DCA Strategy on Hyperliquid: Automated Setup with OneKey

Why DCA matters for onchain derivatives in 2026

Onchain perpetuals expanded dramatically through 2025, with industry reporting pointing to record volumes and sustained momentum into late 2025 as execution quality improved and more traders shifted onchain for transparency and self-custody (market coverage, volume trend coverage).

In that environment, a Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) style approach can help reduce the pressure of “perfect entries” by splitting exposure across time or price levels. DCA is commonly described as investing a fixed amount at regular intervals regardless of price moves, and it’s often framed as a discipline tool rather than a guarantee of profits (Fidelity overview).

This guide shows how to build a DCA-like execution workflow on Hyperliquid (referred to as HL below) with a OneKey device as your long-term custody anchor, and optional automation via an API / agent wallet.

What you’ll set up (high level)

• A secure, self-custodial trading flow: OneKey holds your main wallet keys for deposits and withdrawals
• A DCA-style execution method on HL:
  • Scale orders (DCA by price levels)
  • TWAP orders (DCA-like execution by time slicing)
• Optional: an automated recurring strategy using an agent wallet plus a simple script / scheduler

Prerequisites (do this first)

1) OneKey basics (security checklist)

Before connecting to any dApp:

• Initialize OneKey and create a new wallet
• Back up your recovery phrase offline (never screenshots, never cloud notes)
• Set a strong PIN
• Consider enabling a passphrase if it matches your threat model (it adds safety, but also adds operational responsibility)
• Use a dedicated account for trading activity (separate from long-term cold holdings)

2) Funds on Arbitrum One: USDC + a little ETH for gas

HL’s common onboarding path uses USDC on Arbitrum One as trading collateral, with ETH on Arbitrum needed for gas when depositing (official onboarding instructions).

Also note that Arbitrum has both native USDC and bridged USDC.e; understand which one you hold and which one the deposit UI expects in your region / route (Arbitrum documentation).

Minimums and mistakes to avoid

• Only deposit the supported asset on the supported network, or funds may not be credited as expected (deposit issue guidance).

Step-by-step: Connect and fund HL with OneKey

Step 1: Open the official trading interface

• Go to the official web app: Trade interface
• Bookmark it
• Always verify the domain before signing anything (phishing is still one of the top user risks)

Step 2: Connect your wallet (WalletConnect flow)

If you connect via WalletConnect:

• Click Connect
• Choose WalletConnect
• Scan the QR code using your mobile wallet interface
• Approve the session request, then approve signature / transaction prompts as needed

WalletConnect’s basic user flow is documented in its specs (QR code → approve session → approve requests) (WalletConnect session proposal flow).

Step 3: Deposit USDC from Arbitrum

Inside the HL UI:

• Click Deposit
• Select USDC
• Approve the token spend (first time only)
• Confirm the deposit transaction in OneKey

Trading activity on HL is typically designed to be gasless after funds are deposited, while deposits require normal chain gas on Arbitrum (onboarding reference).

Step 4: Know how withdrawals work (operational planning)

• Use the Withdraw function in the UI to return USDC back to Arbitrum
• HL’s UI documentation notes a $1 withdrawal fee for withdrawing USDC to Arbitrum (withdraw steps)

DCA-style execution on HL (no code)

HL supports order types that map cleanly to common DCA behaviors. You can confirm the available order types and their behaviors in the official docs (order types reference).

Option A: DCA by price with Scale orders (ladder entries)

When to use

• You want to accumulate (or exit) across a price range
• You prefer passive entries that may earn maker execution rather than paying taker fees

How to configure

• Select the market you want
• Choose Order Type → Scale
• Set:
  • Price range (top and bottom)
  • Number of orders
  • Sizing method (even distribution is simplest)
  • Time-in-force (GTC is typical for ladders)
• Review margin impact and confirm

Practical tip

• If you’re building a long-term ladder, keep leverage conservative and size so you can tolerate deeper-than-expected drawdowns.

Option B: DCA-like execution by time with TWAP (time slicing)

When to use

• You already decided the direction and size, but want to reduce market impact and avoid one single entry
• You want “set it and let it execute” over minutes to hours

How to configure

• Choose Order Type → TWAP
• Set:
  • Total size
  • Duration
  • Optional randomize
• Confirm and monitor execution

In HL’s documentation, TWAP is described as splitting a larger order into smaller suborders executed at 30-second intervals with a max slippage constraint per suborder (TWAP details).

