DeFi’s $29M DC Power Play: Hyperliquid’s Bold Gambit to Conquer Capitol Hill

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Well, butter my biscuit and call me impressed-Hyperliquid has just plunked down a cool $29 million (in the form of 1 million HYPE tokens, because why not?) to launch the Hyperliquid Policy Center (HPC) in the heart of Washington D.C. Yes, the same D.C. where legislation goes to die, or at least to take a very long nap. The nonprofit, which sounds like a think tank but with more blockchain buzzwords, is ostensibly here to “ensure DeFi can flourish in the U.S.” Because, you know, what America really needs is more acronyms and fewer clear regulations.

At the helm of this noble endeavor is crypto lawyer Jake Chervinsky, who’s been named the founding CEO. Chervinsky, a man who’s spent more time deciphering regulatory jargon than most of us have spent watching cat videos, previously served as Chief Legal Officer at the Blockchain Association and venture firm Variant. He took to X (formerly Twitter, because why keep things simple?) to declare, “HPC is an independent research and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that DeFi can flourish in the United States. The future of finance will be decentralized.” Bold words, Jake. Let’s see if the SEC is listening-or if they’re too busy drafting their next cease-and-desist letter.

Why Does Hyperliquid Need a Policy Center?

Ah, the million-dollar question-or in this case, the $29 million question. Hyperliquid, which processed a jaw-dropping $250 billion in perpetual futures volume last month (yes, you read that right), is one of the biggest decentralized exchanges in crypto. But perpetual derivatives, while wildly popular in offshore markets, are about as welcome in regulated U.S. finance as a skunk at a garden party. Chervinsky points out the obvious: current U.S. financial regulations were written for a world where “decentralized” meant your neighbor’s Wi-Fi password. HPC’s mission? To cozy up to lawmakers and regulators and convince them that DeFi isn’t just a four-letter word.

The Hyper Foundation chimed in with the kind of confidence usually reserved for infomercial hosts: “We’re confident that under Chervinsky’s leadership, the Hyperliquid Policy Center will have a meaningful impact in favor of clear regulations for decentralized finance.” Because nothing says “meaningful impact” like trying to explain smart contracts to a senator who still uses a flip phone.

HPC Founding Team and Open Roles

Chervinsky isn’t flying solo. He’s joined by Policy Counsel Brad Bourque, formerly of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (where they presumably taught him how to bill by the minute), and Policy Director Salah Ghazzal, who previously served as Policy Lead at Variant. Together, they’re like the Avengers of crypto policy-except instead of fighting Thanos, they’re battling bureaucratic inertia. HPC is also hiring for Chief of Staff, Head of Communications, and Head of Government Relations. So if you’ve ever wanted to explain DeFi to a room full of confused lawmakers, now’s your chance.

HYPE Token Price and Recent Moves

Speaking of HYPE, the token is currently trading at around $29.20, with a market cap of approximately $7.5 billion. It’s down a whopping 51% from its all-time high of $59.39, which it hit back in September 2025. (Yes, we’re time-traveling now. Deal with it.) The policy center launch comes hot on the heels of Hyperliquid Strategies Inc. dropping $129.5 million to buy 5 million more HYPE tokens at an average price of $25.9 per token. Because nothing says “we believe in our own hype” like buying more of it.

And let’s not forget the timing. With Congress currently wrestling with the CLARITY Act and DeFi regulation still a hot potato in the Senate, HPC’s launch couldn’t be more perfectly timed-or more hilariously ambitious. It’s like showing up to a knife fight with a PowerPoint presentation. Good luck, Hyperliquid. You’re going to need it.

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2026-02-18 18:46