Hyperliquid is slowly building a name within the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector. In August, the platform recorded nearly $400 billion in perpetual trading volume and more than $106 million in revenue, according to DefiLlama.

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This milestone not only cements Hyperliquid’s dominance in the decentralized perpetuals market, where it now controls around 70% of market share, but also signals growing adoption by both retail and institutional investors.

A key driver of this success is its proprietary HyperEVM blockchain, designed for speed, scalability, and zero gas fees. These features replicate the performance of centralized exchanges while maintaining DeFi’s transparency and user custody, making Hyperliquid an appealing alternative to platforms like Binance or Solana-based DEXs.

Whale Activity and Market Sentiment

Despite its strong fundamentals, HYPE, the platform’s native token, is facing volatility. Currently trading around $44, HYPE has retraced from the $51 mark but remains on track for a possible breakout. Analysts point to resistance at $48.73, with upside targets at $52, $55, and even $73 if bullish momentum persists.

HYPE's price trends to the upside on the daily chart. Source: HYPEUSD on Tradingview

Whale activity has added intrigue to the token’s outlook. Recently, a whale deposited over $3 million USDC into Hyperliquid and opened a leveraged short against HYPE, sparking debate about near-term price action.

While shorts suggest caution, derivatives data shows rising open interest and a slight long bias, hinting at sustained optimism among traders.

Can Hyperliquid Become the Next “Killer App”?

BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes has gone as far as calling Hyperliquid a “decentralized Binance,” projecting the HYPE token could rise over 100x if adoption keeps pace. The launch of a 21Shares Hyperliquid ETP on the SIX Swiss Exchange also signals mounting institutional confidence.

Still, challenges remain. Hyperliquid has faced brief outages and accusations of whale manipulation in newly launched futures markets. To counter this, the team has implemented stricter safeguards, including tighter price caps and external data integrations. These moves aim to balance rapid growth with market integrity.

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With trading volumes surging, institutional adoption growing, and technical indicators hinting at a potential HYPE breakout toward $55, Hyperliquid stands at a defining moment. If it maintains momentum while addressing risks, it could cement itself as crypto’s next true “killer app.”

Cover image from ChatGPT, HYPEUSD chart on Tradingview

A coalition of AI companies unveiled a Super Political Action Committee (SuperPAC), designed to influence US technology policy and strengthen the nation’s position in the global AI race, according to an Aug. 25 press release.

The group, Leading the Future (LTF), pledged to back candidates who support innovation while pushing back against legislation that could slow deployment.

The launch is backed by more than $100 million in contributions from high-profile investors and technologists. Notable supporters include venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), OpenAI’s Greg and Anna Brockman, Rob Conway, Joe Lonsdale, and AI startup Perplexity.

LTF’s mission

According to its mission statement, LTF intends to craft a bipartisan agenda that keeps the US at the center of AI development. The organization plans to build political networks across federal and state levels, ensuring technology-friendly candidates gain traction in future elections.

Collin McCune, head of government affairs at a16z, described the initiative as a milestone in the firm’s long-term strategy to support pro-technology lawmakers. He warned that failing to establish a favorable policy could cost the US its leadership role in the emerging industry.

Considering this, McCune stated:

“AI isn’t hype or science fiction, it’s already here. This technology can drive the next wave of American growth, create new jobs, and unlock productivity across every sector of the American economy. But make no mistake: this is also a race with China. If we don’t have the right policies, we risk ceding the future of AI, and with it, America’s economic strength and national security.”

The PAC will be directed by political consultants Zak Moffatt and Josh Vlasto. Initial operations will begin in New York, California, Illinois, and Ohio before expanding nationally in 2026. LTF will become active in the 2026 election cycle, financing campaigns aligned with its pro-innovation policy platform.

Following cypto’s example

The AI industry’s political push closely mirrors tactics used by the crypto sector during the last elections.

In the 2024 election cycle, crypto-funded PACs spent hundreds of millions to influence congressional races, from California’s Democratic Senate primary to tightly contested House contests in Virginia.

That investment has since paid significant dividends, with the US government now more inclined towards the industry and having implemented a series of pro-crypto initiatives designed to allow the space to thrive.

Still, the industry players have raised an additional $141 million to expand their lobbying presence in the forthcoming mid-term elections.

