Hyperliquid Testnet and Faucet: How to Get Mock USDC, Testnet API Endpoints, HyperEVM Testnet (Chain ID 998) & Bot Testing (2026)

Hyperliquid testnet is a full copy of the exchange running on play money: the same interface at app.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz, the same API at api.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz, and a faucet that hands out 1,000 mock USDC to wallets with mainnet history. It is where you practise trading, validate bots, and test HyperEVM contracts on chain ID 998 without risking a cent. As of September 2026 the testnet mirrors mainnet features closely, including HIP-3 markets and HIP-4 outcome markets. This guide covers what testnet is for, how to get faucet funds, every endpoint you need, how to use it for bots, and how it differs from mainnet.

Key takeaways

• URL: app.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz for the app; https://api.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz for the API.
• Faucet: 1,000 mock USDC per claim; requires a wallet that has deposited on mainnet.
• HyperEVM testnet: chain ID 998, RPC https://rpc.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz/evm.
• Same order types, same signing scheme, but a different chain ID so keys and signatures are not interchangeable with mainnet.
• Books are thin and prices drift, so testnet is for correctness, not for measuring edge.
• Best use: bot development, API integration testing, learning the interface before your first real deposit.

What the Hyperliquid testnet is for

Hyperliquid runs two networks. Mainnet is where real USDC and HYPE live and where $5–15B of perp volume trades daily. Testnet is a parallel deployment of the same node software, the same front end and the same API, with no real value. Validators run it, blocks are produced, orders match, liquidations fire, and vaults exist, but everything is denominated in mock USDC that the faucet gives away.

The main reasons people use testnet Hyperliquid:

1. Learning the interface. If you have never used an on-chain order book with cross margin and 40x leverage, breaking things on testnet first is cheaper than learning on mainnet. The how to trade on Hyperliquid guide pairs well with an afternoon on testnet.
2. Developing trading bots. Every REST call, WebSocket subscription and signing routine can be exercised against testnet before you connect real keys.
3. Testing HyperEVM contracts. Chain ID 998 is a full EVM testnet with the same precompiles that let contracts read HyperCore state.
4. Verifying new features. Hyperliquid Labs often ships new order types, markets or API changes to testnet a few days before mainnet.
5. Reproducing bugs. When something misbehaves in production, testnet is where you isolate it.

What testnet is not for: estimating slippage, backtesting fill quality, or judging whether a strategy makes money. The books are thin and the prices are often stale, so any PnL number you see on testnet is meaningless.

Hyperliquid faucet: how to get mock USDC

The Hyperliquid faucet is built into the testnet app rather than being a separate website. Here is how to claim:

1. Open app.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz.
2. Connect a wallet. Use the same address you have used on mainnet; the faucet checks mainnet activity.
3. Click Deposit. In the dialog you will see a Faucet option instead of the Arbitrum bridge.
4. Click Claim. The faucet credits 1,000 mock USDC to your testnet perp account.
5. Wait a few seconds and refresh. The balance shows under Perps.

Faucet eligibility and limits

The faucet was abused early on by bots draining it for testnet farming, so Hyperliquid added a gate: your address must have a deposit history on mainnet. In practice, any wallet that has bridged real USDC to mainnet at least once qualifies. If you see an "ineligible" message, bridge a small amount (the minimum is 5 USDC; see the bridge and deposit guide) and try again after the deposit confirms.

Claims are rate-limited per address; if you run out of mock USDC, you can usually claim again after a cooldown. There is no way to obtain more than the faucet provides except by winning it from other testnet traders.

Reminder: there is no faucet for real USDC on mainnet, and any site claiming to be one is a scam.

Hyperliquid testnet API endpoints

The Hyperliquid testnet API mirrors mainnet exactly, which is the whole point. Here is the endpoint map as of September 2026:

Both /info and /exchange are POST endpoints that take JSON bodies. A minimal testnet read looks like this:

curl -X POST https://api.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz/info \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"type":"meta"}'

That returns the list of perp markets on testnet with their size decimals and max leverage. To pull a user's testnet state:

curl -X POST https://api.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz/info \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"type":"clearinghouseState","user":"0xYOUR_ADDRESS"}'

Rate limits on testnet match mainnet's structure: 1,200 weight per minute per IP on REST, and address-based limits on /exchange (an initial buffer of about 10,000 requests, then 1 request per $1 of cumulative volume traded). Because testnet volume is tiny, bots that hammer /exchange will hit 429 errors faster than they would on mainnet. Full endpoint documentation and error codes (422 for bad payloads or signatures, 429 for rate limits) are in the Hyperliquid API guide and the official API docs.

