A crypto whale on Hyperliquid, a decentralized trading platform, has gone viral for initiating a $450 million short position on Bitcoin, triggering a public “manhunt” by traders aiming to liquidate the position, as reported on March 17, 2025, based on data from Hypurrscan.
At 6:30 AM UTC, the anonymous trader closed two positions totaling 208 BTC via Time-Weighted Average Price (TWAP) at $83,392, amounting to over $18 million, while adding $7.5 million in collateral at 4:30 AM UTC to avoid liquidation on its 40x leveraged short, now valued at 5,167 BTC or $429 million, with an unrealized profit of $4 million.
The whale also holds a 5x leveraged long position in 571,715 MELANIA, worth $390,000. This activity, which began on March 16, has drawn significant attention, with the whale accumulating a $1.1 million unrealized loss from profit and loss (PNL), amid Bitcoin’s recent volatility below $80,000 and broader market uncertainties like U.S. tariffs. Stay informed on crypto trading dramas with Crypto Market Insights on news.thecoininfo.com, and explore in-depth analysis on The Coin Info Hub at thecoininfo.com.
This whale still managed to turn a profit despite being hunted by a team!
11 hours ago, @Cbb0fe publicly formed a team to hunt this whale who shorted $BTC with 40x leverage.
Just one hour later, the team was in action, driving $BTC above $84,690 in a short period.
The whale… pic.twitter.com/D6FBOFikZR
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) March 17, 2025
The whale’s actions sparked a coordinated effort led by a crypto trader on X, known as @Cbb0fe or CBB, who called for traders to join forces and drive Bitcoin’s price up to liquidate the short position. CBB urged participants to contribute “7 figs size only,” as the team’s combined funds already exceeded eight figures, successfully pushing Bitcoin’s price from $83,183 to over $84,690 within an hour, forcing the whale to deposit an additional $5 million in USDC to bolster its margin.
Despite this, the manhunt has not yet succeeded, as the whale continues evading liquidation by adjusting its position through TWAP. Hyperliquid’s official account highlighted the platform’s prominence, stating, “When a whale shorts $450M+ BTC and wants a public audience, it’s only possible on Hyperliquid,” underscoring its role in high-stakes crypto trading. Earlier, on March 12, another Hyperliquid whale took a 50x leveraged long position on 175,000 ETH worth $340 million, resulting in a $4 million loss for Hyperliquid during liquidation, illustrating the platform’s volatility and risk. For crypto investors, this episode highlights the dangers of high-leverage trading and market manipulation, but its outcome depends on trader coordination and market stability, with resources like Crypto News Updates on news.thecoininfo.com keeping you updated on this gripping saga.
