Key Highlights:
- HYPE jumped 6% today, March 17, 2026 and hit the $41 mark.
- Arthur Hayes backs the rally.
- Rising platform activity and token buyback support HYPE’s price.
Hyperliquid’s native token HYPE managed to jump more than 6% today, March 17, 2026. The price of the token is now hovering around the $41 mark. This surge is strong when compared to the gains that Bitcoin (1%) has had in the past 24 hours.
At press time, the price of $HYPE token stands at $41.43 with an uptick of 6.43% in the last 24-hours as per CoinMarketCap.
This increase shows that HYPE is not just following the crypto market, but it is also moving based on its own strength.
Big Investors are Driving the Move
Large investors, which are also known as the whales, have been making aggressive bullish bets on HYPE. According to a recent reporting by Lookonchain, wallets 0xE7ec opened a 3x leveraged long position worth about $10.51 million (267,758 HYPE), while 0x7E4E took a 2x long, which was worth $7.87 million (200,000 HYPE).
Another wallet, 0x535e, placed an even riskier 10x leveraged bet that was valued at $4.39 million (111,694 HYPE). These high-value, leveraged positions indicate there is a strong confidence amongst the whales that HYPE’s price could move even higher. Moreover, these leveraged positions also highlighted the increased risk of sharp volatility if the market makes a turn.
Whales are going long on $HYPE. 🐋
0xE7ec opened a 3x long on 267,758 $HYPE ($10.51M).
0x7E4E opened a 2x long on 200,000 $HYPE ($7.87M).
0x535e opened a 10x long on 111,694 $HYPE ($4.39M).https://t.co/eZDcuaKmdmhttps://t.co/S2luteReWBhttps://t.co/5vv6lHi1Hj pic.twitter.com/MhmKdKv1ZU
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) March 16, 2026
Hyperliquid Platform is Gaining Real Use
The price of the token rising is not a speculation because the Hyperliquid platform is actually being used as the activity on the platform has increased significantly.
The big highlight as of now is its oil-linked “perpetual futures” market. This allows traders to bet on oil prices without actually owning oil.
These markets run 24/7, which is different from the traditional markets. Recently, the trading volume in these markets touched nearly $991 million.
Why Arthur Hayes Thinks HYPE Can Still Rise
Arthur Hayes through his write up is saying that HYPE could grow a lot even if the overall crypto market slows down. His main point through the write up was that Hyperliquid is not just hype, it is actually making real money from trading and a big part of it goes to people that are holding the token.
He also believes that more traders might move from big exchanges to Hyperliquid, which would increase its usage and push the price up. In short, he sees HYPE as a strong project that has real value and is not just speculation. He also thinks that it can perform well when others cannot.
My essay on why $HYPE is going to $150 by August 2026.
— Arthur Hayes (@CryptoHayes) March 9, 2026
Moreover, he also thinks that the token could hit $150 by August 2026. According to him, if the platform continues to grow at this rate then the said target is possible.
Key Price Levels To Watch
For $HYPE, a few key price levels can help understand where it might go next. Around $36.77 is an important support level, if the price manages to stay above this, then the upward trend may continue. However, if the price drops below, $43 is the next challenge.
Moreover, analysts also believe that if the momentum stays strong, then there is a possibility that the price of the token could move up to $50.
For regular investors, this situation is something that would offer both opportunity and risk. Strong whale interest and high platform activity are positive signs. However, heavy leverage and sudden market moves can quickly reverse the trend, so it is important that the investors stay cautious.
Also Read: Hyperliquid Price Near $40 Breakout as Hormuz Tensions Boost Oil Trading