Using the Python SDK on testnet

The official hyperliquid-python-sdk ships with both URLs as constants:

from hyperliquid.info import Info
from hyperliquid.exchange import Exchange
from hyperliquid.utils import constants
import eth_account

info = Info(constants.TESTNET_API_URL, skip_ws=True)
account = eth_account.Account.from_key("0xYOUR_TESTNET_PRIVATE_KEY")
exchange = Exchange(account, constants.TESTNET_API_URL)

print(info.user_state(account.address))
order = exchange.order("ETH", True, 0.01, 3000, {"limit": {"tif": "Gtc"}})
print(order)

Swap constants.TESTNET_API_URL for constants.MAINNET_API_URL and change the key when you go live. The signing payload includes the chain identifier, so a signature generated for testnet is rejected by mainnet and vice versa; that is a feature, not a bug, because it means you cannot accidentally send a real order with testnet code.

HyperEVM testnet: chain ID 998

The Hyperliquid EVM testnet is the sandbox for smart-contract developers. Add it to your wallet with these settings:

• Network name: HyperEVM Testnet
• RPC URL: https://rpc.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz/evm
• Chain ID: 998
• Currency symbol: HYPE
• Block explorer: the testnet explorer at app.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz/explorer, or third-party testnet explorers where available

To get testnet HYPE for gas, buy HYPE with mock USDC on the testnet spot market, then use the app's Transfer to EVM function to move it from HyperCore to HyperEVM. Because testnet HYPE is free, you can move as much as you need.

Development on HyperEVM testnet works with the standard toolchain: Hardhat, Foundry, ethers.js and viem all work once you set the chain ID. The unique part of HyperEVM is the precompiles that let contracts read HyperCore state (prices, positions, order books) and write actions to it; those precompiles are live on testnet and are where most of the interesting testing happens. The architecture is explained in the HyperEVM guide.

Remember that testnet HyperEVM, like mainnet, uses a dual-block model: small fast blocks and larger slow blocks. Contracts that depend on block timing should be tested with that in mind.

Using testnet for trading bots

The typical bot development workflow on Hyperliquid looks like this:

1. Create an API wallet on testnet. In the testnet app, go to More > API and generate an agent key. This key can place and cancel orders for your address but cannot withdraw. Never reuse a mainnet API wallet on testnet or vice versa.
2. Claim faucet USDC so the account has margin.
3. Point the bot at testnet URLs and run it. Check that order placement, modification, cancellation, fills, and position tracking all match what the app shows.
4. Subscribe to WebSocket streams (l2Book, trades, userFills, userEvents) and confirm your handler keeps up and reconnects cleanly.
5. Test failure modes: what does your bot do on a 429? On a 422? When the WebSocket drops? Testnet is the only safe place to find out.
6. Move to mainnet with a small balance and low leverage before scaling.

Bots that run on Freqtrade, Hummingbot or custom Python all support the testnet switch through configuration. For details on each framework, builder codes and safety practices, see Hyperliquid trading bots and builder codes.

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Differences between testnet and mainnet

Although the software is identical, the environment is not. Expect these differences:

The single biggest trap is treating testnet PnL as a signal. A market-making bot that prints money on testnet is usually just capturing a wide, stale spread that would not exist on mainnet. Use testnet to confirm the code is correct, then use a tiny mainnet balance to confirm the strategy is.

Troubleshooting testnet problems

Testnet safety notes

Testnet has no value, but that does not mean there is no risk:

• Never use your mainnet private key in a testnet script. Use a dedicated API wallet or a throwaway key. Testnet is where people paste keys into code they later commit to GitHub.
• Check the domain. Phishing sites imitating the testnet app exist and will happily collect your signature.
• Do not confuse networks in your wallet. Sending real HYPE to a chain 998 address goes nowhere useful.
• Treat testnet HYPE and USDC as worthless. Offers to "buy" testnet tokens are scams.

Bottom line

Hyperliquid testnet is a free, faithful sandbox: the same app, the same API at api.hyperliquid-testnet.xyz, and a HyperEVM testnet on chain ID 998, funded by a faucet that gives 1,000 mock USDC to any wallet with mainnet history. It is the right place to learn the interface, harden a bot, and test contracts, and the wrong place to judge whether a strategy is profitable, because the thin books make every fill unrealistic. Once your code and your confidence are ready, switch the URL, generate fresh keys, and start small on the Hyperliquid app DEX.