11-8-2025 – Large-scale crypto investors ramped up contract activity over the past eight hours, primarily increasing short positions across altcoins as market conditions show early recovery signals, according to HyperInsight data. The surge in whale activity indicates institutional traders are positioning for potential downside despite broader market optimism.
Notable moves include one whale adding 85,383 ENA short contracts through address 0x123dbca, currently facing $3.55 million in unrealized losses with liquidation at $1.183. Another major player expanded their Bitcoin short position by $965,000, sitting on $9.64 million in paper losses with a liquidation threshold of $125,461. A third address increased HYPE short exposure by 110,000 units, recording $1.03 million in unrealized losses.
The bearish positioning contrasts with some bullish plays, as one whale opened a new 115.73 BTC long position while simultaneously increasing XRP shorts by 4.31 million units. The mixed signals suggest institutional uncertainty about market direction despite recent recovery momentum across major cryptocurrencies. The concentrated short positioning by whales could signal either sophisticated hedging strategies or expectations of near-term volatility, with traders monitoring whether these large positions face margin calls as recovery continues.