The Ethereum Foundation has sold 100 ETH to a third party for $336.475.
On Jan. 20, blockchain analytical firm SpotOnChain reported that this marks the foundation’s second sale of Ethereum in 2025, bringing its total sales to 200 ETH (valued at $672,000).
These transactions have reignited discussions within the Ethereum community about the foundation’s approach to managing its resources.
Buy or stake?
Some critics believe that the EF shouldn’t sell its ETH but instead stake them to earn yields. They believe such an approach aligns more closely with Ethereum’s goals and supports long-term sustainability.
Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, addressed the controversy on X, explaining that regulatory concerns and the potential for contentious hard forks influenced the decision to sell rather than stake.
Although regulatory pressures may have eased somewhat, there is still a concern about the possibility of staking forcing EFs to choose sides in divisive upgrade debates.
Buterin said that the EF continues to explore ways of using its ETH assets more efficiently. This includes staking. But these are early efforts, and the foundation still seeks to find solutions in line with its larger mission.
SpotOnChain also suggested the EF look at future sales through over-the counter (OTC).
The platform argued that such an approach would reduce public scrutiny and improve the community’s perception of the foundation’s financial management. The platform stated that:
“Nobody wants to see the EF continuously dumping ETH on them.”
Ethereum Foundation Restructuring
This development comes as the EF goes through a major leadership restructuring.
On Jan. 18, Buterin highlighted efforts to restructure the foundation’s leadership to strengthen collaboration with developers, wallet providers, and Layer-2 networks.
This restructuring emphasizes decentralization, privacy, and open-source innovation, aligning with Ethereum’s core principles.
Buterin, according to:
“[EF would] become more actively supportive of app builders, and make sure important values and inalienable rights (esp privacy, open source, censorship resistance) are a reality for users including at the app layer.”
Buterin stressed, despite these changes, that the foundation would maintain its neutrality and refrain from engaging in political lobbying, or supporting specific interests. The EF instead will empower developers to foster innovation in the Ethereum ecosystem.
Meanwhile, these discussions also attracted Aave CEO Stani Kulechov, who proposed fundamental changes to the EF’s operational and financial strategies.
His proposals included reducing operational costs, diversifying the Treasury, and creating a revenue model with a long-term outlook. Kulechov’s proposals included streamlining the EF’s workforce to focus on technical expertise and eliminating inefficiencies to enhance financial stability.
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