Hyperliquid’s $4M Loss After Whale’s $200M ETH Liquidation

• A whale’s $200 million ETH position on Hyperliquid was liquidated.​
• The liquidation resulted in a $4 million loss for Hyperliquid’s HLP vault.​
• Hyperliquid has since adjusted leverage limits to mitigate future risk

On March 12, 2025, Hyperliquid, a decentralized perpetual futures exchange, faced a substantial financial setback due to the liquidation of a whale’s highly leveraged Ethereum ( ETH ) position. The trader, identified by the wallet address “0xf3f4,” opened a 50x leveraged long position, depositing $4.3 million in USDC to control 113,000 ETH, amounting to over $200 million.

As Ethereum’s price fluctuated unfavorably, the trader began withdrawing funds, reducing their margin below maintenance requirements. This strategic move led to an automatic liquidation of the position. Despite the liquidation, the trader secured a profit of approximately $1.8 million, while Hyperliquid’s Hyperliquid Provider (HLP) vault absorbed a $4 million loss.

Impact on Hyperliquid’s HLP Vault and Platform Response

The HLP vault, which functions as a liquidity provider on the platform, was directly affected by this event. The $4 million loss represented about 1% of the vault’s total value locked (TVL) and approximately 6.6% of its total historical profits, which stand at $60 million. ​

In response to this incident, Hyperliquid announced adjustments to its leverage limits to enhance risk management and prevent similar occurrences in the future. The maximum leverage for Bitcoin ( BTC ) has been reduced to 40x from 50x, and for Ethereum (ETH), it has been lowered to 25x from 33x. These changes aim to provide a better buffer for backstop liquidations of larger positions.

Market Reaction and Future Outlook

Following the liquidation event, Hyperliquid’s native token, HYPE, experienced a significant price drop. The token’s value declined by approximately 8.5%, falling from $14.04 to $12.84, before showing signs of recovery. ​

This incident has sparked discussions within the crypto community regarding the potential loopholes in Hyperliquid’s risk management system and the broader implications for decentralized finance ( Defi ) platforms. Some traders suspect that sophisticated strategies were used to exploit the liquidation mechanism for profit. However, Hyperliquid has not confirmed any fraudulent activity and maintains that the platform was not exploited or hacked. ​

As Hyperliquid implements stricter leverage limits and continues to monitor its risk management protocols, the platform aims to restore confidence among its users and stakeholders. The incident serves as a reminder of the inherent risks associated with high-leverage trading and the importance of robust risk management practices in the rapidly evolving DeFi landscape.