Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, recently donated a hefty sum to a Swiss project called Zuitzerland. The donation, totaling 274 ETH (around $500,000), went to Isla, a Web3 researcher leading the project. This generous contribution was spotted by Onchain Lens, a blockchain analytics platform.
What is Zuitzerland?
Zuitzerland is essentially an evolution of Buterin’s previous project, Zuzalu. Zuzalu was a short-lived (March-May 2023) community experiment in Montenegro. Around 200 people lived and worked together for two months, brainstorming and collaborating on projects related to technology, longevity, and decentralized systems.
Zuitzerland takes this concept further, hosting residencies, hackathons, and community events focused on collaboration between “thinkers and builders.” While Buterin isn’t a founder, he’s listed as a speaker and curator, showing his strong support.
How Did Buterin Fund the Donation?
Buterin didn’t just reach into his own pocket. He sold some crypto tokens he’d received as gifts from other projects. Specifically, he sold 5,000 Dohrnii (DHN) tokens and 2 trillion LEDOG (DOG) tokens, raising around $110,000 in total. This isn’t the first time he’s done this; he famously sold Shiba Inu (SHIB) tokens in 2022 to fund COVID-19 relief in India. He’s even publicly encouraged projects to donate directly to charities rather than giving him tokens.
A Pattern of Giving
Dohrnii Labs and LEDOG’s developers sent Buterin these tokens as a gesture of appreciation (and a smart marketing move). Buterin has been gradually selling these gifted tokens, using the proceeds for charitable donations and other ventures. He still holds onto some tokens, but his actions clearly show a commitment to using these assets to support projects aligned with his vision of decentralized governance and community-driven innovation.
