Hyperliquid rally draws whales towards staking rewards

Hyperliquid’s HYPE token has emerged as one of the strongest-performing major crypto assets of 2026, outpacing Bitcoin, Ether and Solana as expanding derivatives activity, rising protocol income and large staking transactions draw greater investor attention.

A large holder transferred 557,902 HYPE tokens from institutional trading firm FalconX and deposited the entire holding into Hyperliquid’s staking system on July 25. The tokens were valued at about $32.87 million at the time, making the transaction one of the most prominent signals of long-term positioning around the network this month.

The move differed from a conventional exchange deposit that might indicate an intention to sell. Staked tokens are delegated to validators that help secure the Hyperliquid blockchain, allowing holders to receive rewards while supporting network operations. The transaction does not reveal the identity or strategy of the wallet owner, and a large stake alone cannot guarantee further price gains.

HYPE was trading at about $56 on July 28, more than double its level near $25.60 at the end of December. The token reached a record of about $76.70 on June 16 before retreating by more than 25%, illustrating the sharp volatility accompanying its gains.

Bitcoin, Ether and Solana have faced a more difficult year. Bitcoin was trading near $64,000 after starting January above $100,000, while Ether had fallen below $2,000. Solana was changing hands near $76, extending a decline of roughly one-third since the start of the year.

Hyperliquid’s performance has been supported by its position in the perpetual futures market. The platform operates an on-chain order book where traders can take leveraged positions on cryptocurrencies, commodities, equity indices and other markets without relying on a conventional centralised exchange.

Daily derivatives volume has frequently reached several billion dollars, while open interest — the value of outstanding futures positions — has climbed above $10 billion. Hyperliquid has also captured a growing share of global perpetual futures activity, challenging established offshore trading venues that have traditionally dominated leveraged crypto markets.

The platform offers more than 300 spot and perpetual markets. Its HIP-3 framework allows approved developers to create additional perpetual contracts, broadening activity beyond digital assets. Markets linked to commodities, stock indices and other financial instruments have helped position Hyperliquid as infrastructure for round-the-clock speculative trading.

That expansion has strengthened the economic case for HYPE. Trading fees generate revenue that can support token purchases through the platform’s assistance fund, creating a link between exchange activity and demand for the asset. Investors have increasingly treated HYPE as exposure to the growth of the underlying trading network rather than solely as a governance token.

Staking adds another component to that investment argument. Hyperliquid’s reward structure adjusts as the total amount of HYPE delegated to validators changes. At around 400 million tokens staked, the estimated annual reward rate is approximately 2.37%, with rewards supplied from tokens reserved for future emissions.

The return is modest compared with some decentralised finance products, but large investors may view staking as a way to earn additional tokens while maintaining exposure to HYPE. The network’s total delegated stake has moved towards 436 million tokens, indicating that a substantial portion of supply is being committed to validators.

Higher staking participation can improve network security and reduce the amount of HYPE immediately available for trading. It can also concentrate influence among large holders and professional validators, raising questions about whether smaller participants can compete effectively for delegation.

Hyperliquid’s growth is attracting attention beyond crypto-native investors. HYPE has been included in a new digital-asset benchmark developed by S&P Dow Jones Indices and Pantera Capital. The index focuses on blockchains with measurable usage and revenue-generating activity, while excluding Bitcoin because it does not produce protocol income through transaction-based applications in the same manner.

Institutional products linked to HYPE have also entered the market, while investment managers have sought regulatory approval for additional exchange-traded vehicles. Such products could widen access but may also expose investors to staking, custody and liquidity risks that differ from those associated with Bitcoin funds.

Regulatory uncertainty remains one of Hyperliquid’s biggest challenges. The platform restricts access from several jurisdictions, including the United States, while perpetual futures are subject to tighter rules than ordinary spot trading. Regulators may examine whether contracts tied to equities, commodities or indices fall within existing derivatives and securities frameworks.