In the fast-paced world of crypto trading, big moves by influential traders like Cooker Flips (@CookerFlips) often signal shifts in market sentiment. Recently, Onchain Lens spotlighted one such play where Cooker sold off a chunk of his $ASTER holdings, pocketing a cool $1.18 million in USDC, and funneled it straight into HyperLiquid to amp up his 3x leveraged long position on $XPL. Not only that, but he's sitting on a floating profit over $1 million from this bet. Let's break it down step by step.

Understanding the $ASTER Sale

$ASTER is the native token of Aster, a decentralized perpetual futures exchange built on the BNB Chain. Launched just days ago on September 17, 2025, Aster quickly made waves by surpassing HyperLiquid in daily trading volumes and fees, with its token price skyrocketing nearly 2,000% to a market cap of over $3.3 billion Aster overtakes HyperLiquid. This surge turned Aster into a hot topic among DeFi enthusiasts and meme token hunters alike, given its rapid hype and volatility.

Cooker flipped 575,045 $ASTER tokens into $1.18 million USDC. Onchain data shows this transaction happened about 10-11 hours before the report, with funds moving through bridges like deBridge Finance and HyperLiquid's Bridge2.

He didn't dump everything, though—he's still holding onto 5 million $ASTER, valued at around $9.85 million at the time. That's a smart hedge, keeping skin in the game while locking in profits.

Pivoting to $XPL on HyperLiquid

With the fresh USDC in hand, Cooker deposited it into HyperLiquid, a decentralized Layer 1 blockchain specializing in onchain order books for perpetual futures and spot trading. HyperLiquid allows up to 10x leverage on assets like $XPL, which is the token for Plasma—a high-ranking crypto project with a market cap exceeding $2.5 billion Plasma Price on CoinGecko.

Cooker went all-in on a 3x leveraged long position on $XPL, and it's already paying off with over $1 million in unrealized gains. This move is intriguing because Aster had just "flipped" HyperLiquid in volumes Aster flips Hyperliquid, yet Cooker chose to rotate capital back to the rival platform. Maybe he's betting on a HyperLiquid comeback or sees stronger fundamentals in $XPL.

Cashing Out on $CARDS

But that's not all. Cooker also exited his entire position in $CARDS, selling 2.46 million tokens for a tidy $174,000 profit. $CARDS is the token behind Collector Crypt, a Pokémon-card-inspired NFT platform that's been buzzing with randomized card trades driving millions in volume Collector Crypt drives $150 million. The token's price has seen ups and downs, but Cooker's timely exit highlights his knack for spotting peaks in meme-driven assets.

Why This Matters for Meme Token Traders

Moves like this from visible traders like Cooker aren't just personal wins—they ripple through the community. $ASTER's meteoric rise shows how quickly DeFi projects can capture attention, blending utility with meme-like hype. Meanwhile, rotating into established platforms like HyperLiquid for leveraged plays on tokens like $XPL underscores the importance of diversification and timing in crypto.

If you're diving into meme tokens or DeFi, keep an eye on onchain tools like those from Onchain Lens for real-time insights. Check out the original tweet for more details, and remember: always DYOR before aping in. What's your take on Cooker's strategy—genius or risky? Share in the comments below!