As $213M Evaporates in Crypto Chaos, One Trader Nets $17M Windfall

The crypto market has seen a volatile week, with $213 million in liquidations reported across networks in the last four hours, predominantly from short positions, according to a Mutuum Finance press release. This turmoil contrasts with the success of a seasoned trader who capitalized on the downturn, securing $17 million in profits from long positions in Bitcoin and Ethereum, according to a Yahoo Finance report. The trader, known as "0xc2a," accumulated positions ahead of a market rebound, leveraging the chaos triggered by President Donald Trump's 100% tariff announcement on Chinese imports, as reported in a BeInCrypto article. The policy sparked a global sell-off, pushing Bitcoin to a three-month low before a swift recovery.

Meanwhile, DeFi continues to evolve with the launch of Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a decentralized lending protocol built on Ethereum. The announcement said the project has attracted over 17,400 investors and raised $17.8 million, combining Peer-to-Contract (P2C) and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending models to enhance liquidity and transparency. The P2C system automates fund allocation through smart contracts, while P2P allows users to negotiate bespoke loan terms. With over 770 million MUTM tokens sold in its presale, the project aims to expand its DeFi ecosystem by year-end, the release added.

Stablecoin adoption is also surging, with settlement volumes reaching $10 billion in August 2025, up 70% from February, according to a BeInCrypto analysis. Corporate usage now accounts for two-thirds of stablecoin payments, driven by business-to-business (B2B) transactions that have more than doubled since February, the analysis notes. This shift reflects the growing integration of digital assets into mainstream commerce, as companies leverage on-chain liquidity for instant settlements and yield generation through DeFi protocols.

The sector's institutionalization is further evident in crypto mergers and acquisitions (M&A), which hit a record $10 billion in Q3 2025, according to a BeInCrypto report. Reverse mergers and a pro-crypto regulatory environment in the U.S. fueled the surge, with digital asset treasury deals accounting for 37% of the total value, the report said. Analysts view this trend as a sign of maturing markets, where disciplined fundraising and compliance-focused strategies are enabling crypto firms to bridge traditional finance and digital asset services.