The Ethereum Foundation carried out a major sale on April 24, 2026, offloading 10,000 ETH through an over-the-counter (OTC) deal with BitMine. The sale, conducted at an average price of $2,387 per ETH, amounted to a total transaction value of approximately $23.87 million. The Foundation explained that the decision was made to fund ongoing operations, noting that the OTC method was chosen specifically to minimize market volatility during the transaction.
Transparency and financial strategy
According to the Foundation, the transaction was executed on-chain and managed via a multisig Safe wallet to ensure both security and transparency. The April sale follows a similar transaction involving 5,000 ETH in March 2026, reflecting the Foundation’s ongoing treasury management strategy. All recent sales are fully aligned with the official Treasury Policy published in June 2025, which governs how funds are allocated and spent.
The Foundation reports that proceeds from such sales are directed toward research and development, ecosystem growth, and grant programs. The established policy limits annual expenditures to 15% of treasury holdings and sets a goal of maintaining sufficient working capital to cover operational needs for around 2.5 years.
ETH price movements and market context
On the day of the sale, Ether was valued at $2,353. Despite gaining 2.73% over the previous five days, ETH struggled to surpass the key psychological barrier of $2,500. Ether opened the following day at $2,331, showing partial recovery in the face of headwinds such as rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, leading cryptocurrency Bitcoin posted a 5.81% increase within the same timeframe, reaching an annual return rate of 29.8%. Despite Bitcoin’s strength, appetite for altcoins has remained subdued in the short term. Large-scale sales by institutional holders, including foundations, have also added pressure to overall market sentiment.
Analysts have emphasized that breaking above the $2,500 resistance remains crucial for a sustained ETH price recovery. They suggest that if ETH manages to trade above the $2,400–$2,500 range in the coming weeks, higher targets could come into focus.
Recent data shows that the Ethereum Foundation currently holds a total of 92,538 ETH, estimated to be worth $214 million. A portion of these assets is actively used in staking programs, with returns feeding back into the Foundation’s operations. The choice of OTC sales is designed to prevent direct selling pressure on ETH’s market price during large liquidations.
Staking expansion and long-term outlook
Earlier in April, the Foundation hit a long-standing goal by staking 70,000 ETH. In separate transactions, the Foundation transferred 45,034 ETH to the Beacon Chain, bringing its total staked holdings to over 69,500 ETH. At the time, these staked assets were valued at approximately $143 million.
The annual yield for staking operations now fluctuates between 2.7% and 3.8%. With this range, the Foundation’s staked ETH could generate returns between $3.9 million and $5.4 million annually, providing additional funding for projects and internal initiatives.
Looking at long-term forecasts, market analysts anticipate ETH’s average price could reach around $5,732 by the end of 2026. By 2029, Ethereum is projected to trade between $14,306 and $16,794, with a potential average price settling near $15,550.
