Arthur Hayes Offloads $13M in Crypto (ETH, ENA, PEPE) – What’s Behind the Sudden Sell-Off?

• Why Did Arthur Hayes Liquidate $13M in Crypto?
• Hayes’ Macro Warning: Tariffs, Jobs, and Crypto Pressure
• Market Reactions: Smart Move or Overreaction?
• What’s Next? Hayes’ Tokyo Keynote Awaited
• FAQs: Decoding Arthur Hayes’ Crypto Moves

BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes just made waves by dumping over $13 million worth of crypto assets—including Ether (ETH), Ethena (ENA), and meme coin PEPE—within a six-hour window. The move comes alongside his bold predictions: Bitcoin hitting $100K and ethereum dropping to $3K. With macroeconomic storms brewing and a U.S. tariff bill looming, Hayes’ actions have traders scrambling for clues. Here’s the full breakdown of his sell-off, market reactions, and what it means for crypto’s near future.

Why Did Arthur Hayes Liquidate $13M in Crypto?

On-chain sleuths at Lookonchain spotted Hayes’ wallet activity, revealing sales of 2,373 ETH ($8.3M), 7.76M ENA ($4.6M), and 38.86B PEPE ($414K). The timing? Just hours before he tweeted a grim macro outlook tied to weak U.S. jobs data and expiring tariff suspensions. "No major economy is creating enough credit to boost GDP," he argued, hinting at a crypto downturn. Was this a strategic exit or panic selling? Analysts are split.

Arthur Hayes’ transfer history. Source: Arkham Intelligence

Hayes’ Macro Warning: Tariffs, Jobs, and Crypto Pressure

Hayes doubled down on X, linking his sales to July’s dismal Non-Farm Payroll (NFP) report (just 73K jobs added) and Q3’s tariff bill deadline. "BTC tests $100K, ETH tests $3K," he wrote—a paradoxical take suggesting volatile swings ahead. The BTCC research team notes his track record of contrarian calls but warns: "Macro shocks could amplify crypto’s sensitivity to liquidity crunches."

Market Reactions: Smart Move or Overreaction?

While ENA and PEPE’s thin liquidity magnified price impacts, some see Hayes’ trades as profit-taking after recent rallies. Others suspect hedging against his own bearish forecast. "He’s playing chess while retail trades checkers," quipped one Crypto Twitter pundit. Data from CoinMarketCap shows ETH dipped 2.3% post-sell-off, though Pepe oddly gained 5%—a classic meme-coin defiance.

What’s Next? Hayes’ Tokyo Keynote Awaited

All eyes now turn to Hayes’ August 25 keynote at WebX Asia in Tokyo, where he’ll likely unpack his "beach-ready" portfolio strategy. Traders wonder: Will institutional money flood in post-correction, or is this the start of a deeper slump? One thing’s clear—Hayes’ moves remind us that crypto’s wild rides often start with macroeconomic tremors.