Vitalik Buterin donated 200 ETH (~$532,398) to the Effective Altruism Funds’ Animal Welfare Fund on August 15.
On August 15, Buterin disclosed that he had finalized these contributions, furnishing a receipt that indicated a transfer of 200 ETH, which is equivalent to approximately $532,398, to the Animal Welfare Fund of the Effective Altruism Funds.
Buterin capitalized on this opportunity to motivate the memecoin community to donate any cryptocurrency they desire to him directly to charitable organizations.
He also recommended that the community begin to participate in more “sophisticated public goods funding” beginning in 2024, as he had previously emphasized in his blog on memecoins..
Following a significant incident involving the Ethereum memecoin Neiro (NEIRO), which experienced a 60% decline in value after Buterin sold his holdings, the donation was made.
Nevertheless, the price experienced a 200% increase shortly thereafter. Neiro’s team had contacted Buterin to propose that he donate a portion of the proceeds to a stray dog shelter. Buterin responded by issuing a public receipt to verify the donation.
Buterin has previously expressed his dissatisfaction with the trend of celebrity-backed memecoins, contending that they frequently lack significant impact.
He has been an advocate for financial initiatives that promote public welfare, including the provision of support for open-source software, healthcare, and art.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis’ Stoner Cats initiative, which utilized NFTs to finance an animated series, was recognized as a positive example. He contrasted this with the generally less substantive memecoins.
