Wealthy trader places nine-figure bet hours before Fed minutes

Group 1 - A large crypto trader has opened short positions exceeding $269 million across Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana just before the release of Federal Reserve meeting minutes, indicating potential market volatility [1][2] - The trader's positions include a $119 million short on Bitcoin, a $106 million short on Ether, and a $43 million short on Solana, suggesting a significant bearish outlook rather than routine hedging [3][5] - The trader's account is utilizing over 80% of its available margin, reflecting a high-conviction trade strategy [6] Group 2 - The timing of these large short positions coincides with the anticipation of the Federal Reserve's policy minutes, which are expected to influence market sentiment for risk assets [7][8] - The Federal Reserve's interest-rate outlook is recognized as a critical factor affecting digital asset prices, despite the Fed not directly setting crypto policy [9]