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Authorities across Africa arrested more than 1,200 suspects and seized nearly $100 million in a sweeping cybercrime operation that dismantled online fraud networks and illegal crypto mining operations, INTERPOL announced on Aug. 22.

The three-month crackdown, known as Operation Serengeti 2.0, targeted nearly 88,000 victims across 18 African nations in collaboration with the UK.

Investigators uncovered 11,432 malicious infrastructures tied to ransomware, business email compromise schemes, and online investment fraud.

Major seizures and arrests

In Angola, police shut down 25 crypto mining centers operated by 60 Chinese nationals who were illegally validating blockchain transactions. Authorities also confiscated 45 illicit power stations used to fuel the operation, as well as mining and IT equipment valued at more than $37 million.

Officials said the seized power assets will be redirected to bolster the electricity supply in vulnerable areas.

Meanwhile, Zambian authorities dismantled one of the region’s largest online investment fraud schemes, where scammers persuaded more than 65,000 people to invest in crypto platforms with promises of high returns.

Losses were estimated at $300 million. Police arrested 15 suspects, seized forged documents, and shut down bank accounts tied to the scheme.

In a separate raid, officers and immigration officials disrupted a human trafficking ring and confiscated 372 counterfeit passports.

Meanwhile, in Côte d’Ivoire, investigators dismantled a transnational inheritance scam traced back to Germany. Victims were tricked into paying upfront fees to claim fabricated estates. Authorities arrested the lead suspect and seized cash, electronics, vehicles and jewelry, estimating losses at $1.6 million.

Training, prevention and international support

The crackdown followed months of intelligence sharing between INTERPOL and private-sector partners, who provided data on suspicious domains, IP addresses, and command-and-control servers.

Ahead of the operation, officers underwent training workshops on crypto tracking, open-source intelligence, and ransomware analysis. INTERPOL officials said the operation reflects a growing global push to tackle cybercrime through coordinated enforcement and prevention.

A new partnership with the International Cyber Offender Prevention Network, involving 36 countries, aims to identify threats before they escalate into criminal activity.

Funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, the effort brought together operational partners including Group-IB, Kaspersky, Trend Micro, TRM Labs, and Fortinet.

Authorities said more investigations are underway, particularly into the international financial and criminal networks behind the fraud schemes.

State Street launched its first digital debt securities using JPMorgan’s Digital Debt Service, executing a $100 million commercial paper transaction.

According to an Aug. 21 statement, State Street Investment Management purchased the commercial paper for its Short Term Investment Fund. 

The debt securities are issued, settled, and serviced using blockchain technology, delivering streamlined institutional market access.

State Street Investment Management’s global head of cash management, Pia McCusker, described the commercial paper investment as demonstrating tangible technology benefits for institutional clients.

McCusker added:

“Our successful investment in the first commercial paper transaction in blockchain format for our Short Term Investment Fund demonstrates the tangible benefits this technology brings to our clients and positions them at the forefront of the digital transformation in fixed income markets.”

Regarding JPMorgan’s blockchain platform, it allows T+0 settlement as an option, representing a significant advancement over standard settlement cycles for short-term debt instruments.

The digital debt securities utilize smart contracts to automate payments, redemptions, and corporate actions, eliminating manual processing typical in traditional debt markets. 

State Street noted that the $100 million transaction validates blockchain technology’s capacity to handle institutional-scale debt issuances. At the same time, it maintains regulatory compliance and security standards expected from traditional debt markets.

Market modernization impact

Chief product officer Donna Milrod characterized the digital debt launch as advancing State Street’s integrated blockchain-based solution across front-, middle-, and back-office functions. 

Further, the launch reflects State Street’s digital strategy, incorporating on-chain wallet management and blockchain network interoperability groundwork.

JPMorgan Markets Digital Assets Team credit lead Emma Lovett described the digital debt platform as a significant advancement in digital issuance evolution. It provides clients with opportunities to explore blockchain applications in capital markets for efficiency improvements. The technology unlocks ecosystem-wide efficiencies across bond lifecycles.

The digital debt launch follows February reports that State Street was considering crypto custody services for institutional investors. 

A bank executive indicated that State Street planned to roll out crypto custody services next year, with the institution positioning itself alongside other major custody banks entering digital asset services. 

State Street’s blockchain-based debt issuance represents concrete progress toward digital asset integration beyond speculation about future custody offerings.

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VivoPower International PLC has outlined a strategy to acquire $100 million Ripple shares as part of a broader initiative to integrate XRP into its corporate treasury, according to an Aug. 11 statement.

