From Billions to Millions: The Rise and Fall of Bill Hwang

Once worth an estimated $30 billion, Bill Hwang, the founder of Archegos Capital Management, now claims to be worth just $55 million. The dramatic fall from grace of this once-powerful investor serves as a cautionary tale for the risks and rewards of aggressive trading strategies and market manipulations.

Hwang's meteoric rise began in 2013 when he launched Archegos Capital Management, a family office that operated similarly to a hedge fund. Starting with a personal fortune of around $1.5 billion, Hwang employed an aggressive trading strategy that relied heavily on leverage and total return swaps to artificially inflate stock prices. This approach allowed him to amass massive positions in companies like ViacomCBS, Tencent, and Discovery, ultimately growing Archegos' market positions from about $10 billion to as much as $160 billion in just over a year.

However, Hwang's strategy proved unsustainable. When the price of certain stocks in Archegos' portfolio tumbled in March 2021, it triggered a margin call from lenders. Hwang's attempt to manipulate prices by buying more stock to drive prices up ultimately led to a "downward spiral," resulting in Archegos' collapse and costing shareholders $100 billion and banks $10 billion.



Federal prosecutors allege that Hwang misled lenders and manipulated prices to amass his fortune. Hwang's defense, however, argues that the case is based on an "incomprehensible manipulation theory." Hwang's earlier conviction for insider trading in 2012 also contributed to his fall from grace.

The rapid growth of Archegos' portfolio and the concentration of its positions in a few companies increased the risk of a market crash. Hwang's firm concentrated its positions in a few companies, with stakes sometimes reaching 50%. This concentration amplified price fluctuations, making the portfolio highly vulnerable to market movements in those stocks.

Banks' eagerness for fees and their willingness to lend to Hwang, despite his past insider trading conviction, significantly contributed to the situation. Hwang's Archegos Capital Management grew rapidly from 2020, with his personal fortune ballooning from around $1.5 billion to $35 billion in just over a year. Banks, in their search for fees, lent to Hwang again, allowing his market positions to grow from about $10 billion to as much as $160 billion.

The collapse of Archegos serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with aggressive trading strategies, market manipulations, and regulatory loopholes. As the investment landscape evolves, investors and regulators must remain vigilant to prevent such catastrophic events from recurring.