Latest Hyperliquid (HYPE) News Update

By CMC AI
01 January 2026 03:42PM (UTC+0)

What is the latest news on HYPE?

TLDR

Hyperliquid navigates whale risks and ETF buzz while cementing its DeFi dominance. Here are the latest updates:

  1. Whale’s High-Risk Deposit (1 January 2026) – $1.5M loss looms after 750M PUMP tokens moved to Hyperliquid.

  2. Bitwise’s 11 Altcoin ETF Filings (1 January 2026) – HYPE included in proposed crypto ETFs targeting DeFi and L1s.

  3. 2025 Perpetual DEX Dominance (31 December 2025) – Hyperliquid processed $7.9T volume, but faces rising competition.

Deep Dive

1. Whale’s High-Risk Deposit (1 January 2026)

Overview: A whale deposited 750M PUMP tokens ($1.47M) to Hyperliquid, risking a $1.53M loss if sold. These tokens were bought six months ago during a public sale and have since dropped 51% in value. No immediate market reaction occurred, but the move highlights volatility risks tied to large holders.

What this means: Bearish short-term sentiment, as unrealized losses could pressure PUMP/HYPE liquidity. However, it reinforces Hyperliquid’s role as a hub for high-stakes trading. (Lookonchain)

2. Bitwise’s 11 Altcoin ETF Filings (1 January 2026)

Overview: Bitwise filed for 11 crypto ETFs targeting assets like HYPE, UNI, and SUI. The funds would allocate 60% to direct token exposure, potentially funneling institutional demand into HYPE. Previous altcoin ETFs (e.g., SOL, XRP) saw mixed price impacts despite heavy inflows.

What this means: Neutral-to-bullish long-term. ETF approval could boost HYPE’s legitimacy, but past launches (e.g., SOL ETF) didn’t sustainably lift prices. Traders will watch SEC responses in Q1 2026. (AMBCrypto)

3. 2025 Perpetual DEX Dominance (31 December 2025)

Overview: Hyperliquid dominated 2025’s perpetual DEX volume with $7.9T traded, driven by low fees and deep liquidity. However, rivals like Aster captured 25% of Q4 volume, signaling a shift toward a multi-platform market.

What this means: Bullish for HYPE’s ecosystem strength, but competition could dilute its market share. The protocol’s 97% fee-revenue buybacks ($1B+ burned in 2025) may counterbalance this. (CoinMarketCap)

Conclusion

Hyperliquid remains a DeFi heavyweight with institutional ETF interest and record volumes, but whale risks and competitor growth add complexity. Will HYPE’s buyback-driven tokenomics outpace market fragmentation in 2026?

What are people saying about HYPE?

TLDR

Traders are juggling Hyperliquid’s technical signals and whale whispers like a high-stakes poker game. Here’s what’s trending:

  1. Prediction markets tilt bullish – 51% bet on $30+ targets.

  2. Token burns vs. team unlocks – Supply squeeze fears clash with sell-pressure risks.

  3. Technical tug-of-war – Bearish charts battle whale accumulation signals.

Deep Dive

1. @SadCreatorTalks: $30 or $19? Crowd bets on breakout vs. breakdown bullish

"51% of traders are betting on $30… but $19 is the bearish target if momentum flips."
– @SadCreatorTalks (22.7K followers · 2.8K impressions · 2025-12-28 11:19 UTC)
View original post
What this means: This reflects split conviction about HYPE’s near-term direction, with crowd sentiment leaning optimistic but acknowledging downside risks tied to derivatives liquidity.

2. @GuidoLange: $2M daily buybacks vs. $200M monthly unlocks bearish

"Protocol buys $2M HYPE daily… but team unlocks $200M/month."
– @GuidoLange (1.7K followers · 775 impressions · 2025-12-19 09:42 UTC)
View original post
What this means: While buybacks support price, unlocked tokens could dilute bullish momentum if holders sell – a key supply/demand imbalance to monitor.

3. @FinoraAI_DE: Bearish indicators dominate but whales lurk mixed

"15m chart: 8/10 indicators bearish… but whales scooped $12M HYPE in 14 days."
– @FinoraAI_DE (659 followers · 13K impressions · 2025-12-26 05:43 UTC)
View original post
What this means: Technicals suggest caution, but on-chain whale activity implies institutional players see value at current levels ($24–$25).

