Hyperliquid Co-Founder Says Self-Custody Matters More Than 24/7 Trading

Jeff Yan, co-founder of Hyperliquid, said Sept. 30 that self-custody and transparency are more important advantages of on-chain finance than nonstop trading.

Speaking at Korea Blockchain Week, Yan said crypto assets already operate globally without following traditional market hours. Traditional exchanges are also extending their trading schedules, reducing the distinctiveness of 24-hour access.

The more significant benefit is that users can retain control and custody of their funds, Yan said. Self-custody can reduce common single points of failure involving a trading counterparty, intermediary or custodian when one of those parties encounters problems.

Yan also described transparency as a core feature of blockchain-based systems. Users can theoretically see what takes place within a system, creating trust and neutrality that a system controlled by a single private institution cannot provide.

Continuous trading still has value for assets that lack publicly available prices while traditional markets are closed, including commodities, stocks and pre-IPO assets, Yan said.

Private markets may be among the next asset classes to support continuous trading. A global price-discovery mechanism could let more users participate earlier instead of limiting access to a single jurisdiction.

The comments extend Yan’s earlier focus on private markets as a potential area for broader global participation and price discovery. Hyperliquid’s private-markets opportunity could build on the platform’s expansion across financial markets.