Ethereum Co-Founder Vitalik Buterin Discloses His Income

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently disclosed that his annual salary at the Ethereum Foundation amounts to 182,000 SGD, approximately $139,500. This figure, however, pales in comparison to Buterin’s personal wealth, which soared to $1.5 billion in 2022, as reported by Forbes. Data from the blockchain analytics platform Arkham Intelligence indicates that Buterin currently holds around $625 million worth of cryptocurrencies.

Shifting focus to the Ethereum Foundation’s expenditure, Buterin shared insights from Josh Stark regarding the organization’s financial outlays. The largest portion of the foundation’s spending goes towards “New Institutions,” aiming to foster new entities that could support the Ethereum community. This category encompasses grants to various organizations like the Nomic Foundation and 0xPARC Foundation.

Internally, the Ethereum Foundation allocates resources to teams such as Geth, Solodigy, Devcon, and Next Billion, which operate transparently and share information about their activities openly. Externally, the foundation consistently provides grants to projects like Xerxis, Espacio Cripto, ETHKL, Borderless Africa, and Nethermind.

The Ethereum Foundation has faced scrutiny for its transfers to exchanges, which are sometimes seen as indicators of market trends. Notably, a significant transfer by the foundation on August 23, the largest of 2024, drew attention. Stark emphasized the foundation’s transparent on-chain treasury, making it easy to verify the source of transfers.

In conclusion, Buterin’s revelation about his salary sheds light on the financial aspects of the Ethereum Foundation, showcasing its commitment to supporting new initiatives within the Ethereum ecosystem while maintaining transparency in its financial operations.