Ripple Prime adds Hyperliquid for institutional DeFi trading

Ripple has made a new addition to its institutional trading platform as it adjusts its approach to decentralized markets.

Ripple’s institutional brokerage arm has added access to decentralized derivatives markets by integrating Hyperliquid into its Prime brokerage platform.

The company announced the integration in a statement released on Feb. 4, framing it as a step to bridge traditional finance with decentralized trading.

First institutional bridge to DeFi derivatives

Ripple said Ripple Prime now supports trading and margining on Hyperliquid (HYPE), a decentralized perpetual futures venue built on its own layer-1 network.

Through the integration, institutional clients can access perpetual futures and other derivatives while managing exposure alongside FX, fixed income, OTC swaps, and cleared products. Positions are handled under a single counterparty framework, with centralized risk controls and consolidated margin.

For many institutions, the structure removes a key operational barrier. Trading on decentralized venues no longer requires direct wallet management or smart contract interaction, allowing firms to treat on-chain derivatives more like traditional exchange products.

“At Ripple Prime, we are excited to continue leading the way in merging decentralized finance with traditional prime brokerage services, offering direct support to trading, yield generation and a wider range of digital assets,” said Michael Higgins, International CEO of Ripple Prime.

Ripple described the move as its first direct link to a decentralized trading protocol, marking a shift from infrastructure and payments-focused services toward market access and execution.

XRP, HYPE and market positioning

Hyperliquid has emerged as one of the largest on-chain perpetuals platforms, supporting high-volume trading, and now, institutional-style market infrastructure.

Analysts have noted that the integration strengthens HYPE’s role in institutional trading workflows but does not create a direct use case for XRP (XRP) or the XRP Ledger. Following the announcement, HYPE has gained 5% despite the ongoing crypto market downturn.

Ripple has not announced additional DeFi integrations after the release, though industry sources expect further platform expansions in 2026 as prime brokers compete for institutional crypto flows.