A "whale trap" refers to a situation in the cryptocurrency market where large investors, known as "whales," manipulate the market to deceive smaller investors. Whales execute large buy or sell orders to create the illusion of a significant market movement, enticing smaller investors to react. Once these smaller investors follow the perceived trend, the whales reverse their actions, profiting from the resulting market fluctuations. This tactic can lead to substantial losses for those who fall into the trap.