Grumpy Chinese Guy

Trump’s Tariff Leak and the Bitcoin Crash

Report on Suspicious Short Positions Before Announcement

Neil Zhu's avatar
Neil Zhu
Oct 13, 2025
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I. Summary

Thirty minutes before Trump announced 100% tariffs on Chinese imports, several large short positions appeared on HyperLiquid.
Bitcoin dropped over 15% after the announcement.
Those early shorts were closed for millions in profit.
Meanwhile, billions in leveraged long positions were liquidated.


II. Timeline and Data

  • Time: Shorts opened roughly 30 minutes before Trump’s post.

  • Platform: HyperLiquid, a decentralized derivatives exchange.

  • Volume: Total short positions exceeded $1 billion.

  • Aftermath: Over $1.9 billion in long positions liquidated within hours.

  • Market impact: Bitcoin fell from around $122,000 to near $105,000.

This pattern shows precise timing that matches a major political event.

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III. Identified Short Sellers

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