assets cannot be sold at stated valuations due to liquidity limits — meaning they inflate the headline numbers without reflecting real spending power.
The market drop explains the sudden shift in his net worth
Over the past week, Bitcoin and altcoins both corrected sharply.
Since almost all of Buterin’s wealth is tied to ETH — not diversified equity or stablecoins — his net valuation slid quickly as prices fell. The decline over the last seven days is calculated at approximately $71.74 million.
Despite the volatility, Buterin has repeatedly signaled disinterest in shifting toward a diversified portfolio. His continued commitment to concentrating almost all of his holdings in ETH reinforces his long-standing message: he is betting on Ethereum for the long run, not rotating into safer assets.
The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. Coindoo.com does not endorse or recommend any specific investment strategy or cryptocurrency. Always conduct your own research and consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
Alex is an experienced financial journalist and cryptocurrency enthusiast. With over 8 years of experience covering the crypto, blockchain, and fintech industries, he is well-versed in the complex and ever-evolving world of digital assets. His insightful and thought-provoking articles provide readers with a clear picture of the latest developments and trends in the market. His approach allows him to break down complex ideas into accessible and in-depth content. Follow his publications to stay up to date with the most important trends and topics.
Source: https://coindoo.com/98-of-vitalik-buterins-wealth-still-in-ethereum-despite-market-drop/