Hyperliquid Policy Center has launched in Washington, D.C., as a research and advocacy group focused on decentralized finance regulation in the United States. The organization will brief lawmakers, publish technical research, and propose frameworks for decentralized exchanges, perpetual derivatives, and blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
The group will operate as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit and introduce policymakers to the Hyperliquid ecosystem and its technology stack. Its agenda centers on regulatory clarity for decentralized trading systems and derivatives markets that operate without centralized intermediaries.
Jake Chervinsky will lead the organization as founder and chief executive officer. He previously served as chief legal officer at Variant and chief policy officer at the Blockchain Association. Earlier roles included general counsel work at Compound Labs and private legal practice focused on securities and commodities litigation.
“Financial markets are migrating onto public blockchains because they offer efficiency, transparency, and resilience that legacy systems cannot match,” Chervinsky said in a statement. “This technology is poised to become the base layer of the global financial system. 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. HPC exists to ensure that American entrepreneurs, consumers, and institutions have the regulatory clarity they need to build and benefit from the future of finance.”
1/ I am proud to announce the launch of Hyperliquid Policy Center, where I will serve as CEO.
— Jake Chervinsky (@jchervinsky) February 18, 2026
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. https://t.co/ObDFGsjlwj
Policy push follows rapid growth in derivatives trading
The new group arrives as decentralized derivatives markets expand. Hyperliquid processed more than $250 billion in perpetual futures trading during the past month, according to data cited by DefiLlama. Spot trading volume reached about $6.6 billion during the same period.
Perpetual futures remain a regulatory gray area in the United States. These instruments allow leveraged positions without an expiration date and dominate offshore crypto markets. The policy center plans to develop legal frameworks tailored to decentralized systems that use automated execution and onchain settlement.
Chervinsky told Fortune that U.S. agencies and lawmakers need technical guidance to adapt financial rules to decentralized infrastructure. He said existing regulatory structures come from an analog era and struggle to address automated trading protocols.
Funding and organizational structure
The initiative received financial backing from Hyper Foundation, which contributed 1,000,000 HYPE tokens to support its launch. The foundation supports growth of the Hyperliquid blockchain and related infrastructure.
A spokesperson for the foundation said,
“We are proud to support the creation of the Hyperliquid Policy Center. The Hyperliquid community will benefit from having representation in Washington, D.C., and we are confident that under Jake’s leadership, the Hyperliquid Policy Center will have a meaningful impact in favor of clear regulations for decentralized finance.”
The founding team also includes policy counsel Brad Bourque, formerly an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell, and policy director Salah Ghazzal, who previously led policy work at Variant. The organization listed open roles for chief of staff, head of communications, head of government relations, and policy counsel.
Washington landscape grows crowded
The launch adds another organization to a policy environment that already includes the DeFi Education Fund, Solana Policy Institute, Digital Chamber, and Crypto Council for Innovation. These groups have increased engagement with lawmakers as debates intensify over crypto trading, derivatives oversight, and stablecoin regulation.
Negotiations in US Congress continue over legislation that would define responsibilities for market regulators and set rules for digital asset trading platforms. Disagreements persist in the US Senate over provisions tied to stablecoins and derivatives markets.
Industry momentum and political engagement
Hyperliquid has emerged as a major venue in crypto trading, with volumes that rival established exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase. The platform allows traders to execute perpetual futures transactions directly on blockchain infrastructure rather than through brokers or clearinghouses.
The policy center launch reflects a shift toward political engagement among decentralized finance projects. The sector once distanced itself from Washington lobbying but now seeks regulatory clarity to support market access and infrastructure development.
Hyperliquid co-founder Jeff Yan addressed the timing in a public message.
“There is a tangible and urgent possibility of upgrading the tech stack of the existing financial system,” he said. “Global financial regulation will be shaped in the United States, and we must work to ensure that these new policies thoughtfully embrace the potential of the new financial system.”
The policy push also highlights earlier friction between decentralized projects and regulators. Perpetual derivatives remain absent from U.S. mainstream finance due to uncertainty around classification and oversight. Offshore platforms filled that gap for years. Industry participants now seek pathways that align decentralized technology with domestic regulatory expectations.
The Hyperliquid Policy Center aims to serve as a bridge between policymakers and developers who build decentralized financial systems. The organization plans to focus on research, legislative briefings, and rulemaking proposals tailored to blockchain-based market infrastructure.
Anastasiia G
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