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Crypto's Most Watched Whale Gets Fully Liquidated After Placing Billions in Risky Bets

Wynn’s high-leverage crypto trades on Hyperliquid resulted in a net loss of over $17 million and captivated the community.

May 31, 2025, 5:20 p.m.
Crypto whales shorts BTC on Hyperliquid. (foco44/Pixabay)
(foco44/Pixabay)

What to know:

  • James Wynn, a trader known for his high-risk, high-reward moves on Hyperliquid, has been fully liquidated.
  • Wynn ended up with just $23 on his account. His downfall began with a $1.25 billion long on BTC that led to a $37 million loss after prices dropped.

James Wynn, the trader whose risky moves on Hyperliquid captivated crypto watchers this month, has been fully liquidated.

He ended a volatile month with just $23 left in his account, according to HyperDash data.

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Wynn built his reputation and following by placing massive, leveraged on-chain trades across bitcoin , PEPE , and other tokens.

His downfall began with a $1.25 billion long position on BTC that unraveled as prices dropped below $105,000 amid growing geopolitical uncertainty. That trade alone cost him more than $37 million after fees.

The trader briefly pivoted to memecoins like PEPE, where one long position initially gained over 10%, before market swings liquidated him again.

Over the course of the month, Wynn cycled through assets including ETH, SUI, TRUMP, and even FARTCOIN. His trades at one point saw him achieve an unrealized gain of $85 million.

An account associated with Wynn on X commented on the liquidation and dismissed the losses. “I’ll run it back, I always do. And I’ll enjoy doing it. I like playing the game,” the account wrote on X. “I took a large and calculated bet at making billions.”

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