A new video featuring Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin sniffing robots and making “meow” noises is going viral for all the wrong reasons. The “he’s weird, brooding, and that should make him a great tech guy” narrative honestly went on for too long.

Now that thinking is done by machines, the tech business will be led by Chads.

What started as a quirky viral clip has turned into a flashpoint for Ethereum’s future. The debates now circle leadership as Ether struggles to claw back above $2,000. The timing couldn’t be messier.

Vitalik Buterin: The Crypto Community Reacts

The short clip shows Buterin kneeling in front of a four-legged robot, making the “meow” sound, and gently patting it on the head. This playful act caused a social media frenzy, with crypto influencers and traders sharing their reactions.

  • Crypto influencer Wendy O humorously commented, “The future of Ethereum is in this man’s hands… Meow.”
  • Phil Fogel, co-founder of Cork Protocol, acknowledged the odd moment but shared, “so much of my professional life and net worth depend on Vitalik, and I’m still bullish.”
  • Pseudonymous trader “sgp” joked, “while Ethereum is doing -5% 1-minute candles, Vitalik is busy meowing at a robot.”

While some found humor in the video, others expressed unease about the co-founder’s quirky behavior, given Ethereum’s current market turbulence.

ETH Price Struggles In Face of Seemingly Unbothered Vitalik

(X)

The viral video comes at a time when Ether’s value has dropped significantly. From a high of over $4,000 in December 2024, Ethereum price has now fallen to around $1,788, marking a 13% decline in the last month. This slump has coincided with the rise of layer-2 solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism, which are pulling activity away from Ethereum’s main network.

(ETH/BTC Falls to Lowest)

Traders are divided, with some seeing the dip as an opportunity to buy and others raising concerns over Ethereum’s long-term sustainability. Influencer Alex Becker expressed optimism, stating, “I can’t fathom looking at a sub-$2k ETH and thinking you’re not going to be in big profit sometime in the next two years.”

Vitalik Buterin: Is Quirky Leadership Bearish?

Beneath the humor, the Vitalik Buterin video resurfaced red flags about the ETH price outside of leadership. Layer-2 ETH solutions promise speed but are draining the primary network’s core value. Add flexible token issuance to the mix, and you get a recipe for stability concerns. ETH price analyst Nic Carter warns these could hurt Ethereum’s long-term appeal.

Then there’s Buterin himself, who thrives on his eccentricity. At Token2049 Singapore, he roasted crypto anthems before singing one himself.

Skeptics call it erratic; supporters see vision. Whatever the take, Ethereum’s march to become a “World Computer” continues, fueled by Buterin’s audacity.

EXPLORE: XRP Price Jumps 11% After SEC Crypto Unit Tease XRP ETF Progress

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Key Takeaways

  • A new video featuring Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin sniffing robots is causing the Eth Price to tank and is viral for the wrong reasons.
  • Skeptics call it erratic; supporters see vision. Whatever the take, Ethereum’s march to become a “World Computer” continues.

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Isaiah Mccall
Isaiah Mccall
Crypto Analyst

Isaiah McCall is an ultramarathon runner and journalist for 99Bitcoins. He started at USAToday in 2019 and now has a Medium blog following of 30k+ and millions of views. Follow him at @AfroReporter Read More

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