Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin made a series of transactions in February 2026 that deepened the downward wave in the market by increasing the speed of converting his assets into cash. As a result of this activity reflected in the in-blockchain data, Buterin disposed of millions of dollars of crypto money in just two days, while the Ethereum price fell below critical support levels. The liquidation process in question, which caused concern among investors, once again proved how the most influential name in the cryptocurrency world can change market balances with wallet movements.
Transition from the Savings Period to Rapid Liquidation
At the end of last January, Vitalik Buterin declared that the Ethereum Foundation had entered a period of “mild austerity” and announced that a more cautious path would be followed in resource management. Within the scope of this strategy, it was envisaged that 16,384 ETH withdrawn via the DeFi platform Aave would be used gradually over the next few years to support the goals of the foundation. However, with the beginning of February, events developed much faster than planned and the long-term vision was replaced by serial sales orders.
Data from analysis platforms such as Lookonchain and Onchain Lens reveal that Buterin has sold 8,800 Ethereum worth approximately $16 million since early February. Particularly in the first week of February, the sale of 6.6 million dollars, with an average price of 2,228 dollars, was one of the main factors that triggered the depreciation process of the digital asset. These transactions, which were stated to be aimed at improving the Foundation’s budget management, directly affected the sales pressure in the market and created a negative domino effect on investor psychology.
Price Collapse and Increased Market Volatility
Buterin’s last sale move of 1,869 units caused the Ethereum price to lose more than 5% in value on a daily basis, pushing the parity to $ 1,872. The cryptocurrency, which was hovering around $2,360 at the beginning of February, experienced a total meltdown of 22.7% due to the selling pressure of the founder. The monthly loss reached a massive 36%, reinforcing the general pessimism in the altcoin market.
Despite this dramatic drop in prices, transaction volume on the Ethereum network increased by a staggering 33%, reaching $15.24 billion. While the sharp price movements increase the mobility of speculators and opportunity-seeking investors in the market, they also show that there is a mass of people who trust in the long-term potential of Ethereum. In this period when volatility is at its peak, the speed of change of hands between corporate and individual wallets ensures deep liquidity in the market despite Buterin’s exit strategy.
