What are the odds of bumping into a multi-millionaire in Singapore?
And what are the odds of bumping into a multi-millionaire while waiting to take the MRT train in Singapore?
That was what one commuter here did, as he spotted Russian-Canadian computer programmer, and co-founder of cryptocurrency Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, at King Albert Park MRT station.
The 30-year-old, who hails from Russia before his family emigrated to Canada when he was six, worked on developing the cryptocurrency full-time before he turned 20 and has been credited for being involved with the token early in its inception.
His net worth is currently at least US$550 million (S$739 million) and mainly held in the ETH token he personally co-developed.
At cryptocurrencies' peak, Buterin became the youngest crypto billionaire at the age of 27.
He was also spotted on the streets in Singapore, as per another two photos posted on Facebook on Feb. 21.
Buterin's unassuming character has won him high praise online.
One tweet, in response to Buterin's public transportation-using ways, read: "A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It's where the rich use public transportation."
"A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It's where the rich use public transportation." pic.twitter.com/fSgrNFf2p7
— Richard H (Urban Red Dot) (@Richard_URD) February 20, 2024
Buterin's philanthropy has been well-documented.
He is known to not be a hoarder of other cryptocurrency.
In May 2021, he donated US$1.14 billion worth of cryptocurrency to the India Covid-Crypto Relief Fund.
The donation consisted of 500 ETH and over 50 trillion SHIB (Shiba Inu), a meme coin, that was gifted to him.
This donation was 5 per cent of the meme coin in circulation and caused a 50 per cent crash in the price at the time as it caused panic among holders of the coin.
Around the same time, he also donated US$336 million worth of Dogelon Mars ($ELON), which had previously been gifted to him as well, to the Methuselah Foundation, which focuses on extending human lifespan.
Buterin's donation of this meme coin caused a 70 per cent drop in its value.