Vitalik Buterin cashes $70K by fading extreme Polymarket bets

Vitalik Buterin recently described how he positioned against extreme prediction market scenarios and secured a $70,000 outcome

ContentsBetting against market extremesIndustry reactions to the strategyOracle risks come into focusHe shared the strategy while also warning about weak Oracle safeguards.

The Ethereum co-founder spoke during an interview with Foresight News.

He said prediction markets often enter what he calls a phase of irrational behavior.

Betting against market extremes

Buterin explained that he scans markets showing exaggerated fear or hype.

He then takes positions assuming such outcomes will not occur

This approach focuses on emotional pricing rather than data-driven probability.

He cited a Polymarket contract asking whether US President Donald Trump would receive a Nobel Peace Prize

Another example involved speculation that the US dollar could fall to zero by 2027.

According to Buterin, these scenarios reflected anxiety rather than realistic assessment

He said he allocated roughly $440,000 across Polymarket positions during 2025

The overall result produced about $70,000, which equals a 16% outcome.

Buterin argued that extreme sentiment creates mispriced contracts

He said calm reasoning often benefits those willing to oppose crowd psychology.

Industry reactions to the strategy

Loxley Fernandes, a Web3 entrepreneur and fintech innovator, responded to Buterin’s remarks

Fernandes said the approach showed how flawed assumptions can distort market pricing.

He added that rational actors help correct prices during emotional spikes

Fernandes described prediction markets as tools that filter noise and surface clearer signals

Dastan, CEO of Dastan company, echoed this view.

The comments reinforced the idea that prediction platforms reward disciplined analysis

They also highlighted how behavioral swings shape short-term pricing dynamics.

Oracle risks come into focus

Buterin also raised concerns about oracle design on platforms like Polymarket.

Oracles connect real-world events to blockchain settlements. He said this link remains fragile.

He referenced a market tied to the Russia-Ukraine conflict

The contract asked whether Russian forces had seized Myrnohrad, a Ukrainian city

The oracle relied on maps from the Institute for the Study of War.

Those maps were shared on X. After the ISW account was compromised, the maps briefly showed Russian control of the city’s train station. The error was later corrected.

Local Ukrainian media reported payouts exceeding 33,000%

Trading volume reached about $1.3 million. Buterin said the case showed how a single data source can decide large sums.

Buterin said prediction markets remain valuable but fragile

He stressed that stronger Oracle security is essential

Without it, isolated data failures can distort outcomes and trust.