Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said he has committed 16,384 Ether, worth about $45 million, to support privacy-preserving technologies, open hardware and secure, verifiable software systems.
In a post on X Buterin he said the funds were taken from his personal resources and will be used over the next few years. He described the move as part of a broader shift as the Ethereum Foundation enters what he called a period of “soft austerity” while continuing its aggressive technical roadmap.
Buterin said he also takes on responsibilities that might otherwise be handled by the foundation’s special projects. “Specifically, we are looking for the existence of a secure and verifiable full stack of open source software and hardware that can protect both our personal lives and the public environment,” he wrote.
The announcement identified funding priorities focusing on privacy, open infrastructure and sovereignty tools. Buterin added that Ethereum’s development remains crucial and the foundation remains focused on the underlying blockchain layer.
Buterin is committing ETH capital to long-term implementation
Buterin said the 16,384 ETH would be rolled out gradually over the coming years, rather than issued immediately. He added that funding could be supplemented through decentralized staking strategies that aim to generate additional funding from staking rewards.
The Ethereum Foundation has previously faced criticism for selling Ether (ETH) to fund its activities. However, the foundation has since signaled openness to other financing strategies, including decentralized finance (DeFi) lending and staking options.
Buterin did not provide a detailed breakdown of funds for individual projects.
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In his post, Buterin referenced past support for initiatives related to open silicon, privacy-preserving software and secure hardware. This included work on encrypted communications and local systems.
He saw these efforts as complementing Ethereum’s role as a decentralized base layer, rather than a departure from blockchain development.
The foundation’s transition to a period of delicate savings is due to the downward trend in ETH prices. According to to CoinGecko, the ETH price in November 2025 was around $3,900. As of this writing, the price of ETH is hovering just above $2,700, representing a 30% decline in value in three months.
Buterin did not link the foundation’s move toward gentle savings to Ether’s price performance, instead characterizing it as a strategic decision about long-term priorities and resource allocation.
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