The @HyperliquidX Policy Center has formally petitioned the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to establish a regulatory framework that would allow on-chain perpetual derivative
The @HyperliquidX Policy Center has formally petitioned the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to establish a regulatory framework that would allow on-chain perpetual derivatives trading for U.S. citizens, marking one of the most direct regulatory pushes yet from a decentralized platform seeking access to American markets.
The move is notable for its directness. The Hyperliquid Policy Center is an independent research and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing a clear, regulated path for Americans to access onchain markets. Rather than sidestepping U.S. jurisdiction, as many decentralized platforms have done for years, the Center is asking regulators to build a framework that accommodates non-custodial, on-chain trading of $HYPE and other assets.
The Hyperliquid Policy Center was established in early 2026 with the explicit goal of advocating for regulatory clarity around onchain markets. Its petition to the CFTC is part of a broader effort that has also included a joint comment letter filed with Phantom Technologies. The two organizations urged the agency to update rules that currently keep American users walled off from onchain derivatives markets.
At the core of the proposal is a challenge to how legacy financial rules treat decentralized software. HPC and Phantom argue that simply building onchain trading software should not trigger registration requirements as an exchange or clearinghouse, and that non-custodial front-end providers like Phantom do not have to register as introducing brokers. The initiative also calls for decentralized clearinghouse protocols to be formally integrated into the U.S. derivatives ecosystem, enabling transparent, non-custodial trading without the intermediary structures that traditional regulations assume.
The CFTC, for its part, appears receptive to rethinking its approach. CFTC Chair Mike Selig has said the agency is crafting a tailored regulatory framework for on-chain perpetual derivatives platforms like Hyperliquid, noting that 1930s-era exchange rules are ill-suited to DeFi.Under the Trump administration, the CFTC has taken a more accommodating approach to regulating the crypto industry, most notably approving the first U.S.-regulated bitcoin perpetual futures contract in May and opening the door to bringing more perps onshore.
That regulatory opening has not been without controversy. The proposal lands while the CFTC faces legal action from CME Group, which sued the regulator in June after it approved perpetual futures products from platforms including Kalshi. CME argues that perpetual contracts should be classified as swaps rather than futures under the Dodd-Frank framework and claims the regulator bypassed the required legal process.
The Hyperliquid Policy Center's petition reflects a broader shift in how decentralized platforms are engaging with regulators. Rather than operating in legal grey areas, projects are increasingly seeking defined rules. As the regulatory conversation matures, the CFTC's response could set a precedent for how on-chain derivatives platforms gain, or are denied, access to U.S. liquidity.
Sources:The Block: Hyperliquid Policy Center, Phantom urge CFTC to stop treating onchain protocols like traditional brokersCrypto.news: Hyperliquid Policy Center and Phantom call for DeFi-specific CFTC regulationsCryptoRank: CFTC Chair signals regulatory path for on-chain perpetual platforms like Hyperliquid
