Institutional Giants Shift Portfolios to HYPE as DeFi’s Power Play Unfolds

A whale investor has significantly increased their holdings in the Hyperliquid blockchain by acquiring 197,000 HYPE tokens, valued at over $10 million. This move highlights the growing interest in HYPE, the native token of the Hyperliquid ecosystem, which has recently hit new all-time highs. The acquisition is part of a broader trend where major institutional players and trading platforms are reconfiguring their crypto portfolios to prioritize Hyperliquid tokens.

Nasdaq-listed Lion Group Holding, a Singapore-based trading platform, announced its intention to convert its entire holdings of Solana (SOL) and Sui (SUI) into HYPE tokens. The company is adopting a disciplined accumulation strategy to lower the average acquisition cost by leveraging market volatility and acquiring HYPE at optimal prices. This shift is part of Lion Group's broader effort to enhance portfolio efficiency and position the company for sustained growth in the crypto sector. The firm stated that the reallocation is also timed to capitalize on the launch of institutional custody solutions for HYPE in the United States by BitGo Trust Company.

Lion Group’s CEO, Wilson Wang, emphasized the strategic move, stating that Hyperliquid represents a compelling opportunity in decentralized finance due to its on-chain order book and efficient trading infrastructure. According to CoinGecko, HYPE recently reached an all-time high of $51.84, indicating strong market confidence in the token’s potential. The firm also noted that if it liquidated its SOL and SUI holdings—currently valued at over $4.9 million—it could acquire more than 96,000 additional HYPE tokens, further solidifying its position in the Hyperliquid ecosystem.

The strategic shift to HYPE is not limited to Lion Group. Other institutions have also begun to accumulate the token. For instance, Hyperliquid Strategies, formerly known as Sonnet BioTherapeutics, announced its plan to acquire 12.6 million HYPE tokens. Meanwhile, Hyperion DeFi, a U.S.-based biotech firm, has already acquired over 1.5 million HYPE tokens as part of its reserve strategy. These moves indicate a broader institutional interest in the Hyperliquid platform, particularly as it continues to expand its decentralized perpetual futures exchange capabilities.

The recent market developments have also driven up the price of HYPE, which has surged over 1,507% in the last nine months, rising from an all-time low of $3.20 to over $51. At the time of reporting, HYPE was trading at approximately $51.39, with a 9% increase in the last 24 hours. The token’s performance has been attributed to a combination of institutional adoption, the launch of custody services, and the platform’s growing market share in decentralized finance. Hyperliquid currently dominates the DeFi derivatives market with nearly an 80% share, further reinforcing the rationale for institutional investors to position themselves in the token.

The market’s positive reaction to these developments is evident in Lion Group’s stock price, which has gained over 20% following the announcement. The firm’s decision to reallocate its crypto portfolio to HYPE aligns with broader industry trends, as companies seek to optimize their exposure to high-growth digital assets. As the Hyperliquid ecosystem continues to evolve, the demand for HYPE tokens is expected to remain strong, driven by the platform’s infrastructure improvements and expanding institutional support.

Source:

[1] Lion Group Buys HYPE Token, Sells Solana and SUI (https://cointelegraph.com/news/lion-group-buys-hype-token-sells-solana-sui)

[2] Lion Group Plans to Swap SOL, SUI Holdings for HYPE (https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/09/08/lion-group-plans-to-swap-sol-sui-holdings-for-hype)

[3] HYPE Breaks All-Time High as Lion Group Dumps Solana and SUI for Hyperliquid (https://thecryptobasic.com/2025/09/08/hype-breaks-all-time-high-as-lion-group-dumps-solana-and-sui-for-hyperliquid/)

[4] Lion Group plans to convert Solana and Sui assets to Hyperliquid tokens (https://www.investing.com/news/cryptocurrency-news/lion-group-plans-to-convert-solana-and-sui-assets-to-hyperliquid-tokens-432SI-4229066)

[5] Hyperliquid Faces Community Pushback Against Stripe (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hyperliquid-faces-community-pushback-against-072924174.html)

[6] Cardano Price Prediction: Hyperliquid Set To Surge But Market Attention Shifts To Layer Brett (https://coincentral.com/cardano-price-prediction-hyperliquid-set-to-surge-but-market-attention-shifts-to-layer-brett/)