Amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, Ether (ETH) whales are opening high-risk, high-leverage positions, betting on a near-term recovery despite a cautious broader market.
$101M Leveraged Long Placed Before ETH Rebound
One major Ethereum investor—commonly referred to as a “whale”—has opened a $101 million long position with 25x leverage, according to data from Hypurrscan. The position was entered at an average price of $2,247, with liquidation set around $2,196, reflecting a tight margin of safety.
Although the whale is currently in unrealized profit exceeding $900,000, they’ve incurred over $2.5 million in funding fees, suggesting a high-confidence play on a rapid price bounce rather than a long-term hold.
Whale Wallets Accumulate as ETH Drops to $2,113
Hours after the leveraged position was opened, a second whale withdrew over $40 million in ETH from Binance, bringing their wallet’s total to $112 million. The move follows ETH’s drop to a one-month low of $2,113, triggered by U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.
The conflict, which began escalating on June 13, has led to risk-off sentiment in global markets. However, ETH has since recovered to trade near $2,248, supported by spot buying and staking demand.
Most Traders Still Bearish — But Whales Diverge
According to HyperDash, 64% of top traders are currently short on BTC and ETH, reflecting broader market uncertainty. In contrast, whale behavior suggests accumulation, signaling divergence between institutional sentiment and trader positioning.
Staked ETH reached a record high of over 35 million ETH on June 17, reducing the liquid supply and suggesting that long-term holders remain confident in Ethereum’s value proposition.
Geopolitical Risk vs. On-Chain Confidence
Research from Binance notes that while geopolitical escalation may trigger further corrections, historical patterns indicate a potential for “panic-then-recover” market behavior.
Crypto intelligence analysts at Nansen believe investors are in “wait-and-see” mode, balancing concerns about macro factors, war, and Fed policy uncertainty. However, on-chain activity shows resilient interest from large players even amid external shocks.
Conclusion: While retail sentiment remains cautious, whales continue to deploy significant capital on Ether, betting on a price rebound driven by technical support, reduced supply, and long-term conviction. The next few days will be critical in determining whether these bold bets pay off.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves risk and may result in financial loss.