Hyperliquid News Today: Hyperliquid Repurchases Face Off Against Major Whale Short Positions: Crypto Derivatives Amidst Intense Volatility

The crypto derivatives sector is currently facing increased turbulence as leading entities and protocols adapt to a volatile environment following a recent market downturn. As noted in a

, Hyperliquid spearheaded 2025’s token repurchase initiatives, buying back $644 million worth of tokens—nearly half of the $1.4 billion total for the year. These repurchases are designed to ease selling pressure and demonstrate faith in the underlying token models, a tactic also adopted by projects such as and Pump.fun.

At the same time, Bitcoin’s post-crash phase has prompted assertive short positions from institutional investors and large holders. The whale known as "BitcoinOG(1011)," who accurately anticipated the October 10–11 decline, has increased bearish exposure with $140 million in open shorts on Hyperliquid, according to

. This whale’s trading activity has attracted attention for its potential to sway market sentiment, especially as others mimic these moves. Another major player, referred to as the "Trump Insider Whale," has raised its short positions to $227 million, as detailed by .

This heightened volatility has resulted in notable liquidations. ENA, which is associated with Ethena’s synthetic stablecoin, suffered a sudden 10% drop on October 23（UTC+8）, leading to $47.38 million in liquidations for Andrew Kang’s wallet linked to Hyperliquid, as reported by

. Such incidents underscore the vulnerability of leveraged trades in a market where swift price changes can quickly wipe out profits.

Retail traders are also exposed to these hazards. Huang Lizheng, also known as "Brother Ma Ji," incurred a $13.5 million loss after taking a heavily leveraged ETH position on Hyperliquid, according to

. His experience highlights the risks of high leverage in DeFi, where effective collateral management and constant oversight are essential. On the other hand, James Wynn, a prominent Hyperliquid participant, has taken a bullish approach to , dedicating a significant share of his portfolio to the asset, as noted by . His investment has sparked discussion over whether it reflects true belief or is influenced by platform-driven enthusiasm.

Hyperliquid’s involvement in these trends has come under examination. Founder Jeff Yan defended the platform’s auto-deleveraging system during the October 10 crash, stating it protected traders by closing profitable shorts and saving millions, according to comments made to

. The platform also distributed potential profits to users rather than keeping them as protocol revenue, setting itself apart from the less transparent liquidation practices of centralized exchanges.

As these events unfold, the interaction between whale strategies, buyback campaigns, and leveraged trading remains central. With

hovering around $108,000 and struggling to recover, the upcoming weeks will reveal whether these factors lead to further declines or spark a recovery.