$640 million spent on crypto token buybacks in 2026
Crypto projects spent $640 million on token buybacks in the first part of 2026, a sharp increase from the previous year driven largely by Hyperliquid and Pump.fun.
Token buybacks have surged across the cryptocurrency sector as major projects adopt financial strategies similar to traditional public companies. In the first half of 2026, crypto ventures spent approximately $640 million repurchasing their own tokens using generated revenue. This represents a roughly 17% rise compared to the same period last year and dwarfs the $366,000 recorded in 2024. Two entities, Hyperliquid and Pump.fun, accounted for nearly 90% of this total expenditure. Industry experts note that the primary motivations are reducing circulating supply and providing users with a clearer view of economic value through burns or direct purchases. Orest Gavryliak, chief legal officer at decentralized exchange aggregator 1inch, explained that announcing token buys creates immediate demand and simplifies the narrative compared to complex governance explanations.
