Vitalik Buterin Unlocks 1.26M STRK Tokens, But Starknet (STRK) Price Surges

In a recent development, Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin unlocked 1.26 million Starknet (STRK) tokens valued at about $470,000. While the founder’s action has caused an uproar in the crypto community, STRK’s price is shockingly displaying a bullish outlook.

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin recently unlocked 1.26 million Starknet (STRK) tokens, an event that has sparked discussion within the crypto community. While some might anticipate a negative impact on STRK's price due to the increased token availability, the surprising outcome is a bullish price movement for the token.

Starknet is an Ethereum Layer-2 network designed to enhance the scalability of Decentralized Applications (dApps) without sacrificing security. Its architecture aims to empower developers to create boundless applications on Ethereum.

As Wu Blockchain reports, Buterin is among Starknet's early investors and currently holds 2.113 million STRK tokens, valued at approximately $781,000.

According to data from blockchain analytical platform Arkham Intelligence, STRK now ranks as the second-largest asset in Buterin's crypto portfolio, following Ethereum (ETH). Other notable cryptocurrencies in his portfolio include Small Doge (SDOG), Degen (DEGEN), and Dogecoin (DOGE).

This latest token unlock makes previously locked tokens available to the market. In May, Buterin received STRK tokens worth $1 million for his contribution to the protocol. This occurred shortly after he published a review of Starknet, highlighting its capabilities for smart contract development.

Despite varying perspectives on Buterin's involvement, his investment in Starknet undeniably strengthens the connection between the protocol and Ethereum. However, it's crucial to note that Buterin's support does not guarantee Starknet's ultimate success in the crypto market.

The project must independently demonstrate its capabilities and navigate the competitive landscape of Layer 2 solutions.

Buterin's public support and early investment are widely viewed as an endorsement of the project. Consequently, the recent unlocking of 1.26 million STRK tokens has raised concerns about a potential oversupply and its impact on demand.

Typically, the unlocking of a substantial volume of tokens can have a profound impact on a coin's price. The release of a large quantity of tokens into the market can lead to an increase in supply, which has the potential to drive down prices. However, in the case of STRK, the price has reacted positively to Buterin's 1.26 million tokens unlock, likely due to the small quantity.

At press time, STRK's price was trading at $0.3857, up by 3.4% in the past 24 hours. The trading volume increased by 65% in the last 24 hours to $65 million, indicating increased investor interest.

This increase amid a broader market decline can help solidify Starknet's increasing growth among rivals. The surge in STRK's price follows Starknet's announcement to permit token holders to vote on the mainnet for governance issues.

Buterin's recent activities have not gone unnoticed by the crypto community, particularly with his substantial ETH transactions.

In August, the Ethereum co-founder undertook a noteworthy transaction, transferring 800 ETH, valued at about $2.01 million, to a multi-signature wallet. Shortly after, the wallet notably converted 190 ETH into 477,000 USDC, sparking speculation concerning the purpose of these movements.

Prior to this transaction, Buterin also transferred 600 ETH to Coinbase, an event that coincided with a sudden crash in the crypto market, with ETH briefly dropping below $1,700.

While no rationale was provided behind the recent transfers, some speculate that Buterin might be considering another substantial sell-off, possibly in conjunction with the unlocked STRK tokens.