Renowned crypto expert and former CEO of BitMEX, Arthur Hayes, has announced his complete exit from his positions in NEAR Protocol (NEAR) and Hyperliquid (HYPE). He explained his decision as a necessity to lock in profits amid expected market volatility in the coming months.
This is reported by Business • Media
Market Dynamics and Hayes’ Previous Predictions
Arthur Hayes has repeatedly supported altcoins, particularly Hyperliquid, calling the project promising during his speech at the Consensus Miami 2026 conference. Hyperliquid is known as a decentralized derivatives exchange that encompasses both cryptocurrency and traditional financial instruments.
Hayes had previously predicted a sharp rise in the HYPE token, pointing to the possibility of reaching the $150 mark. On June 1, 2026, the HYPE token reached an all-time high, exceeding $70 and entering the top 8 cryptocurrencies in the world by market capitalization. Following this, price fluctuations were observed up to $75 and above, which were followed by a pullback due to a global market correction.
No less positive was the dynamics of NEAR Protocol — on June 3, the asset’s value exceeded $3, but soon declined along with the overall market downturn. NEAR’s success is attributed to the team’s plans to implement post-quantum cryptography measures, with a testnet launch expected by the end of June.
Factors Behind Hayes’ Decision and Market Impact
Despite both assets being in a growth phase, Arthur Hayes decided to exit his positions, arguing that a period of high volatility is approaching. In his opinion, the main reasons for locking in profits were:
- Ongoing price increases for energy resources due to the escalation of the conflict between the USA and Iran;
- Three anticipated major initial public offerings (IPOs) in the artificial intelligence sector — SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic — before the beginning of the third quarter of 2026;
- The likely emergence of “anti-AI” rhetoric from Donald Trump aimed at mobilizing the Republican electorate for the midterm elections;
- The projected peak in market growth during the period from June to September 2026.
“I just sold all my positions in $HYPE and $NEAR, an explanation will be in my essay ‘Reality Test’, which will be released next Tuesday. In short: – Rising energy prices due to the war with Iran and stock replenishment – Three mega IPOs of AI companies from June to early Q3 – Prediction that Trump will become an opponent of AI to win…”
Hayes emphasized that he views the sale as an opportunity to lock in profits and avoid unnecessary risks. At the same time, he highlighted his intention to return to supporting Hyperliquid in the future.
Among other factors influencing market dynamics, experts note a general shift in investment flows — part of the capital is moving from cryptocurrencies to precious metals and the artificial intelligence sector, which is particularly relevant ahead of large-scale IPOs.
Regarding Trump’s likely “anti-AI” stance, this topic was already discussed at the beginning of 2026. Experts believe that voter sentiments in the USA may change due to concerns about uncontrolled AI development, the risk of a bubble, and potential energy supply issues. Protests against the construction of data centers for AI companies have already occurred in several states.
Arthur Hayes promised to detail the motives behind his decision in a new essay that will be released soon.