Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin possesses over 240,000 ETH, valued at around $467 million as per insights from blockchain analytics firm Arkham. This substantial holding positions Buterin as the largest identifiable individual Ethereum holder, yet institutional entities and exchange wallets lead the overall standings.

Buterin’s Portfolio and Transactions

Based on Arkham’s findings, Buterin’s Ethereum inventory has diminished from 662,810 ETH in December 2015 (constituting 0.91% of total supply) to 240,010 ETH today (approximately 0.20% of circulating supply). This reduction is attributed to periodic sales and increases in the network’s inflationary supply. Additionally, he owns smaller stakes in various tokens, including 10 billion WHITE valued at roughly $1.16 million, 30 billion MOODENG valued at about $442,000, and 869,509 KNC tokens.

He also holds about $11,000 in Tornado Cash’s TORN token, previously utilized for donations, including funds sent to Ukraine. Recent transactions indicate that Buterin has been actively managing his assets, including a withdrawal of 16,384 ETH (valued at approximately $43 million) in late January 2026 to support open-source projects.

This follows his declaration of a period of ‘mild austerity’ at the Ethereum Foundation where he has taken on funding obligations to ensure the foundation’s sustainability, resulting in sales of around 2,961 ETH worth about $6.6 million through the CoW Protocol to minimize market impact.

Market Insight

Arkham’s broader analysis reveals that significant Ethereum holdings are largely centralized within institutions and exchanges. For example, the ETH2 beacon deposit contract manages over 60% of total supply, with entities like Binance, BlackRock, and Coinbase among the largest stakeholders.

Wealth Trends and Philanthropy

Buterin’s net worth closely tracks the erratic price movements of Ethereum, which comprises over 99% of known assets. He briefly reached billionaire status in 2021 when ETH surged above $3,000. However, a severe market downturn by December 2022 saw his wealth plummet by nearly 75%. Despite this, rising prices in 2025 saw his net worth rise above $1 billion, although recent market adjustments have reduced valuations again.

His wealth is largely derived from the Ethereum pre-sale in 2014, where 16.53% of the initial 72 million ETH were allocated to founders. A $100,000 Thiel Fellowship grant allowed Buterin to fully commit to Ethereum’s development, contrasting with many founders who have substantial investments in centralized firms—Buterin’s wealth remains liquid and tied directly to the Ethereum network he co-created.