A "whale" nicknamed the "Trump insider" reportedly made a $150–$160 million profit in mid-October 2025 by shorting Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) just before a market crash triggered by an announcement from President Donald Trump. The uncanny timing has fueled widespread speculation of insider trading in the crypto community.
The lucrative short
The trade: Just 30 minutes before Trump announced 100% tariffs on Chinese imports on October 10, a whale placed a $1.1 billion leveraged short position on Bitcoin and Ethereum using $160 million in margin on the decentralized exchange Hyperliquid.
The crash: Following Trump's announcement, the crypto market saw a massive sell-off. Bitcoin plummeted from over $125,000 to approximately $102,000, and Ethereum also experienced a sharp decline. The crash led to over $19 billion in liquidations, wiping out many other traders, especially those with long positions.
The profit: As markets tumbled, the whale closed most of their short positions, netting a profit of between $150 million and $160 million. The trader was dubbed the "Trump insider" due to the precise timing of the trades. $ETH