Oil shorts pay off as crypto whale pockets $2 million gain

A trader known as Loracle closed out a bearish oil trade early Wednesday, securing about $2 million in profit as crude prices plunged following the U.S.–Iran ceasefire announcement.

The crypto whale had built a $5 million short position in crude oil perpetual futures on Hyperliquid last week. As prices dropped more than 15%, falling below $100 per barrel, the trader exited the position, locking in gains, according to Arkham Intelligence.

Loracle’s broader crypto portfolio—comprised of assets such as USDT, USDC, and ETH—now stands at more than $8 million.

The trade underscores how decentralized platforms like Hyperliquid are increasingly allowing crypto-native traders to profit from movements in traditional markets. The dynamic mirrors the rapid wealth creation seen during the 2020–21 memecoin boom.

Heightened volatility tied to the recent conflict has further strengthened Hyperliquid’s position as a key venue for trading tokenized traditional assets, particularly during periods when conventional markets are closed.

Recent data highlights this trend. Perpetual futures tied to West Texas Intermediate generated $2.45 billion in trading volume over the past 24 hours, surpassing those linked to ether. Bitcoin remains the most actively traded asset, while Brent Crude ranks fourth with $1.3 billion in volume.