Donald Trump evokes regulation of Hyperliquid in the United States and denies rumors of massive purchases of bitcoins

A confirmed statement and some rumors. During a meeting held on August 19 at the White House, Donald Trump revealed that the CFTC was working to make Hyperliquid accessible in the United States within a legal framework. The HYPE gained around 11% in the process. At the same time, a possible acquisition of bitcoins by Washington circulated on social networks, without an official announcement to support it.

Hyperliquid seeks regulatory path in the United States

Donald Trump indicated that Michael Selig, chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), was actively working to integrate Hyperliquid into the American market. The decentralized platform, which specializes in perpetual futures contracts, currently blocks access to users residing in the United States.

This statement, however, constitutes neither authorization nor a timetable. To legally offer its products to U.S. investors, Hyperliquid would likely need to register with the CFTC as a contracts marketplace or clearing organization. However, its decentralized operation and its order book recorded on a blockchain complicate the identification of the legal entity responsible for respecting these obligations.

The market nevertheless reacted immediately. HYPE rose around 11%, while shares of Hyperliquid Strategies, a listed company with exposure to the token, gained as much as 31%. These movements above all reflect the hope of access to the American market, and not the obtaining of approval.

Today (Thursday August 20), the CFTC must also convene its Innovation Advisory Committee for the first time to examine the regulation of cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence and predictive markets. This meeting confirms the regulatory work in progress, without guaranteeing specific treatment for Hyperliquid.

No bitcoin purchases confirmed by Washington

Several widely reported publications on X also claimed that Donald Trump was considering acquiring “significant” quantities of bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies. However, no media present in the room reported such a specific announcement. The White House and Treasury have not confirmed a purchasing program either.

The Bitcoin strategic reserve, created in March 2025, mainly brings together BTC seized during legal proceedings. The executive order authorizes the Treasury and the Commerce Department to explore ways to acquire additional bitcoins, provided that these operations remain neutral to the federal budget. However, no purchase on the open market has been made official.

The temporary rise of bitcoin above $68,000 cannot therefore be attributed to this rumor alone. The announcement of an increase in public bond buybacks by the US Treasury also supported risky assets – including BTC – while gold rose at the same time.