Machi Big Brother vs. the market: Why is he still betting big on Bitcoin and Ethereum?
Journalist
Posted:
Bitcoin continued to unfold weak spot throughout cryptocurrencies on seventeenth of February 2026. Threat urge for food fractured as Open Curiosity drained from Bitcoin and Ethereum whereas value momentum stalled.
BTC’s OI fell from over $12B in late January to $7.6B as value slid from the $80Ks into the $60Ks, with Ethereum mirroring the decline.
In the meantime, HYPE’s Open Curiosity climbed towards $1.32B from $1.19B when it traded within the $29 vary. Subsequently, leverage didn’t vanish; it concentrated in a single speculative pocket.
Was this calculated positioning or reckless escalation? Nonetheless, extra drama was unfolding round Machi Massive Brother.
Machi expands $16M+ in leveraged positions
Jeffrey Huang, generally known as Machi Massive Brother, recorded $27.5 million in losses over 20 days on Hyperliquid and confronted 145 liquidations since October 2025. As a substitute of slowing down, he elevated threat.
He offered spot ETH and smaller tokens to boost collateral, rotating capital to help BTC, ETH, and HYPE longs.
His positions stood at 6,200 ETH, 25 BTC, and 55,000 HYPE, with the ETH lengthy as his greatest conviction wager. Promoting spot to leverage perps is a high-risk technique that magnifies each good points and losses.
Supply: Lookonchain
The $1.7M HYPE place additionally mirrored a wager on the change gaining floor. If Bitcoin reclaimed $72K, momentum might elevate all three positions.
Subsequently, this was not about working out of cash however a concentrated wager. Nonetheless, if BTC didn’t regain power, stress would construct rapidly.
OI battle: HYPE vs. BTC vs. ETH
HYPE’s Open Curiosity remained elevated as Bitcoin [BTC] and Ethereum [ETH] OI declined steadily.
Supply: CoinGlass
Specifically, HYPE’s OI rose towards $1.32B whereas value climbed. Bulls appeared in management.
Supply: CoinGlass
In the meantime, Bitcoin’s OI compressed sharply from post-crash highs.
In consequence, leverage thinned in majors however thickened in Hyperliquid [HYPE]. This focus created pressure beneath the floor.
Conviction or stress for Machi?
BTC merchants leaned internet quick at 56% versus 43% lengthy, whereas ETH confirmed a good heavier quick bias close to 58%. Nonetheless, HYPE flipped the setup with 69% lengthy dominance.
Supply: CoinGlass
This hole mattered. Threat urge for food weakened in majors, however conviction concentrated in HYPE. Subsequently, liquidation threat turned uneven.
BTC and ETH confronted quick squeeze threat, whereas HYPE confronted lengthy unwinds. Was Machi aiming for upside or chasing redemption?
Ultimate Abstract
- Leverage didn’t vanish; it migrated aggressively into HYPE.
- Machi’s escalation mirrored conviction or harmful refusal to just accept defeat.
