A "whale trap" describes a scenario in the cryptocurrency market where major investors, termed "whales," manipulate prices to mislead smaller investors. These whales place large buy or sell orders to create a false impression of significant market movement, prompting smaller investors to follow the perceived trend. After these investors act on the false signal, the whales then reverse their positions, capitalizing on the ensuing market volatility. This strategy can result in significant losses for those who are deceived.