According to the statement, the $100 million investment will expose VivoPower to 211 million XRP tokens, currently valued at around $696 million.

VivoPower said it will hold both Ripple shares and XRP tokens as part of the strategy, becoming the first publicly listed US company to offer its shareholders access to both. The dual acquisition approach allows the firm to secure Ripple shares at a discount compared to market prices.

Importantly, VivoPower will obtain full legal ownership of the Ripple shares it acquires, with its name recorded directly on Ripple’s shareholder register. The firm has partnered with leading digital asset custodians such as BitGo and Nasdaq Private Market LLC to facilitate these transactions.

VivoPower CEO Kevin Chin emphasized that this move aligns with VivoPower’s long-term objective of building a robust treasury model that diversifies its holdings and offers significant upside potential for its shareholders.

The firm also noted that it will avoid purchasing Ripple shares held in special-purpose vehicles (SPVs) due to the extra fees and complexities they bring. An independent auditor will conduct quarterly reviews of VivoPower’s Ripple shareholdings to ensure transparency and accountability.

Ripple’s fundraising

VivoPower’s purchase of Ripple’s share comes less than a week after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) granted the blockchain firm a waiver from the “bad actor” designation.

The designation had stemmed from a 2020 lawsuit in which the SEC accused Ripple of selling unregistered securities.

While the parties settled in May 2025, the injunction technically remained in place. The regulator said recent circumstances justified the waiver, clearing the way for Ripple to seek new investment without legal barriers.

Following the waiver, pro-crypto lawyer John Deaton stated:

“Ripple can continue to raise money in the private markets. One might even argue, it’s business as usual – as if the lawsuit against Ripple and the $125M fine never happened.”

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Solana-based tokenized stocks surpassed $100 million in market capitalization less than one month since their official launch on June 30.

According to rwa.xyz data, the tokenized stock market on Solana is valued at nearly $102 million as of July 22, representing a 242% increase from its $29.8 million size at the debut date. This market is fueled mainly by xStocks, issued by Backed Finance.

As a result, Solana now accounts for 20.4% of the tokenized stock market. Notably, Ethereum and its layer-2 blockchains Arbitrum, Polygon, and Base account for $11.8 million, which makes Solana’s tokenized stock market over eight times larger.

The largest tokenized stock is TSLAx, representing Tesla’s shares, with a market capitalization of $13.6 million and 11,073 holders.

Tokenized S&P 500 are also in the tens of millions, with SPYx showing a market capitalization of just over $10 million and 9,886 holders.

The tokenized shares of Circle trail closely, with CRCLx reaching a $9.1 million market cap, distributed among 5,746 holders.

Furthermore, the official xStocks profile on X shared that the tokens have surpassed $300 million in on-chain trading volume.

Assessing composability

Despite the explosive growth of tokenized assets issued on Solana, xStocks investors are not interacting with DeFi protocols that have made these assets composable.

Solana-based money market Kamino offers support for eight xStocks tokens as collateral: TSLAx, SPYx, Nvidia’s NVDAx, Robinhood’s HOODx, Strategy’s MSTRx, Apple’s AAPLx, Nasdaq’s QQQx, and Alphabet’s GOOGLx.

Although their collective market cap stands at nearly $50 million, only $585,000, roughly 11%, has been used as collateral so far.

The numbers fare slightly better when it comes to liquidating providing. On Raydium’s pools, the largest TSLAx pool has $1.1 million in liquidity, of which $423,600 represents the amount of tokenized stock deposited per GeckoTerminal data.

The SPYx with most liquidity also displays a significant amount of $1.9 million in liquidity, with $502,000 worth of tokenized stocks on it.

Nevertheless, the ratio remains short. The roughly $637,000 worth of TSLAx tokens used on DeFi is just 4.7% of its market cap. For SPYx, the ratio is 7%.

Crypto to traditional, not the other way around

The relatively low usage of tokenized stocks on DeFi applications occurs mainly because money is mostly flowing from crypto to traditional products, rather than the other way around.

Michael Cahill, CEO and co-founder of Douro Labs, explained in an interview with CryptoSlate that holders from the traditional market who are entering the crypto space are not yet ready to utilize DeFi composability.

He used the Apollo Diversified Credit Securitized Fund (ACRED), launched by Pyth and created by Apollo Global Management and Securitize, as an example to illustrate that the issue of wasted composability still affects the entire tokenization industry.

