Ethereum sees whale activity surge amid geopolitical tensions
ETH whales bet $100M amid rising geopolitical risk
In a surprising move amidst rising geopolitical tensions, major Ethereum investors are making bold, high-stakes bets on the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency.
Despite the crypto market’s sensitivity to global instability, whales are injecting millions in leveraged positions, signaling confidence in a near-term recovery, Cointelegraph reported.
Key takeaways
- One ETH whale placed a $101M leveraged bet at 25x leverage despite market risks.
- Ethereum’s share of Binance trading volume has risen, largely due to falling interest in altcoins.
- U.S. airstrikes in Iran spurred the recent dip to $2,113, adding geopolitical volatility to crypto markets.
- Analysts expect further corrections amid geopolitical instability.
High-risk leverage amid uncertainty
Hypurrscan blockchain data shows one prominent investor opened a $101 million long position on ETH with 25x leverage, just as Ether fell to a one-month low of $2,113 following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The bold $101 million leveraged trade—opened just before another whale pulled $40 million in ETH off Binance—has drawn attention from traders and analysts. While the position yielded over $900,000 in unrealized gains, the funding cost exceeded $2.5 million, showing the high risk tied to leveraged strategies during global turmoil.
Another big investor's entry price of $2,247 could yield substantial profits—but leaves the position vulnerable to liquidation at $2,196, OnchainLens reported. This underscores how whale actions, while bullish, can amplify volatility in uncertain markets.
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Altcoins dDecline as Ethereum gains share
According to CryptoQuant, Ethereum’s dominance on Binance is rising—but not due to increased ETH enthusiasm. Instead, altcoin trading volumes have dropped sharply. From January 2023 to May 2025, ETH volume remained between 300–490 trillion, while other assets saw outflows.
Trade Volume in Binance. Source: CryptoQuant
President Trump’s recent comments celebrating the U.S. strikes—and threats of further military action—add further stress to the market. ETH and Bitcoin traders largely expect a short-term correction before any sustainable rally can occur.
While whales bet big on a rebound, the wider market remains cautious, waiting to see how geopolitics and regulation evolve.
In addition, we reported BTC ETFs raise $1 billion despite tensions in Middle East.
