Ethereum News Today: Vitalik Buterin Reclaims Onchain Billionaire Status as ETH Surges 6.38% to $4,332

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has reclaimed his title as an “onchain billionaire,” according to blockchain analytics firm Arkham. The milestone occurred as Ethereum’s native token, Ether (ETH), returned to a price of $4,000 for the first time in eight months. At the time of publication, Buterin’s crypto holdings were valued at approximately $1.04 billion, including 240,042 ETH and smaller positions in tokens like Aave Ethereum (AETHWETH), Wrapped Ethereum (WETH), and others [1].

Buterin first became an onchain billionaire in May 2021 at age 27, when ETH reached $3,000. At that time, he held roughly 333,500 ETH, worth approximately $1.029 billion, based on Etherscan data [1]. His return to billionaire status now reflects the broader price resurgence of Ethereum and the growing demand for its ecosystem.

The recent rally in ETH has been accompanied by increased inflows into Ethereum-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Arkham noted that ETFs saw $461 million in ETH inflows on a single day, outpacing Bitcoin’s $404 million [1]. Over the past five days, U.S.-based spot Ethereum ETFs have attracted $326.6 million, compared to $253.2 million for Bitcoin ETFs, according to Farside data [1]. These figures indicate a shift in investor preference toward Ethereum in the current market cycle.

Ether’s price has climbed steadily, reaching $4,332 on Saturday, a 6.38% gain from the previous day’s levels, according to Nansen [1]. Traders are now speculating that ETH may soon surpass its all-time high of $4,878, set in November 2021. One trader, known as Ted, claimed in an X post that the milestone might be achieved “within days” [1].

Despite the optimism, Buterin has raised concerns about the increasing role of Ethereum treasury companies. In a recent interview, he warned that an overreliance on treasuries could create an “overleveraged game,” potentially leading to instability. He stated that if Ethereum were to fail in the future, it would likely be due to such systemic risks [1].

The renewed strength in Ethereum’s price and Buterin’s return to onchain billionaire status underscore the crypto market’s evolving dynamics. As institutional and retail demand converges, the long-term trajectory of Ethereum will depend on how well the network can adapt to both opportunities and risks.

Sources:

[1] Vitalik Buterin Reclaims 'Onchain Billionaire' Status – Cointelegraph, https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-vitalik-buterin-onchain-billionaire-eth-price-surging