They don’t want to be a drain on society, I recently talked with Sarah, a single mom who works two jobs and still struggles to survive. Here’s her story about how landing a Hyperliquid Airdrop of Life-Changing Money made all the difference. “It was like winning the lottery,” she told me, her voice still brimming with incredulity. "Suddenly, I had enough money to pay off my debts, put a down payment on a small house, and finally breathe." Think back to Sarah, who was not a crypto whale or a sophisticated trader. She was not a special case, just a regular person who happened to be an early adopter on Hyperliquid. Image via Canva Decentralized finance (DeFi)’s real magic is in its financial wizardry. It’s at least as important in its role of redistributing our wealth in a real, meaningful way.
DeFi's Robin Hood Moment?
Hyperliquid, a decentralized exchange (DEX), achieved something never-before-seen. As a result, they airdropped 31% of their HYPE tokens (approximately $70 million at the time) to almost 94,000 early users. At those launch prices, the average eligible user was getting around $45,000-$50,000 of tokens. Let that sink in. A DEX, not a government or a charity, gave away the equivalent of a decent annual salary to almost 100,000 people.
By prioritizing user value over VC interests. Hyperliquid bootstrapped without VC funding, meaning no private token sales, no investor allocations, and no unlock schedules benefiting the already wealthy. Instead, they compensated the park’s creators and users who truly shaped the infrastructure.
This is in direct contradiction to the current financial system, which often leads to an accumulation of wealth by the elite few. As big banks continue to rake in record profits, everyday Americans can’t afford to get by. Hyperliquid’s airdrop is a big example of the amazing things DeFi can do. Doing so democratizes access to early stage financial opportunity, leveling the playing field for all. It’s the new digital Robin Hood, robbing from the would-be (maybe) wealthy venture capitalists and giving the gold to the users.
Airdrop, Not Just Free Money
Others may write airdrops off as simply free money, pure marketing ploy to pull in users. Hyperliquid's airdrop was different. It was an intentional strategy to build loyalty and engagement in their community. It worked. Things really took off with the HYPE airdrop. After launch, the token pumped and whales began to buy tokens in bunches, indicating long-term confidence in the platform.
The HYPE token isn’t some random governance token, though, either. It's integrated into the platform's core economics. It's used for validator staking, trading fee discounts (up to 40%), gas on HyperEVM, and even as a trading asset itself. This increased utility means real demand for the token, which is good for all HYPE holders.
Additionally, Hyperliquid’s HLP Vault, a protocol-owned liquidity pool, is a brilliant invention. It serves as a constantly active market maker, filling previously unmatched orders and engaging in liquidations. All trading-related fees are funneled back into the vault and redistributed to liquidity providers. This enables it to ensure that users are rewarded directly and transparently for the liquidity they help bring to the platform, fostering a virtuous growth cycle. At its peak in Q2 2025, the HLP vault was providing APYs upwards of 17% and had surpassed over $800 million in TVL.
Is This The Future of Finance?
Of course, airdrops aren't without their risks. Sybil attacks — when someone sets up multiple profiles to manipulate the system — are a very real threat. Token dumping, in which recipients sell their tokens as soon as they receive them, can further deflate the price and betray the community. Hyperliquid narrowly avoided these entropic forces by intentionally building against them and executing an aggressive strategy to stay ahead. Still, every DeFi project should ever be cognizant of these hurdles.
What really impresses me, though, is Hyperliquid’s belief in not harvesting rent. None of the trading-related fees are retained by the team. They all flow into the HLP vault and are automatically redistributed to liquidity providers. This is a radical departure from the traditional finance system, in which intermediaries never fail to take their cut. Hyperliquid's model is based on economic alignment, where traders, LPs, token holders, and developers all benefit from the platform's growth.
Hyperliquid's success is a testament to the power of decentralized finance to create a more equitable and inclusive financial system. Let’s make finance work for all of us, not just the privileged few. It must benefit the many, not be a burden to them. It may be as much about empowering people and strengthening community.
So, what can you do? Explore DeFi. Community benefit and economic empowerment must be priorities for research projects. Don't just chase the next shiny object. Support projects that are building a better future. We know the future of finance is decentralized, and it’s up to all of us to galvanize that movement.
You should do your own research and use due diligence when investing in cryptocurrency or DeFi projects. I participate in affiliate marketing.
