Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said he has earmarked 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In a post on X, Buterin said the funds were withdrawn from his personal holdings and will be deployed over the next few years. He framed the move as part of a broader shift as the Ethereum Foundation enters what he called a period of “mild austerity,” while continuing to pursue an aggressive technical roadmap.
Buterin said he is also taking on responsibilities that might otherwise have been handled as special projects of the foundation. “Specifically, we are seeking the existence of an open-source, secure and verifiable full stack of software and hardware that can protect both our personal lives and our public environments,” he wrote.
The announcement outlined funding priorities focused on privacy, open infrastructure and self-sovereign tools. Buterin added that Ethereum’s development remains central, with the foundation maintaining its focus on the core blockchain layer.
Buterin earmarks ETH capital for long-term deployment
Buterin said the 16,384 ETH will be deployed gradually over the coming years, rather than spent immediately. He added that the funding may be supplemented through decentralized staking strategies designed to generate additional funding from staking rewards.
The Ethereum Foundation previously drew criticism for selling Ether (ETH) to fund activities. However, the foundation has since signaled openness to other funding strategies, including decentralized finance (DeFi) lending and staking options.
Buterin did not provide a detailed breakdown of how the funds would be allocated across specific projects.
Related: Ethereum Foundation introduces ‘Privacy Stewards for Ethereum’ and roadmap
In his post, Buterin referenced prior support for initiatives related to open silicon, privacy-preserving software and secure hardware. This included work on encrypted communications and local-first systems.
He positioned these efforts as complementary to Ethereum’s role as a decentralized base layer, rather than a shift away from blockchain development.
The foundation’s shift into a period of mild austerity follows a downward trend in ETH’s prices. According to CoinGecko, ETH traded around $3,900 in November 2025. At the time of writing, ETH hovers slightly above $2,700, a 30% decline in value in three months.
Buterin did not link the foundation’s move toward mild austerity to Ether’s price performance, framing it instead as a strategic decision about long-term priorities and resource allocation.
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