ACRED has over $100 million in net asset value, yet its on-chain lending pool represents only a small fraction of this value.

However, Cahill also said he sees growth potential. He added:

“But it’s just getting started. We didn’t have xStocks last year. The last time we saw anyone making a meaningful attempt at stocks was Mmirror back in the Terra days, and it wasn’t even that big either. It’s taken a really long time for people to get comfortable with this, but I think that that’ll start very gradually and then people will get a little bit more and more comfortable.”

Furthermore, he believes a Strategy-style “big company moment” could help, but thinks the real catalyst will be the product experience with a traditional finance interface for on-chain products.

Cahill concluded:

“When you get one of those barriers to fall, then you can start to really see it grow together and explode way faster than that whole ramp-up we had with Strategy. It could happen very, very quickly in my mind.”

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James Wynn, the notorious high-leverage crypto trader who lost a staggering $100 million earlier this year after betting $1 billion on Bitcoin (BTC) longs, is back in the spotlight. After weeks of silence following his steep trading losses, on-chain data now shows Wynn has returned to trading again—this time placing risky bets on PEPE and BTC. 

Overleveraged Bitcoin Trader Hits Back With 10x PEPE Bet

After vanishing from social media earlier in 2025 and experiencing one of the most dramatic crypto trading collapses, Wynn is making a comeback, and this time, he’s betting big on a volatile meme coin, PEPE. The notorious Bitcoin trader has reportedly resumed trading the perpetual version of PEPE with fresh leveraged exposure on the decentralized derivatives platform Hyperliquid. 

According to blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain, Wynn returned to the market through the same crypto wallet address tied to his previous trades. On-chain data reveals that his latest position involves a 10x long on kPEPE, funded almost entirely by his recently claimed referral reward of 6,792.53 USDC—a striking contrast to the billion-dollar positions he previously commanded.

Updated information from HyperDash reveals that the trader opened a long position of approximately $89,000 on kPEPE. The position is running at 10x leverage, meaning the actual capital backing it is around $8,800, while the exposure exceeds $89,000. Notably, Wynn had bought over 6.8 million kPEPE, betting entirely on the token’s upside. At this leverage level, just a 10% drop in PEPE’s price could entirely wipe out the margin used to back this trade, making this an extremely high-risk move. 

Interestingly, Wynn’s comeback follows his public fallout in May 2025, when his massive $1 billion leveraged BTC longs were liquidated during a price dip below $105,000, resulting in a staggering $100 million (949 BTC) loss. This incident caught the attention of the crypto community, sparking controversy and widespread discussions. Now the Bitcoin trader is facing renewed scrutiny from various crypto community members, with some labeling him a degen trader and others questioning his risk management skills.

Wynn Makes Bold 40X Bet On Bitcoin

Despite accruing massive losses that forced him offline, Wynn is making another extremely high-risk Bitcoin trade, involving a $468,000 position and 40X leverage. In an earlier post, Lookonchain reported that the trader had deposited 468,000 USDC into Hyperliquid and opened a new leveraged long on Bitcoin, with a liquidation price of $115,570. 

Updated data from HyperDash revealed that Wynn has opened a $23.9 million long position on Bitcoin with 40x leverage on Hyperliquid. The position size includes over 202 BTC, and the trader is fully committed to the cryptocurrency’s potential upside movement. 

At 40x leverage, only 2.5% price movement against the trade would be enough to trigger a complete BTC liquidation, wiping out the entire margin backing Wynn’s position. This significantly high-risk strategy leaves no room for error, especially in a market as volatile as Bitcoin.

Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

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Crypto Journalist

Amin Ayan

Crypto Journalist

Amin Ayan

About Author

Amin Ayan is a crypto journalist with over four years of experience in the industry. He has contributed to leading publications such as Cryptonews, Investing.com, 99Bitcoins, and 24/7 Wall St. He has…

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July 13, 2025

Web3 powerhouse Animoca Brands has entered a strategic partnership with DayDayCook (DDC) Enterprise, a packaged food and meal-prep company, to oversee Animoca’s Bitcoin holdings and generate yield from its reserves.

The agreement, a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) announced Thursday, marks a significant step in the growing trend of corporate Bitcoin treasury management.

Under the deal, Animoca plans to allocate up to $100 million worth of Bitcoin to DDC for management.

