Original Title: "Vitalik Lives in a HDB Flat, Wears Slippers, Takes the Subway: In Singapore, He Lives Like an Ordinary Person"

Original Source: Mothership Singapore

Editor's Note: As Ethereum is about to reach a milestone-like $4800 all-time high, founder Vitalik Buterin is hitting the trending charts again. However, people are not concerned about his astronomical net worth, but rather about him saying he always hand washes his clothes.

Here's the story: Someone noticed a Solana meme's founder staying in a $30,000-per-night ultra-luxurious hotel, and as a stark contrast, Vitalik, with $11 billion worth of ETH in his wallet, in another post discussed with netizens the value of a hotel's $4 laundry service—whether it's worth it or not. He thought it wasn't worth it, and then he said, "So I always hand wash clothes myself."

For Ethereum to reach a new all-time high, in addition to ETH constantly upgrading performance and publicly traded companies buying up hundreds of billions, and Layer 2 applications pushing forward, perhaps Vitalik's thriftiness accounts for half of the credit.

Hand washing clothes is just the tip of the iceberg. Vitalik, with a net worth to buy a Gulfstream, still takes the subway, wears a T-shirt all year round, and indeed does not care much about showing off, showing a genuine lack of interest in consumption. The following is a reposted content:

In the early morning in Singapore, the sun has just grazed the area around Marina Bay. In an apartment not far from the city center, a tall and thin young man stands by the window, his black pupils focused and calm.

He is wearing a simple T-shirt and shorts, his hair slightly messy, looking no different from any programmer out for an early morning walk. Few would notice that this seemingly ordinary young man is none other than Ethereum's founder, Vitalik Buterin— the "V God" in the blockchain world, a figure near-mythical in the digital realm, yet vigorously concealing his halo in real life.

Vitalik said he enjoys the early mornings in Singapore. The air here is humid and fresh, the city has just awakened, free from the hustle and bustle of the day, and devoid of the never-ending noise of the crypto industry.

Occasionally, he pauses here to contemplate Ethereum's next upgrade or simply to clear his mind. At these moments, he is no longer the "Vitalik Buterin" revered by the global cryptocurrency community but just a 30-year-old young man, savoring a moment of tranquility.

From "Digital Nomad" to Singapore Resident

In early 2023, Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin revealed on Twitter that he had obtained permanent residency in Singapore, sparking widespread discussion in the crypto community.

Why did this "crypto nomad," born in Russia, raised in Canada, and a global traveler for years, ultimately choose this Southeast Asian city-state as his long-term base?

The answer may lie in his daily life's trajectory. One morning, he might show up at the National University of Singapore Blockchain Research Center to discuss the latest advancements in zero-knowledge proof technology with researchers.

In the afternoon, he could be seen walking to the nearby Bukit Timah community, editing Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIP) in a coffee shop called "Plain Vanilla." This academically vibrant yet lively atmosphere is a key reason he chose Singapore.

In his daily life, Vitalik often maintains a low-profile and a sense of mystery. Confirming this, a Plain Vanilla Bakery staff member mentioned that he visits 2-3 times a week, usually orders a black coffee, and works for 3-4 hours.

His residence in Singapore is a perfect reflection of minimalism integrated into the urban setting. He rents a unit in a low-rise apartment in Bukit Timah, rather than a luxury apartment or a serviced residence (like many crypto tycoons prefer in Marina Bay or Sentosa). According to Singapore's property market data, similar units are rented for about 5,000-7,000 Singapore dollars per month. Far below his financial means, this aligns with his minimalist style.

A neighbor who wished to remain anonymous also mentioned: "He often goes downstairs to buy coffee in slippers, looking like an ordinary tenant, not at all like a billionaire."

This minimalist style is not intentional, but rather a long-standing habit—material needs have never been his focus, and intellectual freedom is the true luxury. "I don't want a life like Musk's." He has expressed this view publicly on multiple occasions.

In Singapore, he has indeed avoided Silicon Valley-style personal worship. He has no bodyguards, no ostentatious displays on social media, and he rarely even gives interviews.

Usually, his daily travels mainly rely on the subway and walking. There was once a photo taken of him at a subway station, wearing headphones, sitting quietly waiting for the train.

You should know, that year his net worth was already 739 million SGD! Billionaires taking the subway are not unheard of, but there aren't many with such a low profile as V God.

In fact, V God himself seemed quite interested in the media's extensive coverage of this news, even deliberately reposting the reports with the caption "Mom, I made the news (for taking the subway)!"

This was not a staged performance, and it wasn't the first time netizens had encountered him on the subway. It's no wonder netizens exclaimed, "The first time in my life seeing a billionaire squeezed on the subway."

Image Source: Red Book User @ Sparse Population

However, in stark contrast to his simple life, is his generosity towards charity.

In 2021, he donated $1.2 billion worth of SHIB tokens to the India COVID Relief Fund; in 2023, he donated $15 million to the fight against malaria foundation. This "personally simple, charitably generous" lifestyle, once the news was exposed, earned him even more respect from people.