Conclusion

The consensus on Hyperliquid is mixed, torn between strong protocol fundamentals (record open interest, buybacks) and technical/vesting risks. Watch the $25.50 resistance – a sustained break could invalidate bearish setups, while failure might trigger liquidations toward $24. As one trader quipped: “Hype’s either prepping for liftoff or a liquidity trap.”

What is the latest update in HYPE’s codebase?

TLDR

Hyperliquid's codebase advances focus on decentralized market creation and ecosystem expansion.

  1. HIP-3 Growth Mode (November 2025) – Slashed fees by 90% to incentivize new market deployments.

  2. HIP-3 Mainnet Activation (October 2025) – Enabled permissionless perpetual futures markets via staking.

  3. HyperEVM Integration (2025) – Expanded Ethereum-compatible smart contract functionality.

Deep Dive

1. HIP-3 Growth Mode (November 2025)

Overview: Introduced dynamic fee discounts (up to 90% reduction) for new markets to boost liquidity and trading volume.
Developers can deploy markets without centralized approval if they meet staking requirements (500,000 HYPE) and avoid asset overlaps. Fees for new markets dropped to 0.00144%-0.009%, with a 30-day lock period post-activation to ensure stability.
What this means: This is bullish for HYPE because lower fees attract traders and developers, potentially increasing platform activity and token utility. (Source)

2. HIP-3 Mainnet Activation (October 2025)

Overview: Allowed anyone to create perpetual markets by staking 500,000 HYPE, shifting control from validators to the community.
The upgrade integrated HyperEVM for custom market rules and added safeguards like validator slashing and open interest caps.
What this means: This is neutral-to-bullish for HYPE because while it decentralizes governance, the high staking threshold may limit participation. However, it fosters innovation in derivatives (e.g., exotic commodities, tokenized treasuries). (Source)

3. HyperEVM Integration (2025)

Overview: Enhanced cross-layer composability between HyperCore (orderbook) and HyperEVM, enabling seamless interaction with Ethereum smart contracts.
This allows protocols like Hyperlendx (leveraged lending) and Liminal Money (delta-neutral strategies) to build atop Hyperliquid’s infrastructure.
What this means: This is bullish for HYPE because interoperability with Ethereum expands developer reach and DeFi use cases, driving ecosystem growth. (Source)

Conclusion

Hyperliquid’s codebase updates emphasize decentralization, fee efficiency, and cross-chain interoperability, positioning it as a hub for innovative derivatives. With HIP-3 reducing barriers for market creation and HyperEVM bridging Ethereum’s ecosystem, how will these upgrades impact HYPE’s role in institutional DeFi adoption?

What is next on HYPE’s roadmap?

TLDR

Hyperliquid's development continues with these milestones:

  1. Permissionless Perpetuals Rollout (13 October 2025) – HIP-3 upgrade enabling community-driven markets.

  2. Monthly Team Token Distributions (6 January 2026) – Structured unlocks to align incentives.

  3. HyperEVM Ecosystem Expansion (2026) – Enhanced smart contract capabilities.


Deep Dive

1. Permissionless Perpetuals Rollout (13 October 2025)

Overview:
HIP-3 allows anyone staking 500,000 HYPE to launch perpetual markets on Hyperliquid, decentralizing the listing process. Safeguards include validator slashing and open interest caps (Coinspeaker).

What this means:
This is bullish for HYPE because it could increase protocol fees and trading diversity. Risks include potential low-quality listings if staking thresholds aren’t enforced rigorously.


2. Monthly Team Token Distributions (6 January 2026)

Overview:
1.2M HYPE tokens will begin monthly distributions to core contributors starting January 2026, following a structured vesting schedule (Discord announcement).

What this means:
This is neutral for HYPE as it introduces predictable supply dynamics but risks short-term sell pressure if recipients liquidate tokens.


3. HyperEVM Ecosystem Expansion (2026)

Overview:
Post-HIP-3 upgrades aim to deepen HyperEVM’s interoperability with HyperCore, enabling advanced DeFi apps like delta-neutral strategies and NFT integrations (RedStone blog).

What this means:
This is bullish for HYPE because ecosystem growth could drive demand for staking and fee discounts. Execution risks include competition from Ethereum L2s.


Conclusion

Hyperliquid’s roadmap balances decentralization (HIP-3), team incentives (vesting), and ecosystem scalability (HyperEVM). Watch for protocol fee trends post-HIP-3 and developer activity on HyperEVM. Will Hyperliquid’s VC-free model outpace rivals in attracting builders?

CMC AI can make mistakes. Not financial advice.