Ethereum Foundation moves $654M in ETH as price rebounds

Key Takeaways

Why is the EF in the news?

The Ethereum Foundation moved 160,000 ETH between internal wallets, marking its first major on-chain activity in months.

Was there a sale?

No ETH was sent to exchanges, and analysts view the move as non-market activity linked to internal operations.

The Ethereum Foundation [EF] has transferred 160,000 ETH, worth roughly $654 million, between its internal wallets, according to on-chain data from Lookonchain.

The large movement, first flagged by Lookonchain, is one of the Foundation’s biggest single transfers of 2025. 

It originated from an address and was sent to a Gnosis Safe-controlled EF wallet. This suggests the activity was an internal treasury reorganization rather than an exchange deposit.

A routine shuffle or market signal?

While Ethereum Foundation transactions often spark community speculation, no ETH from this transfer appears to have been sent to centralized exchanges. 

In the past, Foundation-related moves have preceded sales. The sales also drew criticisms from observers, bringing each move from the Foundation under more scrutiny.

However, Arkham’s latest data shows all 160,000 ETH remain within EF-controlled wallets. Analysts interpret this as a custodial or multi-signature update, possibly linked to security or treasury management improvements.

Ethereum price rebounds above $4,000

Despite the massive transfer, market reaction has been calm. Ethereum’s price rose 2.82% in the past 12 hours, reclaiming the $4,000 level after briefly dipping below $3,600 earlier this week.

Source: TradingView

The Awesome Oscillator (AO) shows a shift toward bullish momentum, with green bars emerging after a prolonged period of bearish pressure.

This suggests that traders are not viewing the transfer as a signal of potential liquidation.

Why this matters

The Ethereum Foundation remains one of the most closely watched entities in crypto due to its large holdings and historical influence on ETH’s price trends. 

Any wallet movement exceeding $100 million often triggers speculation about market timing or strategic treasury shifts.

However, the current evidence indicates a non-market transaction, with no ETH moved to exchanges and no unusual selling pressure observed in derivatives markets.

Market outlook

ETH’s technical outlook has improved slightly, with resistance near $4,200 and support holding at $3,700. If momentum persists, a breakout above $4,250 could signal a short-term continuation toward $4,500.

For now, the Ethereum Foundation’s on-chain posture remains neutral, reinforcing the perception that this latest move is part of internal operations, not a prelude to a sell-off.