Can you use Hyperliquid in the UK?

Availability

The UK is not among Hyperliquid’s restricted jurisdictions, so UK residents can use the exchange. There is no identity check, no account application and no residency proof.

The regulation question, answered properly

Available and regulated are different things, and for a UK reader the second one is where the substance is.

Hyperliquid is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Concretely, that means:

• No Financial Services Compensation Scheme cover. If funds are lost, there is no compensation route.
• No Financial Ombudsman Service. There is no complaints body to escalate to.
• No UK conduct rules. Consumer protections that apply to authorised firms do not apply here.

None of that makes using the exchange unlawful for you. It means the safety net you may be used to from a UK-authorised platform does not exist. Self-custody puts the risk with you, which is the deal.

Getting funds in from the UK

The practical route, in order.

1. Buy USDC on an exchange that serves UK customers, funding it in sterling.
2. Withdraw the USDC on a chain Hyperliquid’s deposit window accepts. Arbitrum is usually the cheapest.
3. Keep a small amount of that chain’s gas token in your wallet to send the deposit transaction.
4. Deposit from the wallet. Full detail in our deposit guide.

There is no sterling on-ramp into the exchange itself, so the conversion happens before the funds arrive.

Tax

HMRC taxes crypto disposals and derivative profits. Which regime applies to perpetual futures trading depends on your circumstances and on how the activity is characterised, and that is a question for someone who knows your position rather than for a guide.

Two practical points regardless. There being no identity check does not mean there is no reporting obligation on you. And exporting your trade history is much easier while you are trading than in a hurry the following January.

Before you start

Apply a referral code before your first trade if you want the fee discount, because it cannot be added afterwards. Set leverage low and use isolated margin while you are learning. Our walkthrough covers the sequence.