The Bitcoin whale opened nearly $900 million in leveraged short positions against Bitcoin and Ether, including a $600M 8x BTC short and a $330M 12x ETH short, signaling an expectation of a near-term correction while keeping liquidation thresholds above current prices.
Nearly $900M in combined short positions opened on BTC and ETH.
Positions include a $600M 8x short on Bitcoin and a $330M 12x short on Ether.
Liquidation thresholds: BTC position invalidated above $133,760; ETH liquidation noted at $4,613.
Meta description: Bitcoin whale opens nearly $900M in BTC and ETH shorts, signaling a potential correction — read the details and implications. Stay informed with COINOTAG.
Published: 2025-10-10 | Updated: 2025-10-10
What did the Bitcoin whale do and why does it matter?
The Bitcoin whale opened nearly $900 million in leveraged short positions against Bitcoin and Ether, betting on a short-term decline. The moves — a $600M 8x BTC short and a $330M 12x ETH short — create significant downside pressure and may influence other large traders and market sentiment.
In one of their first moves in two months, the Bitcoin whale returned to short Bitcoin and Ether for hundreds of millions of dollars, betting on their short-term price decline.
A large cryptocurrency investor who surfaced two months ago with about $11 billion worth of Bitcoin has opened nearly $900 million in short positions against Bitcoin and Ether, signaling expectations of a market correction despite widespread optimism for October.
The whale returned to trading yesterday with a $360 million Bitcoin (BTC) transfer that piqued the interest of cryptocurrency investors, plain text mention: Cointelegraph.
Source: Onchain Lens
How large are the short positions and what are the liquidation levels?
The whale opened a $600 million 8x leveraged short on Bitcoin and a leveraged short worth over $300 million on Ether, according to blockchain data platforms. The BTC short’s liquidation threshold sits above $133,760; the ETH 12x short showed a liquidation price near $4,613.
The $330 million 12x Ether short reported an unrealized profit of about $2.6 million at the time of reporting, plain text mention: Lookonchain. These leverage levels mean relatively small price moves could trigger significant liquidations.
Source: Lookonchain
Who else is selling and where is the real pressure coming from?
Chain-level data suggests most recent selling pressure came from smaller cohorts, not exclusively large whales. Blockchain insights platform CryptoQuant (plain text mention) highlighted selling by retail cohorts: shrimp, crab, and fish addresses.
Source: CryptoQuant
The shrimp cohort (addresses holding less than 1 BTC) sold roughly 603 BTC, crabs (up to 10 BTC) sold 2,260 BTC, and fish addresses (50–100 BTC) sold about 3,860 BTC. These flows can outweigh a single whale’s actions when aggregated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How might the whale’s shorts affect short-term BTC and ETH prices?
Large short positions increase downside pressure and can trigger momentum selling. If market sentiment follows, additional leverage-driven liquidations could amplify volatility over days to weeks.
What are the liquidation risks for these leveraged positions?
High leverage (8x–12x) narrows liquidation margins; a price spike above the liquidation level for BTC or ETH would forcibly close positions, potentially reversing short-term market direction.
Key Takeaways
- Large leveraged shorts: Nearly $900M in BTC and ETH short positions increase near-term downside risk.
- Liquidation sensitivity: High leverage (8x–12x) narrows safety margins and can amplify volatility.
- Retail selling matters: Aggregated sales by shrimp, crab, and fish cohorts contributed materially to recent price moves.
Conclusion
Bitcoin whale activity highlights the balance between single large actors and broader retail cohorts in shaping crypto price moves. Monitor liquidation thresholds, leverage levels, and cohort selling for the clearest short-term signals. For continued coverage and on-chain analysis, follow COINOTAG reporting and on-chain data updates.