James Wynn Bets Big: $1.25B Bitcoin Long Exposes Hyperliquid Trader to Market Whiplash
High-risk crypto trader James Wynn takes a $1.25B Bitcoin long with 40x leverage, suffering $29M loss amid Trump tariff shock.
Crypto trader James Wynn has made headlines again after doubling down on a high-stakes, $1.25 billion long position on Bitcoin using 40x leverage via the Hyperliquid decentralized exchange. While the aggressive strategy initially netted significant gains, it also left Wynn vulnerable to market volatility, culminating in a $29 million loss following geopolitical disruption.
On May 24, analytics platform Lookonchain revealed Wynn’s open position of 11,588 BTC, with an average entry price of $108,243 and a liquidation level hovering around $105,180. The move followed Wynn’s exit from a successful $PEPE position that earned him $25.2 million and a $5.3 million loss from Ether and Sui longs.
This high-leverage bet began on May 21 with an $830 million BTC position, from which Wynn quickly locked in $400 million in profits. By May 22, he scaled the trade up to $1.1 billion, briefly gaining $39 million as Bitcoin soared past $110,000. A partial sell-off of 540 BTC secured a modest $1.5 million profit. Wynn’s full exposure now sits at $1.25 billion.
The position faced immediate pressure after former President Donald Trump announced a 50% tariff on EU imports, causing a sharp sell-off across global markets. Bitcoin fell below $107,000, and other major crypto assets—including Ether and memecoins—also dropped sharply. According to HypurrScan, Wynn’s portfolio lost over $29 million in 24 hours.
Despite the setback, Wynn remains well in the green. He’s up over $57 million in lifetime trading profits and $46 million in the last month alone, per HypurrScan.
Wynn is no stranger to volatility. Known for his aggressive approach, he describes himself as a “high-risk leverage trader and memecoin maxi.” His record includes calling $PEPE as a buy when its market cap was just $600,000.
Wynn began trading on Hyperliquid two months ago, depositing $4.65 million in USDC. Hyperliquid's decentralized exchange (DEX) operates on its proprietary Layer 1 blockchain and supports a full suite of DeFi tools, including spot markets and lending services.
While Wynn’s daring strategy has yielded massive returns, it also underscores the inherent dangers of overleveraged crypto trading—especially in a market sensitive to macroeconomic shocks.
