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Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin moves 50.25 ETH through Privacy Pools

According to Onchain Lens (blockchain tracking service), the Ethereum co-founder transferred about $113,000 worth of ETH using Privacy Pools (privacy-focused transaction tool).

ETH

Fact Check
The claim is strongly supported by multiple independent news outlets (CryptoNews, PANews, Phemex, RootData, TechFlow, Binance Square) and two X posts, all published on May 15, 2026. Every source consistently reports the same specific figures: 50.25 ETH and approximately $113,000. All sources trace the on-chain observation back to Onchain Lens, a blockchain tracking service, which is the expected primary originator for this type of transaction data. The CryptoNews article provides additional corroborating context — Privacy Pools is a real, live protocol co-authored by Buterin and launched on mainnet in March 2025 — making the transfer plausible and purposeful. No conflicting or debunking reports were found. The minor residual uncertainty (5%) reflects the inability to directly verify the raw Onchain Lens post or the on-chain transaction hash within this run.
Summary

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin transferred 50.25 ETH, valued at about $113,000, through Privacy Pools, according to monitoring by Onchain Lens (blockchain tracking service). The transaction highlights the use of privacy-focused tools on public blockchains, where transfers are visible onchain even when users seek stronger transactional privacy.

Terms & Concepts
  • Privacy Pools: A privacy-focused crypto tool designed to help users make blockchain transactions less traceable while attempting to separate legitimate funds from illicit activity.
  • ETH: The native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain, used to pay transaction fees and interact with blockchain applications.
  • Onchain monitoring: The practice of tracking publicly visible blockchain transactions and wallet activity using analytics tools or data services.