Key Takeaways
- • Hyperliquid launches the Hyperliquid Policy Center in Washington, DC, backed by 1 million HYPE tokens (valued at approximately $28–$29 million) from the Hyper Foundation to advance DeFi regulation and perpetual derivatives policy in the US Congress.
- • Jake Chervinsky, veteran crypto lawyer and former legal head at Variant and policy chief at Blockchain Association, appointed as founder and CEO to lead the advocacy organization's efforts on blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
- • The Policy Center will focus specifically on creating "a clear, regulated path for decentralized finance to thrive in the United States," with specialty in perpetual derivatives and blockchain financial infrastructure.
- • Hyperliquid CEO Jeff Yan characterized the current moment as a "critical time in policy discussions" and stated the platform had "lacked a unified voice in important policy discussions until now."
- • Hyperliquid processed more than $250 billion in perpetual futures trading last month, positioning the platform as a significant market participant whose regulatory influence could shape US DeFi policy direction.
Summary
Hyperliquid, a layer-1 blockchain perpetual futures exchange, formally entered the regulatory advocacy space on February 18, 2026, by launching the Hyperliquid Policy Center in Washington, DC. The initiative represents a strategic shift toward direct engagement with US policymakers at a moment when cryptocurrency regulation remains unsettled and competitive advantage increasingly flows to jurisdictions with clear legal frameworks.
The Hyper Foundation, an independent entity backing Hyperliquid, committed 1 million HYPE tokens to fund the Policy Center's operations, with the token contribution valued at approximately $28–$29 million. The organization appointed Jake Chervinsky, a prominent crypto policy attorney with prior roles at Variant and the Blockchain Association, as founder and CEO. Chervinsky's background as legal lead and regulatory strategist positions him to navigate relationships with Congress and federal agencies already engaged in fragmentary DeFi oversight efforts.
The Policy Center's mandate centers on advancing perpetual derivatives regulation and blockchain-based financial infrastructure policy. According to Chervinsky, traditional finance institutions are increasingly adopting blockchain technology due to its "efficiency, transparency, and resilience that legacy systems cannot match," and he framed US regulatory clarity as essential to competitive positioning. "This technology is poised to become the base layer of the global financial system," he stated. "Now the United States must choose: we can either adopt new rules that allow this innovation to thrive here at home, or we can wait and watch as other nations seize the opportunity."
Hyperliquid's decision to establish a dedicated lobbying entity reflects the platform's scale and ambition. The exchange processed more than $250 billion in perpetual futures trading in the prior month and has expanded into prediction markets, making it a material participant in the broader DeFi ecosystem. CEO Jeff Yan emphasized that the timing was critical, noting the platform had previously "lacked a unified voice in important policy discussions." The Policy Center's mission to "introduce lawmakers and regulators to Hyperliquid" alongside broader DeFi advocacy suggests a dual strategy: establishing industry standards while positioning Hyperliquid as a regulatory partner rather than a compliance burden.
The Hyper Foundation, an independent entity backing Hyperliquid, committed 1 million HYPE tokens to fund the Policy Center's operations, with the token contribution valued at approximately $28–$29 million. The organization appointed Jake Chervinsky, a prominent crypto policy attorney with prior roles at Variant and the Blockchain Association, as founder and CEO. Chervinsky's background as legal lead and regulatory strategist positions him to navigate relationships with Congress and federal agencies already engaged in fragmentary DeFi oversight efforts.
The Policy Center's mandate centers on advancing perpetual derivatives regulation and blockchain-based financial infrastructure policy. According to Chervinsky, traditional finance institutions are increasingly adopting blockchain technology due to its "efficiency, transparency, and resilience that legacy systems cannot match," and he framed US regulatory clarity as essential to competitive positioning. "This technology is poised to become the base layer of the global financial system," he stated. "Now the United States must choose: we can either adopt new rules that allow this innovation to thrive here at home, or we can wait and watch as other nations seize the opportunity."
Hyperliquid's decision to establish a dedicated lobbying entity reflects the platform's scale and ambition. The exchange processed more than $250 billion in perpetual futures trading in the prior month and has expanded into prediction markets, making it a material participant in the broader DeFi ecosystem. CEO Jeff Yan emphasized that the timing was critical, noting the platform had previously "lacked a unified voice in important policy discussions." The Policy Center's mission to "introduce lawmakers and regulators to Hyperliquid" alongside broader DeFi advocacy suggests a dual strategy: establishing industry standards while positioning Hyperliquid as a regulatory partner rather than a compliance burden.
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