Automation (recommended architecture): keep custody on OneKey, delegate trading to an agent wallet

If you want recurring buys (for example, daily / weekly), you typically need automation. On HL, the clean pattern is:

• Keep your main funds controlled by your main wallet (secured by OneKey)
• Create an agent wallet (API wallet) that can trade programmatically without withdrawal permissions

Agent wallets are explicitly designed to authorize programmatic trading while restricting withdrawals (agent wallet explanation, API wallet details).

Step 1: Create an agent wallet

• Open the API page: API page
• Generate a new agent wallet
• Save the private key securely (treat it like a hot key for trading permissions)

Best practice

• Use one agent wallet per bot / process to reduce nonce collisions and simplify operations (nonce guidance).

Step 2: Decide what “DCA” means in your bot

Common definitions:

• Fixed schedule: buy $X every day at 00:00 UTC
• Range schedule: only buy if price is below a threshold
• Hybrid: time-based buys plus a Scale ladder for deeper dips

Step 3: Use the official Python SDK (example scaffold)

HL maintains an official Python SDK you can use to sign and submit orders using your agent wallet key (Python SDK repository).

Below is a minimal scaffold showing a recurring TWAP-style execution job pattern. You would run this script via cron, a server scheduler, or an automation platform you control.

"""
Conceptual example: submit a TWAP order on a schedule.

You must:
- keep your MAIN account address as account_address
- use the AGENT wallet private key as secret_key for signing
- map asset symbols to the correct internal asset id used by the SDK / exchange
"""

import os
from datetime import datetime, timezone

# Example only — follow the SDK's latest examples and config patterns:

# https://github.com/hyperliquid-dex/hyperliquid-python-sdk

from hyperliquid.exchange import Exchange
from hyperliquid.utils import constants

ACCOUNT_ADDRESS = os.environ["HL_ACCOUNT_ADDRESS"]          # your main wallet address

AGENT_SECRET_KEY = os.environ["HL_AGENT_SECRET_KEY"]        # agent wallet private key

def main():
    ex = Exchange(
        wallet=AGENT_SECRET_KEY,
        base_url=constants.MAINNET_API_URL,
        account_address=ACCOUNT_ADDRESS,
    )

    # Example parameters (you must replace these with correct values):

    asset_id = 0            # e.g., internal id for the market you want

    is_buy = True
    size = "0.01"           # position size in base units (example)

    minutes = 60            # TWAP duration

    randomize = False

    # TWAP is supported as an exchange action in the API docs:

    # https://hyperliquid.gitbook.io/hyperliquid-docs/for-developers/api/exchange-endpoint

    resp = ex.twap_order(
        a=asset_id,
        b=is_buy,
        s=size,
        r=False,            # reduceOnly

        m=minutes,
        t=randomize,
    )

    now = datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()
    print(now, resp)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

If you prefer working directly at the API level, the exchange endpoint and TWAP action format are documented here (exchange endpoint reference).

Configuration and risk controls you should not skip

1) Fees and execution style

If you are DCA-ing frequently, fees matter:

• HL’s fee tiers are based on rolling 14-day volume, and maker rebates are paid continuously per fill (fee schedule).

2) Position limits and leverage caps

For DCA strategies, consider:

• A maximum position size (hard cap)
• Conservative leverage (or spot-only accumulation if that fits your plan)
• Stop loss rules for derivatives exposure (don’t confuse “DCA” with “infinite averaging down”)

3) Key separation (the main reason this setup works)

• OneKey protects the main wallet used for deposits and withdrawals
• The agent wallet is a separate key designed for automation and cannot withdraw funds (agent wallet notes)

If an automation key leaks, your worst case is usually unauthorized trades, not direct withdrawals. That’s still serious, but it’s a meaningfully narrower blast radius.

Optional: Add HyperEVM to your wallet (only if you need it)

If you plan to interact with the EVM environment:

• Chain ID: 999
• RPC: https://rpc.hyperliquid.xyz/evm

Network parameters and transfer notes are documented here (HyperEVM setup).

Closing: where OneKey fits best

A reliable automation setup is less about “more trades” and more about repeatable, auditable behavior under self-custody. Using an agent wallet for automation while keeping your primary keys on a OneKey device is a practical way to combine disciplined execution with strong custody hygiene—especially if you’re building a longer-term plan rather than chasing short-term entries.

If you’re aiming to run DCA workflows safely, anchoring the custody layer with a OneKey wallet can help keep withdrawals and critical signing isolated from your everyday automation environment.