Animoca Brands Partnership Comes as Bitcoin Gains Ground as Treasury

The partnership reflects an emerging wave of companies integrating Bitcoin into their treasury strategies as a hedge against inflation and a long-term store of value.

DayDayCook first revealed its Bitcoin treasury ambitions in May, announcing a target purchase of 5,000 BTC over three years.

The company made an initial move by acquiring 21 BTC for its corporate treasury in the same month.

This aligns with a broader corporate shift toward Bitcoin adoption, as firms seek to diversify and protect their assets amid economic uncertainty.

While the rise of Bitcoin treasury companies signals growing mainstream acceptance, it has also sparked debate among investors.

Some see these entities as critical drivers for wider adoption, while others warn of the risks posed by overleveraged firms that could exacerbate market downturns.

Data from BitcoinTreasuries shows 268 institutions currently hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets, spanning public companies, private firms, government bodies, asset managers, and crypto-focused enterprises.

Public companies make up the largest segment, accounting for 147 of these holders.

The second quarter of 2025 saw these treasury companies add 159,107 BTC, valued at over $18.7 billion, marking a 23% increase in acquisitions from the previous quarter.

Blockstream CEO Adam Back described this trend as a “new altseason,” urging traders to shift investments into Bitcoin or Bitcoin treasuries.

Analysts Warn of Risks Ahead for Bitcoin Treasury Companies

However, despite the enthusiasm, caution persists. Analysts warn many treasury companies may falter when Bitcoin prices fall or when access to affordable corporate financing tightens, potentially leading to significant market corrections.

Last week, Glassnode lead analyst James Check raised concerns over the longevity of the corporate Bitcoin treasury strategy, arguing the easy gains might already be gone for new entrants as the market matures.

The warning echoes recent comments from Matthew Sigel, head of digital asset research at VanEck, who has voiced concerns over the Bitcoin treasury strategies adopted by some publicly traded firms.

Sigel singled out the use of at-the-market (ATM) share issuance programs, arguing that these can become dilutive if a company’s stock price nears its Bitcoin net asset value (NAV).

Meanwhile, New York law firm Pomerantz LLP has filed a class action lawsuit against Michael Saylor’s Strategy, accusing the Bitcoin-focused firm of misleading investors about the profitability and risks of its crypto investment strategy.

DeFi Development Corp has unveiled plans to raise $100 million through a private offering of convertible senior notes to strengthen its Solana-focused treasury strategy as anticipation for potential U.S. approval of Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs) ramps up.

DeFi Development Corp. said proceeds will be used partly to repurchase its own shares through a prepaid forward agreement with a note purchaser, while the remaining funds will go toward general corporate purposes, including acquiring more Solana (SOL) as part of its asset accumulation strategy.

The company, which is the first publicly listed firm in the U.S. to pursue a Solana-based treasury model, announced on July 2 that the notes will mature in July 2030 and pay interest twice a year.

The unsecured notes will be offered to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, with buyers granted an option to purchase an additional $25 million within 13 days of the initial issuance.

Prior to January 2030, conversion into company stock or cash will only be allowed under certain conditions. After that, holders can convert the notes at any time before maturity, with the settlement method determined during pricing.

The fundraising follows a June regulatory setback for the firm, which forced it to withdraw a planned $1 billion registration filing after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) deemed it ineligible for the streamlined S-3 form due to a missing internal controls report in its annual filing.

That filing, submitted in April, was intended to raise capital to build a substantial SOL treasury, similar to strategies used by companies holding Bitcoin to drive long-term value through staking and price appreciation.

The company’s latest capital raise comes shortly after its stock fell 16% on June 24, indicating an effort to bolster its balance sheet and reassure investors as interest in Solana-based investment products grows.

Recent ETF launches have added momentum to the market. On June 1, Rex Shares and Osprey debuted the SOL + Staking ETF ($SSK), the first U.S. fund providing staking exposure by allocating 40% of assets to overseas Solana products to comply with regulatory requirements.

One day earlier, the SEC approved Grayscale’s Digital Large Cap Fund to convert into an ETF, adding indirect exposure to Solana alongside Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Cardano.

As the SEC considers multiple crypto ETF proposals, DeFi Development Corp’s move positions it to benefit from any increase in institutional demand for Solana. The offering remains subject to final pricing and market conditions, and the company has not disclosed when the transaction will close.

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