Hyperliquid News Today: Why DeFi's Rise and Bridgewater's Shift Signal Market Realignment

The decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape has witnessed a significant uptick in activity, with Lighter, Hyperliquid, and Aster leading the charge in perpetual decentralized exchange (Perp DEX) trading volumes. According to data from Defilama, Lighter maintained its dominance in the past week, recording a seven-day perpetual volume of $73.77 billion, surpassing Aster ($72.03 billion) and Hyperliquid ($70.42 billion). This surge has propelled Lighter's 24-hour trading volume to over $12 billion, with a total value locked (TVL) of $11.74 billion and open interest of $16.1 billion as of November 13.

Hyperliquid, the second-largest player, saw a slight dip in trading volume to $7.67 billion but retained a TVL of $46.56 billion and open interest of $74.2 billion according to Lookonchain data. Aster, meanwhile, experienced a sharp decline in trading volume from $11.94 billion on November 11 to $5.7 billion by November 13 according to Lookonchain data, though it rebounded with a 40% growth in trading volume by November 14 according to Lookonchain data. EdgeX and Paradex also reported notable activity, with EdgeX's 24-hour volume hitting $6.106 billion and Paradex at $849 million according to Lookonchain data.

The momentum in DeFi is being driven by technological advancements and competitive incentives. Lighter's high throughput of 650,000 transactions per second and low fees have attracted traders, positioning it as a top Layer-2 platform in 2025. The exchange plans a token generation event (TGE) with a community airdrop of 25–30% of its token supply, sparking speculation on platforms like Polymarket about its fully diluted valuation.

Meanwhile, Bridgewater Associates, the hedge fund founded by Ray Dalio, has aggressively reshaped its portfolio in Q3 2025, focusing on sectors like streaming, telecommunications, and biotech while divesting from major tech stocks. The firm increased its stake in Netflix by 896.6%, Verizon by 860%, and Monster Beverage by 1,447%, among other significant purchases. Bridgewater also opened a new $142 million position in RDDT stock, adding to its growing exposure to digital assets.

Dalio, who stepped down as co-Chief Investment Officer in 2022, warned of an "AI bubble", cautioning that valuations of leading AI companies might be overstretched. His comments align with Bridgewater's strategic pivot away from high-flying tech stocks, including a complete exit from holdings in Lyft, JPMorgan, and United Airlines. The firm trimmed positions in "Magnificent 7" stocks like Nvidia and Amazon, signaling a cautious approach amid macroeconomic uncertainties.

The DeFi and traditional finance markets are converging as institutional investors like Bridgewater and GameSquare explore digital asset strategies. GameSquare's Digital Asset Treasury strategy, launched in July 2025, raised $80 million to invest in Ethereum-based yield models, enhancing its balance sheet and accelerating Web3 growth. Similarly, Hyperion DeFi reported a record net income of $6.6 million in Q3 2025, driven by its digital asset treasury and validator operations on the Hyperliquid blockchain.

As DeFi platforms scale and institutional adoption grows, the interplay between decentralized trading and traditional investment strategies will likely shape market dynamics in the coming months. Lighter's upcoming TGE and Bridgewater's portfolio shifts highlight the evolving landscape, where innovation and macroeconomic recalibration remain key drivers.