Vitalik Buterin: Everything about the founder of Ethereum

Who is Vitalik Buterin?

Vitalik Buterin is the founder and creator of Ethereum, the largest open-source blockchain platform in the world after Bitcoin.

The programmer was born on January 31, 1994, in Kolomna, Russia, but moved to Canada with his family at a young age. Even in elementary school, Buterin proved to be exceptionally gifted. His IQ is estimated to be around 160, placing him intellectually alongside geniuses such as Einstein and Hawking.

From his teenage years, Buterin was fascinated by economics, programming, and mathematics. When he discovered Bitcoin in 2011, at the age of 17, he began actively experimenting with the blockchain’s code. In addition, he wrote articles about Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies for various online platforms. He also co-founded Bitcoin Magazine together with Mihai Alisie, an entrepreneur and blockchain pioneer from Romania.

He saw the potential of crypto and blockchain technology and wanted to create more use cases. This eventually led to the development of Ethereum in 2015 — a platform that, besides serving as a digital payment system, also enables developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts.

Key Takeaways

• Vitalik Buterin is the founder and creator of Ethereum, born in 1994 in Russia and moved to Canada at a young age.
• Vitalik Buterin is known for his exceptionally high IQ of about 160 and his early interest in mathematics, economics, and programming.
• At a young age, Vitalik Buterin co-founded Bitcoin Magazine with Mihai Alisie, establishing his reputation in the crypto world.
• Buterin conceived Ethereum in 2013 to expand blockchain use beyond payments, enabling the creation of dApps and smart contracts.
• With more than 240,000 ETH and a net worth exceeding 1 billion dollars, Vitalik Buterin is one of the most influential figures in the crypto world.

Vitalik Buterin’s Girlfriend

Vitalik Buterin prefers to keep his private life private. Little is known about his romantic relationships. However, it is known that he has (or had) a relationship with Aya Miyaguchi. She is the executive director of the Ethereum Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports the development of the Ethereum network and plays an important role in its policies and growth. She is recognized as one of the most influential women in the crypto world — not surprising, considering she leads the second-largest blockchain network in the world.

How much Ethereum does Vitalik Buterin own?

Vitalik Buterin owns more than 240,000 ETH, which as of October 7, 2025, is worth over 1 billion dollars. This makes him one of the largest individual Ethereum whales. He holds nearly 0.20% of the total ETH supply. Only Rain Lohmus, an Estonian banker, owns more Ethereum with 250,000 ETH — but he has lost access to it after misplacing his private key.

The largest Ethereum wallets, however, do not belong to individuals but to networks and platforms such as the Beacon Chain (the staking contract), dApps like Arbitrum and Base Portal, and major crypto exchanges such as Binance, Robinhood, and Bitfinex.

How rich is the owner of Ethereum?

Vitalik Buterin’s wealth mainly consists of cryptocurrency. His most well-known wallet is the address 0x220866B1A2219f40e72f5c628B65D54268cA3A9D, which holds over 240,000 ETH.

In addition to Ethereum, he also owns other crypto assets, including AETHWETH worth over 13 million dollars, and the tokens WHITE and MOODENG, which he received primarily through airdrops. He also holds balances on the Base network and the BNB Chain.

He often receives airdrops from other users and project founders as a form of appreciation or to promote their projects.

The plans to create Ethereum

The idea of Ethereum became known worldwide in 2013 when Vitalik Buterin published a whitepaper sharing his vision of a blockchain that developers could build upon. At that time, only Bitcoin existed as a decentralized payment network, but Vitalik saw that blockchain technology could be applied much more broadly. In his whitepaper, he described how smart contracts could be used to automatically execute tasks through self-executing code when certain conditions are met — without requiring a third party.

In 2014, ETH token sales began to support the network’s development through a crowdsale. Investors could purchase ETH with BTC. The official launch of Ethereum took place in 2015. After its launch and many upgrades that improved the network, it has grown into the backbone of Web3.

Why did Vitalik Buterin decide to design Ethereum?

Vitalik Buterin, a huge fan of Bitcoin, saw its limitations. Bitcoin lacked the ability to run complex programs or financial systems directly on-chain. He wanted to create a platform that allowed developers to build intricate financial systems without the involvement of governments or banks.

He therefore developed Ethereum as a kind of new decentralized world computer on which users can run dApps. Today, you can do various things on Ethereum, including building and using DeFi protocols, setting up DAOs, and creating and trading NFTs.

All of this happens in a decentralized and transparent manner. Users have control — not a centralized authority. The Ethereum Foundation serves as a facilitator, proposing upgrades to improve the network for users while preserving decentralization and autonomy.

Final Thoughts

Vitalik Buterin has become one of the most influential figures in the world of blockchain and cryptocurrency. With his vision, intellect, and dedication, he developed Ethereum into a technological foundation on which the future of the internet is being built. While Bitcoin paved the way for digital money, Buterin demonstrated that blockchain can go much further — as a platform for innovation, transparency, and autonomy.

His wealth and position within the crypto industry make him not only financially successful but also a symbol of what open-source collaboration can achieve. Despite his fame, Buterin remains humble and focused on his mission: creating a fairer, more decentralized digital system where users retain control. Ethereum is not only his greatest achievement but also living proof of his belief that technology can change the world.