Ethereum Foundation To Sell 10,000 ETH After SharpLink Deal, Aiming to Boost Development and Grants

The Ethereum Foundation has announced plans to sell 10,000 ETH—worth around $43 million—to fund ongoing research, ecosystem grants, and community donations. This follows a recent sale to SharpLink Gaming and aligns with a prudent treasury management policy unveiled earlier in the year.

Key Takeaways

• Ethereum Foundation to sell 10,000 ETH (approx. $43 million) for R&D, grants, and donations

• Sales will be executed in smaller chunks, not as a single large order

• Follows previous ETH sale to SharpLink Gaming and implementation of new treasury policy

• ETH price recently hit an all-time high, surpassing $4,800 in late August 2025

Ethereum Foundation's Strategic Asset Management

In a transparency notice published on social media, the Ethereum Foundation (EF) detailed its plan to convert 10,000 ETH over several weeks using centralized exchanges. To minimize market impact, the Foundation clarified that the sale would be split into multiple smaller orders rather than a one-time transaction. This approach demonstrates the Foundation’s continued commitment to responsible treasury management.

The move comes after the Foundation sold an equivalent amount of ETH to SharpLink Gaming in July. SharpLink became the first publicly traded company to secure such a sizable purchase directly from the EF, marking a milestone for institutional involvement in Ethereum’s ecosystem.

Funding Innovation and Community Growth

The primary aim of these sales is to fuel Ethereum’s extensive R&D initiatives, ecosystem grants, and philanthropic donations. As of the first quarter of 2025, the Foundation had reportedly distributed over $32 million in grants supporting technical research, community outreach, and educational programs. The temporary pause on open grant applications signals a broader overhaul of the grant process—a response to the rapidly evolving needs of the Ethereum network.

New Treasury Policy and Market Context

Revealed in June, the Foundation’s updated treasury policy limits annual operational spending to 15% and establishes a multi-year reserve buffer. The policy also calls for regular reviews of the Foundation’s fiat-denominated holdings, guiding decisions about incremental ETH sales.

Recent months have seen ETH prices surge dramatically, peaking at over $4,800 before stabilizing in the low $4,300s. The broader crypto market has displayed volatility, with large transactions—including the Foundation’s planned sale and other sizable market purchases—potentially influencing short-term price movements. External institutional interest, such as Yunfeng Financial Group’s acquisition of 10,000 ETH and Ether Machine’s accumulating of a massive ETH treasury, underscores the growing mainstream adoption of Ethereum.

The Road Ahead

The Ethereum Foundation’s carefully orchestrated asset sales not only reflect sound financial stewardship but also provide critical support for ongoing innovation within the Ethereum ecosystem. As both institutional and developer communities deepen their commitment, the Foundation’s actions are set to have lasting impacts on the platform’s scalability, usability, and long-term growth.

References

• Ethereum Foundation to Unload Another 10K ETH Following SharpLink Deal, CoinDesk.

• Ethereum Foundation to sell 10K ETH ’to fund R&D, grants, and donations’, Cointelegraph.