ZachXBT Unmasks Hyperliquid Whale William Parker and His $20M Scam
A mysterious trader made waves in early 2025 by turning six-figure positions into a staggering $20 million on Hyperliquid and GMX. Using extreme leverage, he executed high-risk trades on Bitcoin and Ether, taking advantage of market movements. His first big win came from a 50x Leveraged ETH and BTC long position right before Donald Trump’s crypto reserve announcement, raking in $10 million. Shortly after, he placed a 40x BTC short, securing another $9 million. The crypto community buzzed with speculation about the identity behind these massive trades.
ZachXBT Tracks the Hyperliquid Whale’s Footprints
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT took on the challenge of unmasking the Hyperliquid whale. By tracing wallet addresses, on-chain transactions, and Telegram activity, he uncovered links to phishing scams and casino exploits. One key wallet, 0xe4d3, funneled funds through crypto casinos like Roobet and BC Game. Another wallet received funds from a phishing scam run through projection[.]fi. Telegram leaks further implicated the trader, as he sought technical advice in trading groups just before executing major positions. Ultimately, a payment from his trading profits led to a UK phone number, exposing his real identity.
The Man Behind the Whale: William Parker
ZachXBT identified the Hyperliquid whale as William Parker, a British man with a long history of financial crimes. Parker had been arrested in Finland in 2023 for stealing $1 million from two casinos. Before that, he operated under the alias Alistair Packover, engaging in fraud and hacking-related offenses in the UK during the early 2010s. Parker’s methods involved exploiting software vulnerabilities in gambling platforms, running phishing schemes, and using stolen funds for high-risk trading. His past crimes helped fund the aggressive leveraged positions that led to his $20 million profit.
Hyperliquid Takes Action After Whale’s $4M Vault Hit
Parker’s high-leverage trading did not just benefit him—it caused a major financial loss for Hyperliquid. A $200 million ETH long position he placed resulted in a $4 million hit to Hyperliquid’s vaults. The platform initially faced rumors of a hack, but investigations confirmed that Parker had simply withdrawn profits and lowered his margin requirements. Following the exposure of his identity, Hyperliquid responded by lowering its leverage limits, capping Bitcoin trades at 40x and Ether at 25x. These measures aimed to reduce risks associated with extreme leverage, preventing similar incidents in the future.
Security Concerns and the Crypto Industry’s Response
The Parker case highlights serious security concerns in the crypto space. It exposes how bad actors can manipulate decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, exploit vulnerabilities, and use stolen funds to generate massive profits. The incident also raises questions about the role of leverage in crypto trading and the need for better oversight. While Hyperliquid’s policy changes are a step in the right direction, the broader industry must implement stricter security measures. Crypto exchanges and DeFi platforms need to enhance monitoring and improve their risk management strategies to prevent similar schemes from unfolding in the future.
William Parker’s story is a stark reminder that even in a decentralized world, transparency and accountability are essential. The crypto space may celebrate its whales, but as ZachXBT’s investigation shows, not all of them play fair.
