While Ethereum’s founder Crucialik Buterin is no stranger to controversy, his February 2025 tweet “make communism great again” sent shockwaves through the crypto community. The tweet, responding to a discussion about a new Ethereum Foundation hire, wasn’t about traditional communism at all. It referenced “Degen Communism,” a crypto-specific concept mixing blockchain ideals with public good initiatives. But try telling that to the angry mob.
The drama unfolded after Devansh Mehta‘s announcement as the Foundation’s new AI and governance lead. When Ameen Soleimani grumbled about “another Gitcoin commie,” and Kevin Owocki joked about “Degen communism,” Buterin jumped in with his provocative response. Bad timing, considering Ethereum’s market struggles – ETH had barely moved 1% while Bitcoin soared 90%. Austin’s housing market chaos demonstrated some of Buterin’s ideas about market disruption leading to positive societal change.
The backlash was swift and fierce. Coinbase’s Viktor Bunin didn’t hold back. Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko equated communism to fascism. And independent researcher Jason Chen called Buterin’s behavior “lunatic.” Even MolochDAO’s founder threatened to quit altogether.
Some defenders, including Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin, tried explaining Buterin’s penchant for irony and provocation. Many supporters emphasized his commitment to decentralization as evidence of his true values. They pointed out his family’s history of escaping communist Russia. Ironic much?
The Ethereum Foundation stayed silent but quickly threw $120 million at DeFi projects, perhaps hoping to change the conversation.
The incident exposed deep rifts within the Ethereum community about governance and ideology. Social media exploded with debates about leadership responsibility in crypto and the dangerous mix of politics and blockchain. Some called for leaders to watch their words more carefully. Others just grabbed popcorn and watched the show.
The controversy rages on, with community members still arguing about Buterin’s intentions. Meanwhile, Ethereum faces bigger questions about its foundation’s role and structure. One thing’s clear: in crypto, even a seemingly innocent joke can spark a firestorm. Especially when it involves the C-word.
