In brief
- •The Ethereum Foundation sold 1,000 ETH via CoW Swap, totaling 4.5 million dollars.
- •It funds grants, network priorities, and urgent crypto projects with these stable funds.
- •The strategy follows strict rules: 15% annual spending and 2.5 years of reserves.
- •The sale via DeFi, rather than an exchange, embodies their commitment to cypherpunk values.
This Friday, the Ethereum Foundation exchanged 1,000 ETH, approximately 4.5 million dollars, for stablecoins via CoW Swap. This choice of a decentralized protocol is not anecdotal: it reflects a strong commitment to a resilient crypto ecosystem independent of traditional banks.
This sale is part of rigorous management, governed by a simple but effective formula: 15% of the annual treasury in expenditures (Opex) and 2.5 years of reserve. The goal? To ensure financial autonomy without compromising the organization’s long-term mission.
Unlike the 10,000 ETH operation announced last September, this liquidation is targeted and contextual. The Foundation is not giving up ETH, it optimizes it. And this choice to go through DeFi — rather than a centralized platform — confirms its attachment to the founding values of Web3.
So, this is neither a flight nor a sell signal. It’s a strategic rebalancing designed to finance key Ethereum network projects in 2025 and 2026.
A bold crypto strategy to support Ethereum builders
Beyond the financial mechanics, this transaction tells a vision. The Ethereum Foundation wants to set an example: if you believe in crypto, you use it to run the ecosystem, not to bypass it.
It is in this spirit that one of the influential community accounts commented:
1000 ETH today ≠ weakness. It’s fuel for R&D, grants, and the builders who ensure Ethereum remains neutral, resilient, and eternal. This is how a protocol sustains itself for decades.
Behind this liquidation is thus a real program: to promote auditable DeFi initiatives, reduce dependence on oracles, and support impact projects.
In brief: 4 key points to remember
- •Amount exchanged: 1,000 ETH ≈ $4.5M, via CoW Swap, without going through centralized exchanges;
- •Opex strategy: 15% annual spending and 2.5 years of stable fiat reserve;
- •Use of funds: targeted grants, network priorities, funding urgent needs;
- •DeFi vision: priority to open-source, decentralized, and robust projects.
The Ethereum Foundation injects millions into the ecosystem, but a paradox remains: key developers, real pillars of this digital infrastructure, remain underpaid. A tension that the organization will need to quickly resolve if it wants to continue attracting top talent, while honoring its commitments to crypto ethics and sustainable innovation.