Ethereum’s Prince Drops 7‑Million when the Market Falls: A Wilde‑Wit Tale

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Vitalik Buterin, that renowned penny‑converting wizard, has dispatched millions of ETH into a market that’s all but drowning.

On the 22nd of February, Lookonchain disclosed that the Ethereum scribe leapt out of Aave’s vaulted coffers with 3,500 ETH-worth roughly $6.95 million-only to sell 571 of those tokens for a splash of $1.13 million within hours.

The Arteful Arc of a Vanishing Act

This abrupt alchemy starkly contrasts the grandiose long‑term visions the 32‑year‑old chronicler had proclaimed. A fortnight earlier, he draped the Ethereum Foundation in a veil of “mild austerity,” promising a tapestry of strategic releases over forthcoming years. Instead, it’s been a swift tide: since February 2nd, he has off‑loaded more than 7,380 ETH for about $15.5 million at an average rate of $2,100.

Vitalik (@VitalikButerin) has again sold 428.57 $ETH for $850,178 $GHO and is likely to sell further.

Since Feb 2nd, he has sold 7,386 $ETH for $15.51M at a price of $2,100.

Address: 0xfEB016D0D14AC0Fa6d69199608B0776d007203B2

– Onchain Lens (@OnchainLens) February 22, 2026

Coupled with today’s payouts, the architect hath liquidated more than half of his austerity reserve in under a month’s span.

Such concentrated scarcities from Ethereum’s chief conjurer arrive at a fraught juncture. The token’s price has plummeted 30% over the past month, trotting just below the quaint psychological support line of $2,000.

When the ledgers tremble, investors whisper that rapid founder liquidations amidst steep troughs are but harbingers of the bleak. The Socialist of blockchains may claim that the figure speaks nothing of intent.

Nonetheless, some sophisticated minds contend the asset is flashing in its eagerness to be sold. Data from Santiment indicates Ethereum’s 30‑day Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) ratio signals a severe technical discount.

The MVRV metric-an oracle that juxtaposes market cap against realized value to gauge average holder profitability-currently places ETH on a 14.3% deficit.

According to Santiment, Ethereum eclipses other cryptos as the most aggressively discounted asset over the last month. Bitcoin lags at a 6.9% undervaluation, Chainlink at 5.1%, XRP at 4.1% and Cardano at 2%.

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2026-02-22 14:45