Hyperliquid News Today: From Hype to Heft: DeFi's Mutuum Rises as Shiba Inu's Momentum Wanes

Shiba Inu (SHIB), once a dominant force in the meme coin space, has shown signs of waning momentum in 2025. On September 22, 2025, SHIB traded at approximately $0.00001247, down 4% in the last 24 hours, with realized volatility hitting an all-time low of 64% since December 2023 Cryptopolitan^[1]. Analysts attribute this decline to reduced speculative activity and a lack of new demand, as SHIB's price struggles to break above $0.000015–$0.000020 Investing.com^[2]. In contrast, Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a decentralized finance (DeFi) project in its presale phase, has attracted significant attention. At a presale price of $0.035, MUTM's presale has raised over $16.2 million and attracted more than 16,550 distinct holders, surpassing SHIB in investor enthusiasm Cryptopolitan^[1].

Mutuum Finance is constructing a lending-and-borrowing protocol with dual models: Peer-to-Contract (P2C) and Peer-to-Peer (P2P). The platform enables users to earn passive income through interest-bearing mtTokens and facilitates flexible lending arrangements. By October 2025, the project had launched a $50,000 USDT bug bounty program, secured a CertiK smart contract audit, and announced a beta platform launch on the Sepolia testnet in Q4 2025 Cryptopolitan^[3]. The audit, which included a Token Scan score of 90 and a Skynet audit score of 79, underscores MUTM's commitment to security and transparency Business Insider^[6].

Presale dynamics further highlight MUTM's appeal. In Stage 6, the token price increased 16.17% to $0.035 compared to the previous round, with over $17 million raised by October 2025 GlobeNewswire^[7]. The token's price is scheduled to rise to $0.04 in the next phase, reflecting a 20% increase from current levels. The final listing price is projected at $0.06, a 600% increase from the initial presale price of $0.01 Times Tabloid^[4]. This structured price progression, combined with a $100,000 community campaign and a $100,000 giveaway contest, has driven retail and institutional participation The Currency Analytics^[5].

Experts argue that MUTM's real-world DeFi use case positions it as a stronger long-term bet compared to SHIB's meme-driven model. For instance, analysts predict MUTM could surge by 2,000% post-launch, driven by its dual lending mechanisms, mtToken system, and potential listings on major exchanges Times Tabloid^[4]. By October 2025, the project had already secured $17 million in funding and 16,800 holders, with Phase 6 at 60% sold out GlobeNewswire^[7]. The beta platform will introduce liquidity pools for ETH and USDT, with plans to expand to Layer-2 networks and an overcollateralized stablecoin in future phases Business Insider^[6].

SHIB's reliance on community hype contrasts with MUTM's utility-focused approach. While SHIB has introduced features like ShibaSwap and a Layer-2 solution, its price remains heavily influenced by major holders and public sentiment Times Tabloid^[4]. In contrast, MUTM's structured financial design, including fixed collateral ratios, incentivized liquidations, and reserve mechanisms, aims to stabilize the system and optimize capital efficiency Cryptopolitan^[1].

The presale's success and roadmap milestones-such as the Sepolia testnet launch and CertiK audit-have bolstered investor confidence. With a growing user base and transparent tokenomics, MUTM is positioned to capitalize on the maturing DeFi market. As SHIB's volatility persists, early adopters of MUTM may benefit from asymmetric returns, particularly if the platform achieves widespread adoption.