DeutschEthereum founder Vitalik Buterin continues to promote encrypted digital infrastructure. After founding his own working group in September, the Canadian programmer is now donating the equivalent of $775,000 to two confidential messenger services. CoinPro explains why confidentiality is suddenly so important to the 31-year-old.
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Ethereum founder Buterin donates $775,000 to messenger
Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin remains committed to digital privacy. On Wednesday, the Canadian programmer publicly announced his support for two messenger services. He donated 128 Ether to each, amounting to a total of 256 ETH – approximately $775,000.
However, Buterin also expressed criticism in his message. Buterin is not satisfied with Signal, a very well-known messenger known for its excellent encryption. The program has two significant weaknesses.
“Encrypted messaging, like with Signal, is crucial for protecting our digital privacy. Two important next steps in this area are 1. permissionless account creation and 2. metadata protection. Session and SimpleX are two messaging apps that are driving these developments forward,” Buterin wrote.
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Buterin linked the mentioned programs and called on his large following to use the applications. He also wrote: “For this reason, I have donated 128 ETH each. You can find the addresses on the respective websites if you wish to track the donations.”
Among the comments, the operators of Session and SimpleX also thanked him for being mentioned by the well-known crypto programmer. According to Buterin, SimpleX and Session are on the right track, but still need to evolve.
“Neither of the two programs is perfect. They still have a long way to go to achieve a truly optimal user experience and security,” explained the 31-year-old.
Why Buterin Suddenly Insists on Confidentiality
Buterin’s support for encrypted software has only been observed for a few months. He is responding to growing state threats. The Canadian is considered the inventor of Ethereum. Together with seven other people, he founded ETH in 2013. By 2015, a blockchain was developed that forewent encryption and instead publicly disclosed sensitive user data.
In September, Ethereum founded its own working group called PSE, which exclusively deals with the production of encrypted software. Its task is to transform Ethereum into a confidential ecosystem. Buterin remains on the board of the Ethereum Foundation to this day and is considered the most important mastermind of the ecosystem. This new development therefore also originated from him.
At the founding of the PSE, Buterin warned of a harmful development in the digital world. If Ethereum does not establish confidentiality, the blockchain would degenerate into an instrument of surveillance, he stated. Blockchain analysts and authorities could then jointly put the network under pressure.
The programmer also expressed similar concerns with regard to other digital systems. Messaging traffic is threatened by more repressive laws – especially in the EU, where a draft law nicknamed Chat Control is being discussed.
Instead of just warning about increasing political repression, the billionaire is now taking concrete measures and, with his donations, is promoting encrypted messenger services that also rely on decentralized hosting to take the wind out of the sails of attacks – for example, by state actors.
In Iran, users had already succeeded in 2022 in circumventing state censorship using Session. Through its own cryptocurrency called Session Token, the project shows a special proximity to the crypto market. At that time, the competitor SimpleX did not yet exist.
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