Ethereum co-founder Jeffrey Wilcke transfers $262M in ETH to Kraken, causing community speculation

3 weeks ago

Ethereum (ETH) co-founder Jeffrey Wilcke transferred astir $262 cardinal worthy of ETH to a wallet labeled arsenic a Kraken deposit code connected May 20, according to on-chain data. 

The transportation of 105,736 ETH emptied astir each of Wilcke’s holdings, leaving conscionable 268.73 ETH successful his wallet. Subsequent withdrawals from the speech suggest that this could beryllium Wilcke dividing his holdings into antithetic wallets.

According to Lookonchain, a fewer minutes aft his deposit, 8 antithetic addresses withdrew the equivalent of $262 cardinal successful ETH from Kraken. This is the archetypal clip Wilcke has made a important transportation to an speech since moving $147 cardinal successful 4 transactions past year.

Despite the movement’s scale, Ethereum’s terms remained comparatively stable. As of property time, ETH was trading astatine $2,493, down 0.17% implicit the past 24 hours, mostly successful enactment with broader marketplace performance.

Notably, Ethereum has shown beardown show successful the past 30 days, climbing 72% from the lows recorded earlier this twelvemonth to a precocious of $2,737.17 connected May 13.

Past EF transfers

Ethereum transfers conducted by large figures associated with the protocol and the Ethereum Foundation (EF) often pb to scrutiny wrong the community. 

On Aug. 23, 2024, the EF transferred $94 cardinal worthy of ETH to Kraken. The determination raised concerns among assemblage members, prompting explanations from EF contributor Josh Spark and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, who said the transportation aimed to support organizations contributing to Ethereum’s development.

Subsequent Ethereum Foundation transactions continued into aboriginal 2025, with the instauration selling 300 ETH successful January alone, totaling astir $981,200.

The assemblage questioned whether the instauration should involvement its holdings alternatively than liquidate them. In response, Buterin stated that ineligible risks and the anticipation of contentious protocol upgrades had dissuaded the EF from staking astatine scale. 

However, the instauration began allocating funds to decentralized concern platforms successful February to make yield. 

The EF deposited 30,800 ETH, worthy astir $82 million, into Aave’s lending markets. Spark received an further deposit of 10,000 ETH, and Compound received 4,200 ETH. Analyst Tom Wan estimated a 1.5% yearly yield imaginable from these movements, equating to a summation of astir $1.5 cardinal based connected existent prices.

The station Ethereum co-founder Jeffrey Wilcke transfers $262M successful ETH to Kraken, causing assemblage speculation appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.

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