E159: Jeff Yan, Hyperliquid CEO: Why Crypto Must Fix Finance Before AI Takes Over  episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 19, 2026 · 1H 29M

E159: Jeff Yan, Hyperliquid CEO: Why Crypto Must Fix Finance Before AI Takes Over

from When Shift Happens Podcast · host Kevin Follonier

Jeff Yan, founder of Hyperliquid Labs, returns after one of crypto's most extraordinary moments - a $1 billion community airdrop that grew to $10 billion, built by a team of just 11 people who didn't stop to celebrate.THE SHIFT NEWSLETTER💡Go beyond the mic - subscribe to The Shift, my new weekly newsletter where I share the uncut stories, raw takes, and behind-the-scenes notes from When Shift Happens: https://www.kevinfollonier.com/crypto-web3-newsletter___________PARTNERS🚀 Jupiter is the most used Decentralized Exchange in Crypto and the largest DEX by volume on Solana: https://jup.ag/🅿️ Paradex is building the future of open finance — an intuitive, permissionless trading platform giving users full control, ultra-low costs, fast execution, and access to global markets in one place.  https://app.paradex.trade/wl/resilientrogueqv💳 KAST lets you manage and spend stablecoins or crypto with a Visa Card or Apple Pay. Live in 100+ countries: https://go.kast.xyz/VqVO/SHIFT🔓 Trezor offers the safest cold-storage wallets for crypto and true financial independence. Buy with 10% off (promo code in video): https://trezor.io/?transaction_id=1026f18ed46409e495c6db4bff90ab&offer_id=133&affiliate_id=35356💰 Zashi is the easiest self-custody wallet for private transactions - send, receive, and spend Zcash (ZEC) without middlemen or surveillance, built by the team that launched Zcash in 2016.https://z.cash/ecosystem/zashi-wallet/🌱 Bitwise Asset Management manages $15B+ across 30+ crypto investment products — ETFs, index funds, alpha, staking, and more. https://bitwiseinvestments.com/💧 Sui is a next-gen Layer 1 making digital asset ownership fast, private, and secure. https://sui.io/♾️ Coinsilium provides vital funding and expert advice to Web3 and AI-powered early-stage technology companies. ⁠https://www.coinsilium.com⁠ ___________FOLLOW JEFF YAN• Twitter: https://x.com/chameleon_jeff• Website: https://app.hyperliquid.xyz/tradeFOLLOW WHEN SHIFT HAPPENSTwitter (X): https://x.com/KevinWSHPod  Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kevinfollonier_ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinfollonier/Website: https://kevinfollonier.com/DISCLAIMERThe info contained herein is for informational purposes only. Nothing herein shall be construed to be financial, legal, or tax advice. The content of this video is solely the opinions of the speakers who are not a licensed financial advisor or registered investment advisor. Trading cryptocurrencies poses considerable risk of loss. The speakers do not guarantee any particular outcome.0:00 Introduction1:35 Please Subscribe2:01 Jeff’s Thoughts On Singapore11:10 Partnerships: @JupiterExchange @KASTxyz11:51 How To Make HyperLiquid A Cult For Those Outside Crypto To Come In22:05 What Jeff Looks At For Reliable Teammates24:51 Celebrations Or Right Back To The Grind26:45 How Do You Test For High Integrity28:31 How About Sleep? Is That A Thing At HyperLiquid30:05 The Fear Of $300 Million Worth Of Token Hitting The Market Monthly Explained31:41 Handling FUd, Criticism, & PR At HyperLiquid32:28 How Does Jeff Personally Handle FUD35:02 What’s The Problem With Buying Back Tokens When The Price Is High vs Low?37:20 The Importance Of No Discretionary Element For HyperLiquid39:04 Hyper EVM Explained Simply40:00 Partnerships: @paradex @zashi_wallet40:41 Jeff’s Take On The Success Of Hyper EVM So Far44:05 HyperLiquid Improvement Proposal 3 Explained Simply48:19 Why Should People Care?51:33 Why Is It So Important To Bring All Finance On Chain52:08 Why Is The HyperLiquid Approach Better1:08:01 Partnerships: @Trezor @BitwiseInvest @SuiNetwork1:08:58 Housing All Of Finance Meaning1:12:23 Why Does HyperLiquid Have A Stablecoin USDH1:14:39 What Is Kinetic & Why Does It Matter For The HyperLiquid Ecosystem1:23:39 Where Did Fairness Cost Jeff The Most?1:24:47 What Do You Want HyperLiquid To Be Remembered For1:28:10 Closing Thoughts

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E159: Jeff Yan, Hyperliquid CEO: Why Crypto Must Fix Finance Before AI Takes Over

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