💥 Earthquake in the Crypto World? Ethereum Founder Cashes Out Over $6 Billion, Who is Quietly Exiting?

"The biggest problem with ETH? Too many coins are in the hands of large holders." — Newton (jokingly)

As the world's second-largest crypto asset, Ethereum has grown to become the king of smart contracts over the past decade. However, its creators are one by one selling their holdings, with some even completely cashing out — what signals are hidden behind this?

🎯 Legendary High Point Sales: Foundation Precise as a Sniper

As one of the core promoters, the Ethereum Foundation has been continuously selling ETH over the years to provide funding for the ecosystem. But astonishingly, they have almost always sold at high points:

2017 Bull Market Peak: Sold about 70,000 coins, close to $1,200, considered a "divine operation"

Mid-2021 Bull Market: Sold another 35,000 coins, around $3,500

Just Before 2021 Peak: Precisely sold 20,000 coins, close to $4,700

2022-2024: Sold about 15,000 coins sporadically

Total: Sold about 130,000 to 160,000 ETH, currently still holding about 240,000 coins, with a market value exceeding $600 million.

🧍 Vitalik & Other Founders: Quietly Cashing Out, Gradually Exiting

Vitalik

Initial Holdings: About 500,000 coins

Multiple Donations + Sales, still holding about 250,000 coins

No signs of a complete cash-out, but continuously "lightening the load"

Other Founders

Most have left the main Ethereum development line, gradually cashing out assets for new projects or personal financial arrangements

Many have already realized cash outs of millions or even hundreds of millions

💣 Breaking News! Wilcke Cashes Out $260 Million, May Fully Exit

In May 2025, a massive transfer shocked the on-chain world:

Jeffrey Wilcke, an early developer, transferred all of his remaining 105,737 ETH (about $262 million)

Has cumulatively sold nearly 394,000 ETH, cashing out over $500 million

Current wallet has only leftovers, this could very well be a complete "goodbye"

He was the author of the Ethereum core client, and today’s transfer symbolizes a formal exit from the "founder stage".

📉 What do these large sales mean for the market?

Although founder sell-offs are often seen as "bearish news", from a macro perspective:

Foundation selling coins → Supporting the ecosystem, not cashing out and running away

Individual founders are no longer involved in core development, selling coins is a personal action

Ethereum's decentralization has matured, no longer reliant on the "founder halo".