An Ethereum whale has completely closed a large leveraged position on Aave in a fast de-risking move.

On-chain data shared by Lookonchain shows that wallet 0xa339 sold 5,306 ETH in roughly 20 minutes, worth about $15.76 million, at an average price near $2,970. The sale was used to repay all remaining loans on Aave, removing any liquidation risk.

With the debt cleared in one sweep, the whale withdrew the rest of its collateral — around 24,700 ETH, currently valued at $74.41 million — effectively shutting down the position for good.

This wasn’t a panic exit. It was the final step in a wider risk-reduction plan that began several days earlier. On December 18, the same wallet sold 20,599 ETH for roughly $59.1 million at prices near $2,869. At its peak, the position was exposed to more than $144 million worth of ETH.

Blockchain data suggests the whale used a looping strategy, where ETH was deposited as collateral, borrowed against, and recycled to increase exposure. By selling during periods of price strength and repaying loans quickly, the trader likely locked in profits while avoiding forced liquidations.

Transaction records from Arkham Intelligence show smooth swaps, fast repayments, and minimal friction — a clear example of how large players can now manage risk efficiently using DeFi tools.

While the amount of ETH sold is small compared to daily trading volume, traders are watching closely. Whale exits often influence short-term sentiment, even when they don’t move the market directly.

For now, this looks less like a bearish signal and more like smart risk management. The whale didn’t flee Ethereum — it simply removed leverage in an uncertain macro environment.
$ETH
#CryptoMarketMildlyRebounds