Hyperliquid’s (CRYPTO: HYPE) native cryptocurrency has bucked the broader cryptocurrency market decline, posting double-digit gains in 2026.

The Big ‘HYPE’

The decentralized perpetual exchange token has pumped 35% year-to-date, becoming the most successful token among those with at least $1 bililion in market capitalization.

In contrast, blue-chip coins such as Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) and Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) have lost 21%, 30.83% and 27% since 2026 began.

Oil Volatility Helping Hyperliquid?

Hyperliquid, powered by its own Layer-1 blockchain, has seen a surge in oil-linked perpetuals activity as speculators rushed to profit from the wild swings triggered by the ongoing Middle East war.

In fact, the volume for tokenized West Texas Intermediate oil hit $1.77 billion in the last 24 hours, trailing only the Bitcoin perpetual contract, which logged over $3 billion in volume. Oil perpetuals made up 18% of Hyperliquid’s total trading volume over the past 24 hours.

As of this writing, the platform had net deposits worth $4.61 billion, according to DeFiLlama.

HYPE token holders gain utility through governance rights and discounts on trading fees. The token also plays a crucial role in securing the network through staking.

Price Action: At the time of writing, HYPE was exchanging hands at $34.24, up 10.87% in the last 24 hours, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

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