$HYPE vs
$LIT: Buyback speed relative to MCAP
Both protocols route nearly all revenue into token buybacks. But relative to their size, the pace differs.
Unlock schedules (supply side)
$HYPE: Monthly unlocks on the 6th to core contributors. Current run-rate roughly 0.4–1.2M HYPE per month (team has discretion to reduce). Over the past ~30 days: ~400k–1M added to circulating supply. Buybacks removed the equivalent of ~730k HYPE in the same period — largely offsetting or exceeding the inflow. Net pressure stays manageable.
$LIT: Team (26%) Investors (24%) have a 1-year cliff 36-month linear vest. TGE was late Dec 2025, so big unlocks start late Dec 2026 / early Jan 2027, then spread gradually over three years. No major insider cliff in 2026. Airdrop portion already circulating.
Net takeaway: LIT has the faster relative buyback engine right now and clean unlock runway through 2026. HYPE carries steady monthly unlocks but the buyback machine absorbs most of it. Both structures are deflationary — just on different timelines and scales.
Data: DefiLlama Tokenomist vesting schedules.
ALT Data as of June 3, 2026 (DefiLlama)