HyperEVM Development · HyperEVM Basics · 1/8
Introduction to HyperEVM
What is HyperEVM?
HyperEVM is the EVM-compatible execution environment of the Hyperliquid L1. The chain has two parts: HyperCore (perps, spot, order books) and HyperEVM. HyperEVM is not a separate chain — it is secured by the same HyperBFT consensus — and it provides a full Ethereum Virtual Machine for deploying Solidity smart contracts (HyperEVM docs). In this course, "L1" in phrases like "L1 state" or "L1 trading" means HyperCore.
Why HyperEVM?
The native L1 is optimized for the order book — you can't deploy arbitrary smart contracts on it. HyperEVM fills that gap:
- DeFi Composability — Build lending, vaults, and yield protocols on top of the order book
- Familiar Tooling — Use Hardhat, Foundry, ethers.js, Remix — everything EVM developers know
- Shared Security — Same validators secure both the L1 and HyperEVM
- HyperCore Interop — Read positions, balances, and prices via read precompiles, and send actions such as orders via the CoreWriter system contract
Network Configuration
Mainnet Chain ID: 999
Mainnet RPC: https://rpc.hyperliquid.xyz/evm
Testnet Chain ID: 998
Testnet RPC: https://rpc.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz/evm
Native Token: HYPE (for gas, 18 decimals)
Explorers: https://hyperevmscan.io, https://www.hyperscan.com (third-party)
Source: HyperEVM developer docs. There is no official Hyperliquid-run EVM explorer; the docs list community explorers. The public RPC has no WebSocket support.
Setting Up MetaMask
- Add a custom network in MetaMask:
- Network Name: Hyperliquid
- RPC URL: https://rpc.hyperliquid.xyz/evm
- Chain ID: 999
- Symbol: HYPE
-
Explorer: https://hyperevmscan.io
-
Transfer HYPE from your HyperCore spot balance to HyperEVM for gas fees (the "Transfer to/from EVM" button, or send HYPE to
0x2222222222222222222222222222222222222222)
Key Differences from Ethereum
| Feature | Ethereum | HyperEVM |
|---|---|---|
| Gas Token | ETH | HYPE |
| Block Time | ~12s | Small blocks every 1s (3M gas), big blocks every 1 min (30M gas)* |
| Gas Price | EIP-1559 | EIP-1559; base and priority fees are both burned |
| EVM Version | Latest | Cancun without blobs |
| Precompiles | Standard only | Standard + HyperCore read precompiles and CoreWriter |
*As of October 2026, per the dual-block architecture docs; these limits are expected to rise. Gas can spike when demand exceeds the small-block limit.
What You Can Build
- Lending Protocols — Using HyperCore prices for collateral valuation and HyperCore order books for liquidations
- Yield Vaults — Automated strategies with on-chain logic
- Prediction Markets — Using oracle prices from HyperCore
- NFTs & Gaming — Any standard EVM use case
- DEX Aggregators — Combine spot and perp liquidity
- Options Protocols — Using the order book for hedging
HyperCore <> HyperEVM Transfers
Assets flow between the two environments without a bridge, because they share one state (transfer docs):
- HYPE moves via the system address
0x2222222222222222222222222222222222222222; it arrives on HyperEVM as the native gas token - Other spot tokens move only once the token's deployer has linked the HyperCore token to an ERC-20 contract. Each token's system address is
0x20followed by zeros and the token index in big-endian (token 200 →0x20000000000000000000000000000000000000c8). Sending a token to the wrong system address can lose it - Costs and timing: HyperCore → HyperEVM costs 200k gas at the next block's base fee (paid in HYPE on HyperCore) and lands in the next HyperEVM block; HyperEVM → HyperCore costs about the same as an ordinary ERC-20 or HYPE transfer