Vitalik Buterin, the mastermind behind Ethereum, is once again basking in the glory of being a ten-figure crypto holder. This milestone came swiftly after Ether crossed the $4,000 threshold for the first time in eight months, leaving many crypto enthusiasts on edge. According to blockchain intelligence firm Arkham, Buterin's portfolio now stands at a whopping $1.028 billion. With a solid 240,042 ETH in his possession, along with some smaller investments in cryptocurrencies like Aave Ethereum (AETHWETH), WhiteRock (WHITE), Moo Deng (MOODENG), and Wrapped Ethereum (WETH), he’s not doing too bad.

I mean, come on, being a billion-dollar crypto whale again? Pretty impressive!

Ether’s Price Surge and the ETF Boom

Ether’s price action has been absolutely wild. On Saturday, ETH climbed an eye-popping 6.38%, reaching a high of $4,332, the highest it’s been since December 2024. By the time this article was published, Ether was sitting at $4,199, with traders eagerly predicting that ETH is about to break its all-time high of $4,878 from November 2021. I’m not saying it’s guaranteed, but one crypto trader on X is practically calling it a done deal in "just a matter of days."

Now here’s where it gets spicy: if Ether’s price hits $4,500, it could send about $1.35 billion worth of short positions to the chopping block. Talk about a potential short squeeze! And to top things off, Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have been seeing some serious traction. Arkham highlighted a major flow difference, with ETH ETFs pulling in $461M while Bitcoin ETFs lagged behind at $404M. I think it’s safe to say investors are pretty hyped about Ethereum's future.

Looking at the bigger picture, US-based spot Ether ETFs have seen $326.6 million in net inflows over the last five trading days, leaving Bitcoin in the dust with just $253.2 million.

Vitalik Buterin’s portfolio
Vitalik Buterin’s portfolio. Source: Arkham

But let’s not forget about the man of the hour, Vitalik Buterin. He first made his appearance as a crypto billionaire at the ripe age of 27 back in May 2021 when Ether crossed $3,000. At that time, Buterin held roughly 333,500 ETH, worth around $1.029 billion. Back then, Ether had exploded from a humble $700 at the beginning of 2021.

Now, let’s take a quick stroll down memory lane. In October 2018, Buterin admitted that he’d never owned more than 0.9% of the total ETH supply and his net worth “never came close” to hitting the billion-dollar mark. Fast forward a few years, and here he is, dominating the crypto world once more.

That said, not everything is smooth sailing. Buterin has recently spoken out against the rise of Ethereum treasury companies, warning that overleveraging might lead to a downfall. I don’t know about you, but I think Vitalik’s keeping a sharp eye on things.

In conclusion, Buterin's return to the billion-dollar club, combined with the continued momentum of Ethereum, makes it clear that this crypto king is here to stay.

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