Ethereum is off to a rocky start in 2025, and its lively developer community isn’t joyful. According to reports, Ethereum Foundation has recently moved a significant amount of ether. The foundation’s token transfer and sale transactions became more disordered when one of its employees tried to explain the situation, prompting a lot of backlash.

Since then, the last Ethereum transactions have occurred Bitcoin and other top tokens are breaking through the charts. price wise, Ether is trading between $3,200 and $3,384, which is too far from the 2021 high of $4,870.

What’s up, Ethereum Foundation?

The Ethereum Foundation, the main organization supporting blockchain development, is not helping this cause. Regardless of the intentions or overarching goals of releasing massive tranches of ETH, these moves still leave a bad taste in the mouths of most holders and supporters.

According to a recent post by Spot On Chain on Twitter/X, the foundation recently transferred another 100 ETH in exchange for 336,475 DAI. The account shows that in the first days of 2025, the foundation sold 200 ETH tokens for PLN 67,000. dollars, at an average cost of $3,361. The account added that ETH is 31% below its 2021 high of $4,878, while Bitcoin continues to retest its highs and is currently above the $109,000 level. dollars.

[ATTENTION] The Ethereum Foundation just sold another 100 $ETH for 336,475 $DAI!

A total of 200 pieces were sold $ETH ($672,000) in 2025 with an average price of $3,361 over the last 12 days.$ETH remains 31% below 2021 ATH of $4,878, while $BTC reached a novel ATH level of 109k today. dollars!… https://t.co/9CWWVsrfhj pic.twitter.com/ZOr504i1HG

— Spot On Chain (@spotonchain) January 20, 2025

Comments from Ether supporters generate negative opinions

The foundation’s latest transaction, the sale of 100 tokens, came after Josh Stark’s comments came to airy. Stark, a popular supporter of ETH, defended the foundation’s decision to sell these ETH tokens, arguing that it is still actively using the native blockchain token.

EF uses Ethereum all the time, for example, to (1) convert ETH into stables (usually @CoWSwap) and (2) paying people (grants, team members) in stables and ETH, on the mainnet and on L2. The events we run (such as Devcon and Devconnect) accept onchain payments and employ an onchain ID for tickets.

— Josh Stark (@0xstark) January 20, 2025

In a post on Twitter/X, Stark explained that the foundation uses its tokens every time. These tokens buy stablecoins, pay their people in stablecoins, and support events on the blockchain.

Some cryptocurrency observers and commentators did not like Stark’s comments. Twitter/X user WazzCrypto hit out at Stark for using an ETH “airdrop” as an explanation to support the foundation’s transactions. User @VelvetMilkman was disappointed with Stark, arguing that it is a needy excuse for using altcoins.

Meanwhile, user X Trading_Ax has a more scathing and uncompromising approach to this issue:

Their brains don’t really work at all.

Why the hell do you need 300,000 so urgently?

What POSSIBLY, as the ETHEREUM FOUNDATION, with the whole world watching, would we need a 300,000 PUBLIC SALES ORDER?

Mindless cockroaches.

Challenge Dio.

— ً (@trading_axe) January 20, 2025

Buterin sets the record straight for ETH

Many critics claim that Ethereum is losing ground compared to other blockchains, especially Solana. As such, many recommend that Ethereum stake its tokens instead of selling them to generate profits. The growing number of comments and criticism against the foundation caught the attention of Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum.

Buterin said the team also explored many options, including staking its tokens. However, regulatory issues and potential difficult fork issues prevented them from doing so. Although the current regulatory environment is cordial, the risks associated with staking remain high.

Featured image from ETF stream, chart from TradingView