Hyperliquid Foundation committed roughly $29 million in HYPE tokens to launch a Washington advocacy group for decentralized finance. The donation signals that DeFi-native platforms are preparing for a more direct role in shaping U.S. crypto legislation.
The foundation said it will contribute 1 million HYPE tokens to establish the Hyperliquid Policy Center. The tokens will be unstaked before deployment, according to a statement posted Wednesday on X. The group will be led by Jake Chervinsky, formerly head of legal at Variant Fund and a board member of the Blockchain Association.
The Hyper Foundation will contribute 1M HYPE tokens to support the creation of the Hyperliquid Policy Center.
— Hyperliquid (@HyperliquidX) February 18, 2026
The tokens will be unstaked later today. The Hyperliquid community will benefit from having representation in Washington, D.C., and we are confident that under… https://t.co/Vgo95Nrr17
Will DeFi Protocols Gain Direct Influence In Washington?
The Hyperliquid Policy Center describes itself as an independent research and advocacy organization focused on ensuring DeFi can operate within the United States. The move comes as lawmakers debate comprehensive digital asset legislation, including the stalled CLARITY Act, which faces unresolved questions around issues such as stablecoin rewards. While Senate committees have advanced broader crypto frameworks, core definitions tied to decentralized protocols remain unsettled.
“The Hyperliquid community will benefit from having representation in Washington, D.C., and we are confident that under Jake Chervinsky's leadership, the Hyperliquid Policy Center will have a meaningful impact in favor of clear regulations for decentralized finance,” the foundation said. Chervinsky wrote separately that the center is “dedicated to ensuring that DeFi can flourish in the United States.”
Hyperliquid operates a decentralized perpetual futures exchange competing with centralized venues such as Coinbase, which has long maintained a significant lobbying presence in Washington. But direct policy engagement funded by token treasuries introduces a new model for decentralized networks seeking regulatory clarity.
The effectiveness of the initiative will hinge on whether DeFi-specific issues gain standalone treatment in upcoming legislation. The next catalyst will be congressional movement on market structure bills that determine how decentralized exchanges are classified under U.S. law.
