Hyperliquid Trader James Wynn Liquidated for Nearly $100M as Bitcoin Falls Below $105K
A high-profile crypto trader known as James Wynn suffered nearly $100 million in liquidations after Bitcoin’s price dipped below $105,000 on May 30, triggering a collapse of his massive long positions on decentralized exchange Hyperliquid.
Wynn had leveraged Bitcoin long bets totaling 949 BTC — worth approximately $99.3 million — which were liquidated as the cryptocurrency dropped to its lowest level in 10 days, according to data from Hypurrscan.
The breakdown included:
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527.29 BTC worth $55.3 million liquidated at $104,950
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421.8 BTC worth $43.9 million liquidated at $104,150
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A smaller position of 94 BTC worth $10 million was also liquidated a day earlier at $106,330
These trades were part of Wynn’s 40x leveraged long bet, which he had built up to over $1.25 billion in open interest just days earlier on May 24.
Market volatility triggers wipeout
Bitcoin wicked down to $104,630 on Coinbase and fell even further on other platforms, triggering Wynn’s liquidation cascade. The price dip followed renewed tariff concerns from US President Donald Trump, sparking broader market uncertainty.
Despite the losses, Wynn still appears to be holding another perpetual long position — opened at $107,993 — currently sitting at a $3.4 million unrealized loss, according to Hypurrscan data.
Reaction and self-awareness
Following the liquidation, Wynn posted a cryptic screenshot from The Matrix on X (formerly Twitter), referencing a scene where Neo halts bullets mid-air — perhaps alluding to a perceived comeback or resilience.
On May 29, Wynn described himself as an “extreme degenerate,” acknowledging the high-risk nature of his trades:
“I do not follow proper risk management, nor do I claim to be a professional; if anything, I claim to be lucky. I’m effectively gambling. And I stand to lose everything. I strongly advise people against what I’m doing!”
From memecoins to margin calls
Wynn initially rose to fame in crypto circles for his early success with memecoins, particularly Pepe (PEPE), which brought him millions in gains.
His recent experience serves as a dramatic reminder of the risks of extreme leverage in crypto trading — especially when paired with large position sizes and volatile assets like Bitcoin.
