Hyperliquid Ranks Second After Donating 10K HYPE Tokens ZachXBT News Today

TLDR

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Hyperliquid donated 10,000 HYPE tokens valued near $254K to ZachXBT on January 18, 2026.
The transfer ranks as ZachXBT’s second-largest single donation from a blockchain platform.
ZachXBT updated his public donor leaderboard after confirming the on-chain transaction.
The donation followed his report on a $282M hardware wallet social engineering theft.

The Hyperliquid Foundation has sent a major on-chain donation to blockchain investigator ZachXBT. The transfer involved 10,000 HYPE tokens and drew fast attention across crypto markets. The move placed Hyperliquid among the largest known contributors supporting public blockchain investigations. The donation also came days after ZachXBT reported a major social engineering theft. Together, these events renewed focus on funding transparency work across decentralized finance networks.

Hyperliquid Foundation Sends 10,000 HYPE to ZachXBT

The Hyperliquid Foundation donated 10,000 HYPE tokens to ZachXBT on January 18, 2026. The transfer was valued near $254,000 at the time of confirmation. ZachXBT described the contribution as his second-largest single donation from a blockchain entity.

He shared the update through his public channels and refreshed his donor leaderboard. Optimism remained the largest contributor. Hyperliquid ranked second, followed by Octant, The White Whale, Arbitrum, BNB Chain, and other crypto groups.

🚨 HYPERLIQUID DONATES $254K $HYPE TO ZACHXBT
Onchain investigator ZachXBT confirmed he received 10,000 $HYPE worth roughly $254K from the Hyperliquid Foundation.
The donation ranks as his second-largest ever. pic.twitter.com/LRKphyBD4F
— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) January 18, 2026

The foundation did not issue a public statement explaining the donation. ZachXBT also did not share a specific reason. Observers noted the timing but avoided drawing formal links. The transaction was visible on-chain and confirmed by the investigator.

The donation added Hyperliquid to a short list of platforms providing direct financial support. Many blockchain investigators rely on grants and community funding. This model allows continued research and public reporting of suspicious activity.

ZachXBT Confirms Funds and Updates Public Contributor List

ZachXBT confirmed the receipt of the HYPE tokens on January 18. He published a new leaderboard showing his top ten supporters. The list showed a mix of layer-two networks, decentralized platforms, and crypto communities.

The investigator uses these funds to support operational costs and legal defense needs. He has faced legal challenges tied to past reports. Donations help cover research tools and data access costs.

ZachXBT has remained pseudonymous throughout his work. He has built a reputation through open-source analysis methods. These methods include wallet clustering and transaction tracing across multiple chains.

His work often tracks stolen assets after hacks or scams. He also monitors suspicious wallet movements linked to phishing and fraud networks. These reports are shared publicly for review and verification.

Recent Theft Case Brings Attention to On-Chain Tracking

Days before the donation, ZachXBT reported a major hardware wallet social engineering theft. The victim lost more than $282 million in BTC and LTC. The attacker moved funds through several instant exchanges.

ZachXBT stated that part of the assets were converted into Monero. This activity caused a short spike in XMR market prices. Other funds were bridged to Ethereum, Ripple, and Litecoin using Thorchain.

He shared the theft address and transaction flow with the public. This helped analysts follow fund movements across networks. Several exchanges flagged related addresses after the disclosure.

The case renewed debate on hardware wallet security and phishing risks. It also showed how fast stolen funds can move between chains. Investigators often rely on real-time data tools to track these transfers.

Past Investigations Linked ZachXBT and Hyperliquid Activity

ZachXBT has previously investigated activity tied to Hyperliquid’s trading platform. In March 2025, he identified a trader linked to illicit funds. The trader was later named as William Parker, a UK national.

The investigation found wallet links to phishing proceeds and suspected fraud sources. Parker had posted large profits from leveraged trades on Hyperliquid and GMX. Some trades appeared well-timed around market news.

ZachXBT also reported a separate case involving stolen Hypurr NFTs. The theft involved compromised wallets on the Hyperliquid network. These reports drew attention to security risks within decentralized trading ecosystems.

Despite these past findings, no direct link was stated between the donation and earlier investigations. The foundation and ZachXBT have kept details limited. The donation stands as a public show of institutional support for blockchain research.

The event places Hyperliquid Foundation among the largest known donors backing ZachXBT’s work. It also reflects growing interest from crypto platforms in funding independent on-chain analysis.