A Day in the Life of an "Atypical" Crypto Leader

Although he keeps a low profile in public, he is not isolated from the world. He occasionally shows up at tech salons or developer meetups in Singapore, but refuses any form of personal worship. He prefers to engage in discussions on an equal footing rather than be worshipped as an "industry godfather."

Many developers in the crypto community occasionally spot him at small tech gatherings, but he always appears as a participant rather than a surrounded celebrity. This low-key approach allows him to stay focused without being disturbed by external noise.

Vitalik spoke at Token2049, a cryptocurrency and blockchain event

Vitalik's life is highly disciplined. The morning is usually his deep dive time, where he reads the latest cryptographic papers or drafts technical proposals for Ethereum's future upgrades.

The afternoon may involve meetings to discuss the details of the "Cancun upgrade" with the core development team or engage in discussions with scholars and students from local universities on more cutting-edge information.

Vitalik spoke at Nanyang Technological University

Unlike many high-profile crypto CEOs, Buterin refuses to create a "cult leader" atmosphere in the office. His work spots in Singapore include:

· Shared office spaces in one-north tech hub

· Blockchain labs at Nanyang Technological University

· Several tranquil cafes scattered around the city

Ethereum core developer Hsiao-Wei Wang revealed: "Vitalik's meetings always focus on technical topics and he never wastes time defending his views. If data proves him wrong, he will immediately change his stance." This pragmatic approach has allowed Ethereum to continue technical iterations during the bear market, culminating in the successful completion of the Shanghai upgrade in 2023.

Surprisingly, his interests extend far beyond cryptocurrency.

In Singapore, he has begun to explore the relationship between technology and society more broadly. He often engages with AI researchers, mathematicians, and urban planning experts to discuss decentralized identity systems, post-quantum cryptography, and even lessons that can be learned from Singapore's public housing policy. A scholar who had dinner with him once recalled: "We talked for three hours, from game theory to Platonic philosophy, with cryptocurrency only occupying a very small part."

This interdisciplinary thinking may suggest that Vitalik is no longer just aiming to be a "blockchain leader" but is gradually shifting towards a more macro-level technological philosophy and social design.

At the same time, his social circle is not limited to the crypto industry. He would eat a $4 Hainanese chicken rice at a regular hawker center and discuss international politics or science fiction with friends.

Singaporean singer JJ Lin has also posted a photo with V God on social media, showing that amidst his daily life in Singapore, he has made many new friends.

This "ordinary" lifestyle stands out in the crypto billionaire circle filled with luxury cars and yacht parties, but it is also V God's uniqueness — he always remains vigilant against the alienation of wealth and fame.

A Thinker Beyond Cryptocurrency

Singapore's openness to cryptocurrency has attracted a large number of professionals, but it has also brought regulatory challenges.

V God has always maintained a cautious and constructive relationship with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). After the 2022 Terra/Luna Flash Loan Incident, he publicly supported MAS's move to strengthen stablecoin regulation but also called for "avoiding throttling regulatory innovation that is truly innovative."

This balanced stance is reflected in the composition of his social circle: there are both regulatory figures like former MAS Chief FinTech Officer Sopnendu Mohanty and technical pioneers like the founder of Zilliqa. A associate professor at Singapore Management University commented, "Vitalik Buterin understands the wisdom of the Eastern 'Doctrine of the Mean'."

Former MAS Chief FinTech Officer Sopnendu Mohanty

In recent years, Buterin's public speeches have increasingly focused on technical ethics. At the 2023 Singapore FinTech Festival, he introduced the concept of "Decentralized Society" (DeSoc), emphasizing that blockchain should serve societal welfare rather than financial speculation. This shift aligns with changes in his reading habits — the proportion of political philosophy works on his Kindle book list has significantly increased.

It is worth noting that he still maintains a pure love for mathematics. A member of the Singapore Mathematical Society recalled, "At a private gathering, Vitalik spent half an hour explaining his new insights into 'hypergraph' theory to us, looking gleaming-eyed like a college student."

「Invisibility」: Amid the Crypto Craze

Vitalik Buterin's lifestyle in Singapore is, to some extent, a resistance to the over-commercialization of the crypto industry. While many project teams are enthusiastic about hype, marketing, and short-term gains, he still maintains his cryptographer identity, focusing on the essence of technology.

His "invisibility" is not an escape but an active choice—in the digital age, real power may not lie in exposure but in absolute control of one's time and attention.

He doesn't need to be a performer in the spotlight because he has already proven that those who truly change the world are often the ones who know when to remain silent.

Singapore's rain comes and goes in a hurry. Local developers have seen Vitalik Buterin enjoy taking solitary walks in East Coast Park after the rain. This habit may metaphorically represent his current situation: in the eye of the crypto industry storm, he chooses to be a calm observer, deeply involved in technological progress yet maintaining enough distance to scrutinize the industry's essence.

Vitalik Buterin's lifestyle in Singapore is more of a conscious choice of ordinariness than seclusion.

He rejects the common flaunting culture of crypto wealth and instead focuses on technical research, philanthropy, and simple life pleasures. Perhaps this choice is one of the reasons he continues to wield influence in the crypto world.

Perhaps, this is the most precious revelation that "V God" leaves to this era: in the tech frenzy, maintaining human integrity is more revolutionary than creating any disruptive technology.

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