Solana News Today: Crypto Whale's $41M Leveraged Bets Test Market Stability Amid Volatility Risks

A cryptocurrency whale has executed a high-stakes leveraged short strategy, betting against Bitcoin (BTC) and Solana (SOL) with a combined position size of $41.14 million. The trader, identified through on-chain analytics, opened a 40x leveraged short on BTC worth $516 million and a 20x leveraged short on SOL totaling $24.2 million, according to data from Hypurrscan and Lookonchain . The moves highlight the growing influence of large players in crypto markets and underscore the risks inherent in leveraged trading.

The Bitcoin short, initiated at $84,043 per BTC, yielded a $9.46 million profit after the whale closed the position following a drop in prices and a lower-than-expected U.S. inflation report . The trader faced liquidation if Bitcoin surpassed $85,592 but managed to avoid this by adding $5 million to the position amid coordinated short-squeezing attempts by other traders . After securing profits, the whale reinvested in Ethereum (ETH), purchasing 3,200 ETH for $6.1 million, signaling a shift in risk appetite ahead of the Federal Reserve's March 19 meeting .

Meanwhile, the Solana short, opened at $164.9 per SOL with 20x leverage, carries a liquidation price of $172.96, leaving the whale with a narrow margin for error . At current prices, the position shows an unrealized profit, but a modest price rebound could trigger forced closure. Analysts note that leveraged shorts like this are increasingly common in volatile altcoins such as SOL, which has seen significant price swings in 2025 .

Market observers point to broader implications of such large leveraged bets. A $16 billion liquidation event in early October 2025, triggered by U.S.-China trade tensions and macroeconomic uncertainty, demonstrated how leveraged positions can exacerbate market volatility . Liquidation data from platforms like Gate.com and Coinalyze.net show that extreme leveraged positions often act as contrarian indicators, with large short liquidations sometimes preceding price rebounds .

Fumihiro Arasawa, CEO of xWIN Research, emphasized the importance of key support levels for Bitcoin, noting that a sustained hold above $81,000 could stabilize sentiment, while a breakdown might deepen corrections . Ryan Lee of Bitget Research added that the Fed's rate decision remains critical, with any unexpected hawkish signals likely to pressure risk assets .

The whale's strategy reflects both the opportunities and perils of leveraged trading. While high leverage amplifies gains, it also magnifies risks, particularly in fast-moving markets. As crypto derivatives trading volumes continue to rise, regulators and market participants are increasingly scrutinizing the role of large players in driving price swings .

Source: [1] Whale closes $516M 40x Bitcoin short, pockets $9.4M ... (https://cointelegraph.com/news/whale-516m-40x-bitcoin-short-9-4-m-8-days)

[2] Bitcoin Whale's $420M Short Position Sparks Market Buzz (https://www.cryptotimes.io/2025/10/09/bitcoin-whales-420m-short-position-sparks-market-buzz/)

[3] Solana (SOL) Liquidation Historical Data - gate.com (https://www.gate.com/crypto-market-data/funds/liquidation-data/sol)

[4] Solana (SOL) Liquidations (https://coinalyze.net/solana/liquidations/)

[5] Leveraged SOL Short: Whale Bets Big on Price Drop (https://24crypto.news/leveraged-sol-short-whale-bets-big-on-price-drop-103942)

[7] Here's How Bitcoin (BTC), XRP, Ether (ETH), Solana (SOL) May ... (https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/10/11/v-shaped-rally-or-gradual-reset-btc-eth-xrp-sol-face-slow-bottoming-process-after-usd16b-liquidation-shock)