Well-Known Market Analyst Arthur Hayes Named Two Altcoins That “Could Increase 20x and Reach $150”

BitMEX founder Arthur Hayes and NEAR Protocol co-founder Illia Polosukhin appeared on The Rollup to discuss macroeconomic trends and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the crypto sector.

Hayes explained that he shifted from a cautious stance earlier this year to a fully bullish outlook because of macroeconomic and geopolitical developments. According to him, tensions surrounding Iran that escalated on February 28 became a major turning point for markets.

Hayes argued that artificial intelligence has become part of national defense and military strategy. He predicted that countries such as the United States and China would print unlimited amounts of money to gain military superiority and expand AI infrastructure.

The well-known analyst stated that this wave of global liquidity would inevitably flow into Bitcoin and selected altcoin projects. He added that assets such as NEAR, Zcash ($ZEC), and Hyperliquid ($HYPE) occupy a central place in his portfolio.

Hayes Made Zcash the Second-Largest Asset in His Portfolio

One of the most notable parts of the discussion focused on Zcash and privacy-oriented cryptocurrencies. Hayes said Zcash had previously faced criticism over structural issues such as its “trusted setup” and founder reward system, but argued that recent upgrades had resolved these concerns.

He emphasized that in a world where large technology companies, governments, and AI systems track nearly every aspect of personal data, cryptographically secured financial privacy will become essential. For this reason, Hayes said Zcash is now the second-largest asset in his portfolio.

Hayes also claimed that Zcash’s privacy technology is superior to alternatives. According to him, the ring signature model used by Monero ($XMR) is not as secure as many believe and may potentially be traceable by law enforcement agencies.

NEAR Says Privacy Is a Necessity, Not a Luxury

NEAR Protocol co-founder Illia Polosukhin stated that privacy is essential for the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies.

He explained that even everyday activities, such as buying a cup of coffee, become problematic when wallet balances and transaction histories are fully visible on public blockchains.

Polosukhin then introduced the “Confidential Intents” architecture designed to solve this issue.

This private layer, built on NEAR Protocol, allows users to conduct fully confidential and secure transactions through programmable smart contracts without relying on external encryption tools.

Polosukhin added that companies cannot realistically process payroll on completely transparent blockchains. He believes this technology could accelerate enterprise adoption while also adding value to the ecosystem through the buyback of NEAR tokens using fees generated from private transactions.

Hayes Believes NEAR Has 20x Growth Potential

Arthur Hayes argued that NEAR has fully overcome its previous token unlock and venture capital overhang issues.

In his view, the project’s fully diluted structure gives it significant upside potential — potentially as much as 20x growth — without future selling pressure.

Hayes Set a Long-Term Target of $150 for $HYPE

Hayes also discussed Hyperliquid ($HYPE), the token of the decentralized exchange platform that has recently gained strong attention among investors.

He noted that exchanges have historically generated some of the most sustainable and profitable business models in the crypto sector.

Hayes attributed Hyperliquid’s success to its tokenomics: the project avoided venture capital sales, remained community-focused, and distributes platform revenue directly to token holders.

He also highlighted the platform’s ability to provide continuous price discovery for assets such as oil, NASDAQ, and the S&P even during weekends when traditional financial markets are closed. According to Hayes, this has attracted significant attention from global financial media.

Finally, he revealed his long-term target for Hyperliquid ($HYPE): $150.

See also: "Analysts Call Bitcoin ETF Outflows a Capital Rotation"

#Zcash #Hyperliquid (HYPE) #Forecast

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