Can Hyperliquid (HYPE) hold $80 support after Paradigm’s $224 million unstaking?

Hyperliquid is leveraging a strategic token buyback program to absorb the potential selling pressure from Paradigm’s $224 million HYPE unstaking event. This move is designed to stabilize the market at the $80 support level and protect long-term holders from institutional liquidity shifts.

Hyperliquid is preparing a massive treasury-backed buyback strategy to maintain the HYPE price at the $80 support level following Paradigm’s decision to unstake $224 million worth of tokens. By proactively absorbing the increased circulating supply, the protocol aims to neutralize the bearish sentiment typically associated with large-scale venture capital exits. This tactical intervention is critical for preventing a technical breakdown that could otherwise lead to a broader sell-off across the decentralized perpetual exchange ecosystem.

The unstaking event by Paradigm marks a significant liquidity milestone for Hyperliquid in 2026, signaling the transition of a major early-stage backer into a more liquid position. While such moves often cause temporary price volatility, Hyperliquid’s treasury management indicates a shift toward protocol-led price stabilization. This approach is increasingly common among mature DeFi projects looking to decouple their token performance from the exit cycles of private equity partners.

From a regulatory perspective, the US market in 2026 remains sensitive to how decentralized protocols manage their internal treasuries and buyback programs. Hyperliquid must navigate these actions carefully to avoid allegations of market manipulation, particularly as the SEC continues to refine its oversight of decentralized finance (DeFi) liquidity pools. The success of this buyback will be a litmus test for protocol resilience in the face of institutional-scale selling pressure.

Market participants should watch for high-volume transactions on Hyperliquid’s treasury addresses and the sustained defense of the $80 mark. If the buyback effectively clears the Paradigm overhang, HYPE could see a significant bullish reversal as the market moves past this supply shock. Conversely, a failure to hold this psychological level may result in HYPE testing lower support zones near $65, impacting the wider sentiment for fair-launch DeFi assets.

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