On the first day of 2026, a crypto trader named 0xea66 made a concerted market action. On-chain records followed by Lookonchain indicate that the trader deposited 8 million USDC in Hyperliquid and then opened a successive number of leveraged longs. The trader did not hedge or directionally diversify risk but rather was all with a bullish thesis. This bold move predetermined one of the most expected trades of the early 2026.
Leveraged Exposure Hits $24 Million
The trader leveraged moderately to increase exposure in 11 altcoins and Bitcoin to form a total market position of about 24 million dollars. The trader used an average leverage of 5x, which combined aggressive upside exposure with controlled liquidation risk. Instead of focusing on a single asset, the trader made capital allocations in several high-momentum tokens.
Some of the low- and mid-cap altcoins had the highest returns in the portfolio. Explosive gains with tokens like the $XPL, the $IP and the $PUMP provided as more money was speculatively invested in high-beta stocks. On-chain data has indicated that returns on some positions have been greater than 150% in comparison to the move of Bitcoin over the same duration. This distribution reflects a computed bias towards upside volatility.
Profit-before-Tax Unrealized Hits 2.85 Million
It took only a few days before all the 12 open positions proved to be profitable. The trader is moving on the unrealized gains of $2.85 million which is equivalent to 64 percent on the capital. Account valuation had surpassed the mark of $10.8 million which was the combined indication of price growth and leverage efficiency. The trader has not liquidated positions giving an indication of more faith in the trend.
The trader got into the market when the crypto sentiment turned out bullish at the beginning of the new year. Bitcoin stabilized, and altcoins came under new speculative interest. The liquidity situation got better, and the risk appetite was increased within the derivative platforms. This combination enhanced returns and minimized early drawdown risk.
Whale Action is a Bullish Barometer
Big directional trades tend to tell the larger market psychology. Going long with no apparent hedge indicated the trader believed that the downside risk was minimal. On-chain analysts view this action as confidence at the whale level in a perpetual positive period. Retail optimism and copy trading often follow such trades. In spite of this impressive performance, leveraged trading has its own risks. Unrealized profits can be wiped out within a short period of time in case of sudden reversals, volatile spikes or macro shocks. The approach of the trader lies in the disciplined risk management and timely exits.
Unrealized gains are not a surety of realized gains.Unrealized gains in the case of the trader 0xea66 The trader 0xea66 made one of the most significant and successfully executed early-2026 crypto trades by making all-in leveraged longs. The trade carries with it the perfect timing and great conviction with each position in profit and 2.85 million in unrealized gains. Although the risks exist, this step indicates the increasing confidence of whales that the crypto bull cycle is not over in the year 2026.
