Vitalik Buterin, the mastermind behind the Ethereum project, stands as a key figure in today’s crypto world. His journey in the blockchain arena began in 2011, and since then, he has established himself as a formidable presence in the cryptocurrency sector. This article presents seven things you probably didn’t know about this blockchain prodigy.
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He wrote the Ethereum whitepaper at the age of 19.
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Vitalik was merely 19 when he conceptualized a superior version of Bitcoin. The pivotal enhancement was the introduction of the Ethereum blockchain, capable of executing complex scripts known as smart contracts. These smart contracts are run using the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), a runtime environment that can handle Turing complete scripts atop the blockchain. This innovation paved the way for the creation of decentralized applications on the Ethereum Blockchain.
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He learned about Bitcoin from his father at the age of 17.
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Vitalik’s father, Dmitry Buterin, a seasoned entrepreneur, introduced him to Bitcoin at the age of 17. However, Vitalik’s interest in exploring it came later.
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He was a child prodigy.
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After relocating from Russia to Canada, Vitalik attended an elementary school in Canada. In third grade, school authorities placed him in a class for gifted children. During his time there, he developed a keen interest in economics, programming, and mathematics. It was also noted that Vitalik could mentally calculate three-digit numbers twice as fast as his peers.
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He is worth about $400-500 Million.
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Vitalik’s estimated worth is between $400-500 Million. This valuation is primarily based on his Ethereum stake (allocated to him during the project’s inception). Additionally, he reportedly holds a significant amount of BTC.
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Vitalik Buterin is also a brilliant writer.
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Vitalik is a notable contributor to blockchain literature. He began writing for various Bitcoin forums before securing a consistent writing role with a blog. He was paid in Bitcoins, receiving 5BTC for every approved blog post. Later, he co-founded Bitcoin Magazine, a leading cryptocurrency publication, where he also served as the head writer.
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He dropped out of university.
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In 2014, Vitalik left the University of Waterloo to accept the Thiel Fellowship grant, valued at $100,000. At the time, the Ethereum project had already been announced, and an ETH crowd sale was in progress.
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There was a rumor of his death.
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On June 25, 2017, rumors emerged from 4Chan claiming that Vitalik had died in a car accident. This false news briefly reduced the ETH market cap by about $4 billion.
In conclusion, Vitalik is not only a remarkable personality in the blockchain world but has achieved significant milestones in his 24 years.
