Have you ever wondered about your chances of encountering a multi-millionaire in Singapore? Or, perhaps more surprisingly, of crossing paths with one at a King Albert Park MRT station?
This is exactly what happened to a commuter who spotted Russian-Canadian computer programmer and co-founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin.
Vitalik Buterin, now 30 years old, began working on developing Ethereum full-time before he even turned 20, and has been instrumental in its creation. His net worth is currently at least US$550 million (S$739 million), with the majority of his wealth tied up in the ETH token he personally co-developed. At the height of the cryptocurrency boom, Buterin became the world’s youngest crypto billionaire at the age of 27.
Despite his immense wealth, Buterin has earned a reputation for his unassuming character and philanthropic endeavors. He has been praised for using public transportation, with one tweet stating, “A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s where the rich use public transportation.”
Buterin’s generosity is well-documented, as he has donated significant portions of his cryptocurrency holdings to various causes. In May 2021, he donated US$1.14 billion worth of cryptocurrency to the India Covid-Crypto Relief Fund, consisting of 500 ETH and over 50 trillion SHIB (Shiba Inu), a meme coin that was gifted to him. This donation represented 5% of the meme coin’s total circulation and caused a 50% crash in its price due to panic among holders.
Around the same time, Buterin also donated US$336 million worth of Dogelon Mars ($ELON), another meme coin that had been gifted to him, to the Methuselah Foundation, which focuses on extending human lifespan. This donation caused a 70% drop in the value of the meme coin.
While the odds of encountering a multi-millionaire in Singapore may be low, it’s clear that Vitalik Buterin is not your typical wealthy individual. His unassuming character, philanthropic endeavors, and willingness to use public transportation set him apart from many of his peers.