Who is Vitalik Buterin?

Vitalik Buterin, born January 31, 1994, in Kolomna, Russia, is a Russian-Canadian programmer, writer, and co-founder of Ethereum. He moved to Canada at age six, showing early skill in mathematics, programming, and economics. In high school, his interest in technology deepened, leading him to explore Bitcoin and blockchain systems.

In 2011, he co-founded Bitcoin Magazine, publishing analyses that built his reputation in the crypto community. By late 2013, he authored the Ethereum white paper, proposing a blockchain for smart contracts and decentralized applications. Working with Gavin Wood, Charles Hoskinson, Anthony Di Iorio, and Joseph Lubin, he launched Ethereum in July 2015.

Ethereum has since become the backbone of decentralized finance, NFTs, and Web3, ranking as the second-largest blockchain by market value. His achievements include the Thiel Fellowship (2014) and an honorary doctorate from the University of Basel (2018). 

He remains active in Ethereum’s development, regularly publishing research on scaling, privacy, and cryptography at vitalik.eth.limo, and speaks at global conferences on the future of decentralized networks.

Vitalik Buterin Net Worth in 2025

As of August 2025, Vitalik Buterin’s net worth is about $1.04 billion, based on onchain portfolio data and current ETH prices. Blockchain intelligence firm Arkham reports he holds 240,042 ETH, worth over $1.02 billion at an ETH price of roughly $4,244.

His wallet also contains smaller positions in Aave Ethereum (AETHWETH), WhiteRock (WHITE), Moo Deng (MOODENG), and Wrapped Ethereum (WETH), collectively valued in the millions. 

While his total fluctuates with crypto markets, ETH holdings remain the main source of his wealth, making him one of the largest known individual holders of the asset.

What Vitalik’s Net Worth Would Be If He Never Sold His ETH

Data from Arkham shows that Vitalik Buterin once held over 700,000 ETH in the early days of Ethereum. Over time, his balance has steadily declined through sales, transfers, and major donations. Today, his holdings sit at 240,042 ETH, worth about $1.02 billion at current prices.

If he had retained his peak balance, his ETH alone would now be valued at over $3 billion, excluding any other assets or investments. This illustrates how his philanthropic commitments and asset diversification have significantly reduced his onchain net worth, even as ETH prices have reached multi-year highs.

Vitalik Buterin’s Onchain DeFi Positions

As of August 2025, onchain data shows Vitalik Buterin holds about $12.33 million in Aave V3, making it his largest active DeFi position. He also has roughly $41,300 in Maker and $220 in Aave V2.

These positions make up only a small share of his net worth but show he participates in DeFi beyond Ethereum’s base layer. 

Vitalik Buterin’s Investments

Vitalik Buterin invests in Ethereum-focused infrastructure, privacy protocols, and high-impact scientific research. His portfolio prioritises projects that improve blockchain scalability, enhance user privacy, and support applied science with measurable outcomes.

Below is a verified, chronological list of his angel investments and grants based on our analysis:

• StarkWare ($6M, May 10, 2018): Seed investment in the STARK-based scaling firm behind Starknet.
• Aztec Labs ($17M, Oct 6, 2021): Series A investment in a zero-knowledge privacy protocol.
• Nomic Foundation / Hardhat ($15M, Feb 9, 2022): Contributor to a funding round for Ethereum developer tooling.
• Kakarot Labs (Undisclosed, Jun 2, 2023): Investor in Kakarot zkEVM, a Cairo-based Layer 2 stack on Starknet.
• Orchid (Undisclosed, 2023): Investor in a reproductive-genomics healthcare technology company.
• Nocturne Labs ($6M, Oct 25, 2023): Seed investment in a protocol enabling private Ethereum accounts.
• Polymarket ($45M, May 14, 2024): Participated in a raise for the onchain prediction market.
• MegaETH ($20M, Jun 27, 2024): Angel in a seed round for an Ethereum-aligned, real-time Layer 2 leveraging modular data availability.
• RISE Chain ($3.2M, Sep 16, 2024): Angel investment in a “Gigagas” Layer 2 focused on real-time performance.
• Varro Life Sciences ($20M, Oct 31, 2024): Personal grant for pathogen biosensor hardware and assays.
• 0xbow / Privacy Pools (Undisclosed, Apr 2025): Backed the team implementing Privacy Pools on Ethereum.

Final Thoughts

Vitalik Buterin’s wealth is anchored in Ethereum, with over $1 billion in ETH and a portfolio that extends into DeFi, Layer 2 networks, privacy protocols, and scientific research. 

His history of large-scale donations and early ETH sales shows a willingness to trade potential personal gains for ecosystem growth and philanthropic impact.

For investors, tracking his onchain activity offers rare insight into the priorities and convictions of one of crypto’s most influential builders.