Key Takeaways:
- Cathie Wood compared Hyperliquid to early Solana, calling it “the new kid on the block,” though ARK Invest hasn’t confirmed any investment in the protocol.
- ARK’s crypto exposure remains centered on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, with Bitcoin described as the core of its long-term strategy.
- Decentralized exchanges like Hyperliquid and dYdX v4 are closing the performance gap with centralized platforms, drawing increased interest from traders.
ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood has likened Hyperliquid, an emerging decentralized exchange (DEX) protocol, to the early days of Solana, calling it “the new kid on the block.”
Speaking on the Master Investor podcast, Wood said Solana’s growth into a major blockchain underscores Hyperliquid’s potential, though she clarified ARK has not invested in it.
ARK’s public crypto exposure currently centers on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, with Solana holdings linked to Breera Sports, a project tied to the Solana treasury and backed by Middle Eastern investors.
Economist Art Laffer also advises the project.
Wood’s remarks come amid intensifying competition among perpetual futures DEXs, as rival Aster’s token launch temporarily pushed its trading volumes ahead of Hyperliquid.
Despite rising interest in newer platforms, Wood emphasized that Bitcoin remains the cornerstone of ARK’s thesis, citing its fixed supply, resilience, and monetary attributes.
She acknowledged Ethereum’s vital role in decentralized finance, while noting that stablecoins are gaining importance.
Meanwhile, order-book DEXs such as Hyperliquid and dYdX v4 are beginning to rival centralized exchanges in speed and liquidity, attracting retail traders and semi-professional quants with lower fees, airdrops, and efficient execution.