Ethereum News Today: Ethereum Foundation's Dormant Wallet Stir Sparks Market Curiosity

A certain Ethereum Foundation-linked address recently moved 4,000 ETH after a period of nine years of dormancy, drawing attention to its activity amid a broader context of strategic ETH sales by the foundation. The Ethereum Foundation (EF) announced on September 2, 2025, via a post on X, that it would sell 10,000 ETH over several weeks through centralized exchanges to fund research and development, ecosystem grants, and related donations. The 4,000 ETH transfer, while not directly tied to the foundation’s announced sale, may reflect a broader pattern of activity involving long-dormant accounts within the Ethereum ecosystem [1].

According to CoinMarketCap, the 10,000 ETH sale is valued at approximately $43 million based on the price of ETH at the time of the announcement, which was trading around $4,330. The foundation emphasized that the conversion would occur through multiple smaller transactions to avoid market disruption, a strategy consistent with its broader approach to treasury management. This move follows the foundation’s implementation of a treasury policy in June 2025, which caps annual operational spending at 15%, establishes a multi-year reserve buffer, and outlines a path toward more sustainable and leaner spending over time [2].

The foundation has already engaged in a prior sale of 10,000 ETH to SharpLink Gaming in July 2025, marking the first time a publicly traded company purchased ETH from a key firm in the Ethereum ecosystem. This indicates a growing trend of institutional interest in Ethereum, both from corporate buyers and public market participants. Additionally, the foundation has sold 2,795 ETH, valued at about $12.7 million, in two separate transactions since announcing its treasury policy, highlighting a gradual and measured approach to asset utilization [3].

The timing of these sales coincides with a period of significant price volatility for ETH. The token reached an all-time high of $4,866 in late August 2025 before trading around $4,330 at the time of the foundation’s announcement. The surge in price was attributed in part to broader macroeconomic factors, including comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell suggesting potential adjustments to U.S. monetary policy. Over the preceding 30 days, ETH had seen a price increase of more than 23%, according to Nansen data, indicating strong investor sentiment despite occasional pullbacks [1].

In parallel, other market participants have also engaged in significant ETH-related transactions. The Yunfeng Financial Group disclosed a purchase of 10,000 ETH in the open market, and Ether Machine reported securing 150,000 ETH to build a treasury ahead of a potential Nasdaq listing. These developments reflect a broader institutionalization of Ethereum as both a technological and financial asset. Additionally, Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin has speculated that Wall Street’s increasing adoption of ETH could lead to the token surpassing Bitcoin as a “monetary base,” underscoring the growing relevance of Ethereum in traditional financial markets [2].

The Ethereum Foundation’s strategic sales and treasury management reflect a broader effort to align its financial practices with long-term sustainability goals. By spreading ETH sales over time and using proceeds to support research and development, the foundation aims to ensure the continued evolution of the Ethereum ecosystem. These actions also contribute to transparency in the management of the foundation’s assets, a critical factor in maintaining trust among developers, investors, and the wider blockchain community [1].

Source:

[1] Ethereum Foundation Unloads Another 10K ETH Following Sharplink Deal (https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2025/09/02/ethereum-foundation-unloads-another-10k-eth-following-sharplink-deal)

[2] Ethereum Foundation to Sell 10K ETH for R&D, Grants, and Donations (https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-foundation-sale-research-grants-donations)