Vitalik sells ~17,000 ETH via CoW Protocol as ether plunges 37%
Ethereum co‑founder Vitalik Buterin reduced tracked holdings by roughly 17,000 ETH (~$43m) in February, Arkham Intelligence data shows. His wallets fell from about 241,000 ETH to ~224,000 ETH after a steady series of small sales. Many trades were routed through the DEX aggregator CoW Protocol and executed as multiple smaller swaps to limit slippage and market impact. The disposals align with a January pledge of about 16,384 ETH to fund privacy, open‑hardware and verifiable‑software projects; Buterin said funds would be deployed gradually over years. The sales occurred amid a broader market decline — ether fell roughly 37% over the prior month to near $1,900 and staking yields compressed to ~2.8% — increasing headline pressure on ETH and amplifying unrealised losses for large holders. Traders should note the slow, repeated nature of the sell program (not a single block trade), the use of CoW Protocol to minimize impact, and the wider context: a large portion of ETH supply is staked (locking supply) while yields have fallen, which can reduce liquidity and heighten volatility. Primary keywords: Vitalik Buterin, ETH sell‑off, CoW Protocol, Arkham Intelligence, ether price drop, staking yields.
Bearish
Short term: Bearish. The disclosed ~17,000‑ETH disposals add selling pressure to an already weak market, even if executed as small, staggered swaps. Routing via CoW Protocol reduces immediate slippage but does not eliminate net supply hitting the market; combined with a recent 37% price drop, these sales can trigger further short‑term downside as traders price in higher near‑term supply. Mid/long term: Mixed to slightly bearish. The sales were pledged for funding public‑goods projects and match an announced reserve deployment, reducing the chance of an unexpected large dump. However, structural factors — a high share of ETH locked in staking (reducing liquid float) and falling staking yields (~2.8%) — can amplify price moves when large holders transact. Corporate treasuries facing unrealised losses may also be forced sellers in prolonged downtrends. For traders: monitor on‑chain flows, CoW Protocol routing patterns, and staking unlock schedules; expect elevated volatility and be cautious with leveraged long positions until price stabilises or selling paces slow.