Updated on:12/18/2025 04:48 PM 
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has demonstrated his commitment to philanthropy by converting substantial portions of his memecoin portfolio into charitable donations, setting an example for the cryptocurrency community.
In a significant move revealed through an Oct. 7 post on X, Buterin sold 10 billion Moodeng tokens, raising 308.69 ETH (approximately $762,000) to support anti-airborne-disease technologies. According to on-chain analysis platform Lookonchain, the Ethereum pioneer subsequently donated 260 ETH (around $637,000) to Kanro, a biotechnology charity platform dedicated to medical research.
Despite his charitable contributions, Buterin maintains substantial holdings of approximately 40 billion Moodeng tokens, currently valued at $3.66 million. Notably, his transaction caused a temporary 21% decline in Moodeng's value, with the token trading at $0.1077 at the time of reporting.
This recent transaction follows Buterin's previous memecoin liquidation just two days prior, when he converted four tokens—Moodeng, Neiro, Degen, Kabosu, and USDT—for 140.67 ETH (roughly $341,000). The proceeds from this sale led to a $240,000 donation to Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm's legal defense fund, marking the third instance of Buterin supporting Storm's legal battle.
"Vitalik's consistent support has been crucial to our defense efforts," expressed Storm in a grateful X post following the contribution.
Market analysts observe that these transactions reflect Buterin's systematic approach to utilizing memecoin wealth for social impact. Earlier in 2023, he previously liquidated animal-themed meme coins, donating $532,000 worth of ETH to the Animal Welfare Fund, establishing a pattern of converting digital asset gains into meaningful charitable contributions.
Beyond his personal philanthropy, Buterin has issued guidance to memecoin creators regarding charitable giving. In his recent communications, the Ethereum advocate encourages developers to direct donations to charitable causes rather than sending tokens to him personally.
"I would prefer if creators donated directly to causes they care about rather than sending tokens to me," Buterin stated in his X post. "Consider forming decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) to involve your communities in the donation process."
Buterin further emphasized the potential positive impact of memecoins when directed toward meaningful causes, suggesting that these often-maligned digital assets could serve as powerful tools for social good when utilized thoughtfully by their creators and communities.
This approach aligns with broader trends in the cryptocurrency space, where digital wealth increasingly funds innovative solutions to global challenges, demonstrating the evolving role of blockchain technology in modern philanthropy.
