Crypto Whale Profit Hits $39M on $500M Short Position
Crypto Whale Profit hits $39M on a $500M short, showing both the opportunities and risks of large crypto trades.

Quick Take
Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed.
A crypto whale holds over $500M in short positions.
Unrealized profits have reached $39M on current market prices.
Large trades can influence market trends and smaller investors.
Unrealized gains carry risk if the market reverses suddenly.
A crypto whale holding over $500 million in short positions has seen its unrealized profit reach $39 million, reports Cointelegraph. The news has drawn attention from traders and analysts. Further highlighting how large investors can make huge gains while taking big risks in the crypto market.
🐋 MASSIVE: A whale with over $500M in shorts now has an unrealized PnL of $39M. pic.twitter.com/uOAN3hFEjO
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) October 18, 2025
What the Whale Did
In crypto, a “whale” is someone who owns a large amount of cryptocurrency. This whale bet that prices would drop by taking short positions. Shorting means a trader profits when the price of an asset falls.
The whale’s $500 million position has currently gained $39 million on paper. This profit is called unrealized, meaning it exists only based on current market prices and has not been cashed out yet. The situation shows the power and risks involved in large-scale crypto trades.
Why It Matters for the Market
Big short positions can influence market trends. Other traders watch whales closely to guess where prices might go. When a whale makes a move this big, it can affect smaller traders and even market sentiment. Unrealized gains can look pretty impressive, but they can change quickly. If the market moves against the whale, losses could be huge. This goes to show how delicate big trades can be.
Understanding Unrealized Profit
Unrealized PnL (profit and loss) measures gains or losses based on the current price, but it has not been realized through a sale. In this case, the whale’s $39 million gain could disappear if the market reverses.
Many whales leave positions open to maximize profit. But leaving trades open also increases exposure to sudden price swings. Crypto markets are very volatile, so traders must watch the market and act fast.
Why Traders Watch Whales
Crypto whale profits often drive trends in crypto because their trades are so big. A single large trade can move prices, even if just temporarily. Retail traders and algorithms often follow whale activity to make decisions. This tracking can cause more trading, more volatility and bigger price swings.
In this case, the $39 million unrealized gain may show that the whale expects prices to drop further. Traders are waiting to see if the whale will cash out or hold the position for longer. Either decision could affect Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies.
Lessons and Takeaways
The story of this whale shows both opportunity and risk. Huge positions can make massive paper gains, but they also have the risk of major losses if the market turns.
Watching whales can give insight into market trends. But it is not a guarantee of profit. Traders need to balance risk and reward carefully. The $500 million whale with a $39 million unrealized gain shows how high-stakes crypto trading works. It also reminds investors that profits can change in an instant.

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