Crypto market gains over $100B as Bitcoin rises 1.8% and Ethereum 3.1% following easing US-China trade tension signals.
A major crypto whale has opened $255 million in long positions on Bitcoin and Ethereum. This is shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed a planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The announcement comes amid renewed speculation about trade relations between the two global powers and triggered a sharp reaction across the crypto market, with Bitcoin and Ethereum prices rising over 3%.
Market observers are closely watching how diplomatic developments may shape investor sentiment and short-term trading activity.
Whale Takes $255M Long Position After Meeting Announcement
Blockchain transaction data shows that an unidentified insider whale opened $255 million worth of long positions in Bitcoin and Ethereum. The timing of the trade came just after Trump publicly confirmed his October 31 meeting with Xi Jinping at the APEC summit in South Korea.
🚨BREAKING
AN INSIDER WITH A 100% WIN RATE JUST OPENED $BTC AND $ETH LONGS WORTH $255 MILLION
HE DEFINITELY KNOWS SOMETHING 👀 pic.twitter.com/hwAkXPzBwW
— Wimar.X (@DefiWimar) October 19, 2025
The confirmation marked a shift from Trump’s previous approach. Only a week earlier, he had introduced a 100% tariff on all Chinese imports, which triggered a broad sell-off in global financial markets.
Now, with a meeting scheduled and a more measured tone from Trump, some traders are betting that trade relations may stabilize.
Trump referred to President Xi as “highly respected” and commented that China’s recent economic downturn was “just a bad moment.” Speaking on FOX Business, he added that the tariffs announced earlier this month “may not stand,” suggesting a possible easing of trade tensions.
Crypto Markets Rebound Following U.S.–China News
Following the announcement of the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting, the crypto market responded quickly.
Bitcoin rose by nearly 3% within hours, while Ethereum gained 3.48%, trading around $4,038. Overall, the global crypto market capitalization increased by more than $100 billion over ten hours.
Traders appear to be reacting to the possibility of improved U.S.-China relations.
Diplomatic developments in Asia are seen as crucial to market stability, especially after a period of heightened uncertainty. The removal of China’s ambassador to the World Trade Organization, Li Chenggang, further supported market speculation.
Li had previously engaged in multiple trade-related disputes with U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. His replacement is seen by analysts as a potential shift in China’s strategy toward more direct engagement with the United States.
Whale Opens New BTC Short Despite Bullish Momentum
Despite the whale’s $255 million long bet, recent data shows the same trader has also opened a $76.1 million Bitcoin short position using 10x leverage. This suggests that the trader may be anticipating additional volatility leading up to or following the October 31 meeting.
Insider Bitcoin whale is back.
He just opened a $76,195,977 $BTC short position with 10x leverage.
Does he know something? pic.twitter.com/K4ldvQE1TN
— Ted (@TedPillows) October 19, 2025
According to earlier trading records, this whale has a history of well-timed trades.
Last week, the individual expanded a short position to $127 million after closing out a $735 million short from a previous market drop. The move to open both long and short positions suggests that the trader expects sharp movements in both directions.
Experts are monitoring the situation as markets remain sensitive to any updates from Washington or Beijing. If both parties signal progress during the APEC summit, further price action in the crypto market could follow.