HYPE surged approximately 22% to $45 on May 14 after Coinbase and Circle announced support for Hyperliquid's AQAv2 upgrade. The rally signaled trader confidence in institutional backing for the protocol's stablecoin strategy.
The deal designates USDC as Hyperliquid's aligned quote asset. It also directs the vast majority of reserve-yield revenue back to the protocol, rather than leaving it with external issuers or custodians.
According to CryptoSlate, the price jump reflected broad market read of the announcement as institutional validation. Traders interpreted the move as a major step toward legitimizing protocol-aligned stablecoin models in decentralized finance.
Hyperliquid aims to capture more economic value for its ecosystem by retaining reserve yield. This could shift how DeFi platforms structure stablecoin partnerships, though specific revenue percentages were not disclosed in the sources.
Critics argue that protocol-aligned stablecoins may concentrate risk if reserve management lacks transparency. The model's long-term viability depends on auditability and regulatory clarity.