Hyperliquid Launches New DeFi Policy Center In Washington DC

The report states that the policy center will legalize perpetual derivatives and help regulators write DeFi guidelines for the financial system.

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In this photo illustration, the Hyperliquid (Hyper Liquid) logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

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Anushka Basu · Stocktwits

Published Feb 18, 2026, 2:15 PM

HYPE.X
  • A new policy center from Hyperliquid will work with Congress and federal agencies to shape U.S. DeFi regulations.
  • Jake Chervinsky, a longtime crypto policy lawyer, will lead the initiative as CEO.
  • The group aims to help create clear legal pathways for decentralized trading platforms.

Hyperliquid (HYPE) launched a DeFi-focused policy center in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, led by prominent crypto lawyer Jake Chervinsky.

According to a Fortune report, the new organization, called the Hyperliquid Policy Center, aims to help Congress and federal agencies understand decentralized finance and support the development of legal frameworks for blockchain-based markets. Chervinsky served as the inaugural CEO of Blockchain Association and Variant Fund.

The center is also set to create a legal pathway for perpetual derivatives and help regulators draft rules that incorporate DeFi into the broader financial system, according to the report. In support of this initiative, a foundation tied to Hyperliquid would donate one million HYPE tokens, valued at roughly $28 million.​

Hyperliquid (HYPE) was trading at $29, down by 1.4% in the past 24 hours. On Stocktwits, the retail sentiment around HYPE remained in ‘extremely bearish’ territory, with chatter at ‘high’ levels over the past day.

DeFi Rules Take Shape Ahead Of CLARITY Act 

The move came as Washington debates how to regulate decentralized finance (DeFi). In early 2025, lawmakers introduced the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 (CLARITY Act), which aimed to separate centralized financial firms from blockchain protocols that operate without a central entity.​

Two House committees have approved slightly distinct versions of the almost 250-page CLARITY Act. These will be combined before being sent to the House floor. The Senate continues to work on its own framework. The final bill is due for passage, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying it could pass before spring.

Read also: Coinbase’s App Could Add Self-Custody, CEO Brian Armstrong Reveals

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