- Ethereum co-founder Jeffrey Wilcke transfers 79,859 ETH worth $158 million
- Onchain Lens reveals massive ETH deposit to Kraken amid price weakness
- Ethereum founders continue selling holdings as ETH trades below $2,000
Large on-chain activity linked to an early Ethereum founder has captured attention across the cryptocurrency market as traders continue monitoring ETH’s ongoing price weakness below a critical psychological level. According to blockchain analytics platform Onchain Lens, Ethereum co-founder Jeffrey Wilcke deposited 79,859 ETH to the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange during the past 24 hours, with the transaction carrying an estimated value of roughly $158.31 million at the time the funds reached the trading platform.
Such sizeable transfers quickly become visible across blockchain tracking dashboards because traders closely monitor founder wallets for signs of major liquidity movements that could influence short term market sentiment and trading activity. Meanwhile, Ethereum continues facing downside pressure across broader digital asset markets, and the asset currently trades below the pivotal $2,000 level that traders often watch closely during periods of volatility and market uncertainty.
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Wilcke’s Wallet Balance Drops After Major Exchange Transfer
Blockchain data shows that Wilcke’s known wallet balance declined significantly following the latest transaction that moved tens of thousands of ETH to the Kraken exchange in a single large transfer. After the deposit reached the exchange, Wilcke’s tracked wallet now holds approximately 16,037 ETH, and the remaining holdings carry an estimated value of about $31.66 million based on current market prices.
Wilcke stepped away from direct Ethereum development activities in 2019 when he shifted focus toward building his own gaming company, although his early Ethereum allocation has continued attracting attention from analysts who monitor blockchain movements. Consequently, the recent deposit aligns with a pattern that has developed over several years as Wilcke has gradually transferred portions of his early allocated ETH holdings to centralized cryptocurrency exchanges.
Founder Wallet Transfers Continue to Appear on Ethereum Blockchain
Historical blockchain records show that Wilcke has transferred substantial amounts of ETH to the Kraken exchange several times during previous market cycles and trading periods. Over the last several years alone, those cumulative transfers have exceeded $500 million in total value, reflecting repeated movements from the founder’s wallet to the same trading platform.
One of the most notable transactions occurred in May of last year when Wilcke transferred 105,736 ETH to Kraken, and that movement carried an estimated value of roughly $262 million at the time. Wilcke is not the only Ethereum co-founder who has reduced personal holdings during the early months of 2026, as other key figures connected to the network have also executed sizable transactions.
Vitalik Buterin has also sold part of his personal ETH holdings during recent months, and those transactions have attracted attention due to his continued leadership role within the Ethereum ecosystem. Earlier in January 2026, Buterin announced plans to liquidate 16,384 ETH to fund what he described as an austerity period for the Ethereum Foundation.
Subsequent blockchain data later confirmed that those transactions progressed over several stages, and by late February and early March 2026, Buterin had sold more than 19,300 ETH valued at roughly $40 million.
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