Crypto Whales Gobble Up $6M in HYPE Tokens Ahead of July 15 Unlock—Bullish Signal or Smart Money Play?

Crypto whales just made a $6 million bet on HYPE tokens—and the market's buzzing. With the July 15 unlock looming, big players are positioning themselves. But is this a bullish signal or just another smart money power move?

Whales aren't known for charity work—they're here to make bank. The timing? Suspiciously perfect. Buy low before unlock, ride the retail FOMO wave, then exit stage left. Classic.

Meanwhile, the rest of us are left wondering: Are we witnessing the next moonshot or just another pump waiting for its dump? Only time—and maybe a few shady Telegram groups—will tell.

Big Inflows as Whales Accumulate HYPE

Just hours ago, four wallets transferred $6.14 million in USDC to the Hyperliquid platform to acquire HYPE tokens. One newly created wallet alone contributed $1 million, purchasing 25,507 HYPE tokens at an average price of $39.20. This accumulation came during a period of increased market volatility.

At the time of writing, HYPE is trading around $39.07, with daily trading volume exceeding $230 million. The token has climbed 5.35% over the past 24 hours and 3.93% over the week. The timing of these whale movements indicates growing confidence in HYPE’s future, particularly as the Kinetiq staking system opens up new possibilities for institutional and individual token holders.

$40M Worth of HYPE Set to Be Unlocked

On-chain data also reveals that over 1 million HYPE tokens—equivalent to approximately $40 million—will be unstaked before July 15. Three whale wallets are responsible for 847,000 of those tokens, showing coordinated positioning around this upcoming window.

Rather than signaling a sell-off, the MOVE appears to be part of a broader strategy to restake HYPE using Kinetiq’s new liquid staking tools. The Kinetiq platform offers features like validator scoring and institutional access through iHYPE, a token designed for staking flexibility. Strategic partnerships with FlowDesk and IMC Trading add further infrastructure to the protocol.

This phase is expected to reshape how large holders interact with HYPE. By supporting liquid staking directly, Kinetiq could attract longer-term commitments from investors rather than quick exits.

Hyperliquid Expands Ecosystem Capabilities

In another significant step forward, Phantom, a popular wallet provider, now supports perpetual trading using Hyperliquid’s API. This feature is available in the European Union and enables users to trade derivatives directly within their wallet interface—while maintaining full control of their assets.

This update adds further value to the Hyperliquid ecosystem. Users can now interact with DeFi features like perpetuals without needing to shift assets to a centralized platform. This also makes it easier for existing HYPE holders to participate in more complex trading strategies, all while staying in the same ecosystem.

Short Squeeze in Sight as Liquidation Levels Near

Analysts are also watching closely for a potential price breakout. According to Coinglass data, HYPE’s current price is just under a major cluster of short positions, especially around the $42 mark. If the token crosses this level, it could trigger liquidations worth more than $6 million—leading to a possible short squeeze.

On the downside, long liquidation levels appear limited below $32, indicating a stronger support range. With whales actively shifting HYPE to staking protocols rather than selling, downward pressure on the price seems minimal. This suggests that most of the current market action is strategic in nature, rather than panic-driven.

What It Means for HYPE Investors

All indicators point to growing interest in HYPE from large investors who are betting on the token’s future potential. The combined factors of whale accumulation, upcoming staking tools, and low long-side risk create a favorable environment for price stability and potential growth.

The $40 million HYPE unlock could have created selling pressure in a different market context. But in this case, most of those tokens appear destined for staking rather than open market exits.

With continued platform development and new staking options available soon, HYPE may remain one of the more closely watched tokens in the coming weeks. Short-term traders are monitoring the $42 level closely, while long-term holders seem prepared to commit their assets into productive strategies using Kinetiq.