Interview with Circle's Chief Economist: USDC's Entry into Hyperliquid Benefits Circle and HYPE, Stablecoins Are Becoming Marginal Buyers of U.S. Treasuries
In an interview with Circle's Chief Economist Gordon Liao, the conversation covers the strategic significance of USDC replacing USDH as the reference asset on the decentralized perpetual exchange Hyperliquid. This shift, facilitated by Coinbase as the reserve manager and Circle providing technical infrastructure, aims to capture net interest income for the platform, with 90% of reserve earnings directed back to Hyperliquid for HYPE token buybacks. Liao discusses how stablecoins like USDC, with their substantial on-chain settlement volumes (e.g., $21 trillion in Q1 2026), are emerging as marginal buyers of U.S. Treasuries, concentrating on short-term debt and effectively reducing the weighted duration of the market, which may provide underlying support for long-term rates.
The dialogue also explores the evolving nature of stablecoins as both a medium of exchange and a vehicle for capital and collateral liquidity. Additionally, the panel touches on the CLARITY Act's legislative progress, noting compromises around "activity-based rewards" and remaining hurdles like ethics concerns. On AI, there's debate over value capture, with predictions that distribution and application layers, rather than foundational model companies like OpenAI, will accrue most value. Regarding the bond market, Liao attributes the rise in 30-year yields primarily to an increased term premium (around 80 bps) driven by supply-demand dynamics, including fiscal expansion and changing investor demand, rather than expectations of Fed rate hikes.
marsbit11h ago
