Solana News Today: Whale Shorts ETH BTC SOL at 40x Leverage on HyperLiquid Amid Bearish Crypto Outlook

Generated by AI AgentCoin World
Saturday, Aug 16, 2025 10:25 am ET1min read
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Aime RobotAime Summary

- Whale deposits $1.59M USDC in HyperLiquid, opening 20x-40x short positions on ETH, BTC, and SOL, signaling bearish sentiment.

- Prior $3M USDC withdrawal from centralized exchanges suggests strategic capital reallocation ahead of leveraged bets.

- 40x BTC short highlights high-risk strategy amid regulatory uncertainties, risking liquidation if prices rise.

- Diverging institutional and retail sentiment, with Solana ETF volumes hitting $3.38B despite SEC delays.

A whale deposited $1.59 million

USDC
into HyperLiquid to open high-leverage short positions on
Ethereum
(ETH),
Bitcoin
(BTC), and
Solana
(SOL), according to on-chain analytics shared by OnchainLens. The whale’s positions ranged from 20x to 40x leverage, with BTC being shorted at 40x, the highest among the three assets [1]. This move significantly increased short-side liquidity in HyperLiquid’s perpetual futures pools, signaling a strong bearish sentiment towards the short-term price direction of these major cryptocurrencies [1].

The whale’s activity follows a similar pattern observed earlier in the month, when a $3 million USDC withdrawal was recorded from centralized exchanges, indicating a strategic shift in capital deployment [2]. This suggests a deliberate approach to managing risk and capital, with the trader likely preparing for potential downward price movement in the crypto market.

The use of high leverage—particularly at 40x on Bitcoin—reflects a high-risk, high-reward strategy. While leverage can amplify gains, it also increases the risk of liquidation if prices move against the whale’s position. The current leveraged bet demonstrates a confidence in near-term price declines, especially given the broader regulatory uncertainties in the crypto market [1].

Notably, the timing of the whale’s trade aligns with heightened volatility in Solana, where the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) delayed a decision on Solana ETF applications until October. In the 24 hours prior to the whale’s deposit, SOL had dropped 3.58% to $186.98. However, its technical indicators remain mixed, with the RSI at 55.36 and a bullish MACD histogram beneath current price levels [1].

This whale activity highlights the growing role of centralized perpetual futures platforms like HyperLiquid in facilitating large-scale speculative trading. These platforms enable traders to execute highly leveraged positions with relatively small capital outlays, though the amplified risk is a significant factor in such strategies [1].

The whale’s bearish outlook contrasts with some institutional activity in the market. For example, Solana-related futures ETF volumes hit an all-time high of $3.38 billion on August 13, suggesting continued institutional interest despite the ETF delay [1]. This divergence between institutional and retail sentiment underscores the complexity of current crypto price dynamics and the challenges in predicting short-term market direction.

Ultimately, the success of the whale’s leveraged short positions will depend on whether the anticipated price declines materialize. If ETH, BTC, or SOL experience upward movement, the whale could face losses or even liquidation. Conversely, a continuation of bearish momentum would allow the whale to capitalize on its aggressive positioning [1].

Source:

[1] https://blockchain.news/flashnews/whale-shorts-eth-btc-sol-on-hyperliquid-with-20x-40x-leverage-after-1-59m-usdc-deposit-onchain-data-alert

[2] https://www.gate.com/crypto-market-data/funds/liquidation/sol