Vitalik Buterin sells $SHIB and $AWESOME memes to mint DAI

• Vitalik Buterin sells meme coins and mints DAI on Ethereum.
• Transactions influence market dynamics and prices.
• Ethereum maintains stability despite transactions.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin made significant transactions on the blockchain on March 18, 2025, which drew attention in the cryptocurrency space. Buterin sold several meme coins, accumulating 71,69 ETH, and simultaneously minted 315.382 DAI, a stablecoin widely used in the Ethereum ecosystem. These movements were monitored and reported by OnchainLens, highlighting Buterin’s continued influence on the market.

#Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin minted 315,382 DAI and sold several meme tokens, including SHIB and FML, for a total of 71.69 $ ETH (approximately $136,684), according to OnchainLens data.

It's good, right? 🤣 pic.twitter.com/J8SyLWT5jr

— Kropka… (@KropaKropowski) March 18, 2025

The sales included tokens like SHIB and AWESOME, exemplifying Buterin’s practice of dumping unclaimed token airdrops. This strategy is not only a purge of his portfolio, but also reflects a cautious approach to the hype surrounding meme coins. “These continuous trades allow me to experiment with liquidity while also influencing the markets,” Buterin says.

Market reaction to these transactions has been mixed. While some analysts see it as a strategic move, others are wary of the potential volatility such moves could trigger. Dohrnii Labs, for example, has expressed interest in acquiring Buterin’s DHN tokens in an over-the-counter (OTC) transaction, with the aim of mitigating potential market impacts from these sales.