Quick Facts:
Arthur Hayes believes Bitcoin can’t go under $80K in 2025’s Q4, but that it won’t go much higher either; he expects the bull in 2026.- He suggests the real opportunity now lies in Bitcoin Layer 2s, DeFi rails, and on‑chain leverage exchanges rather than spot $BTC itself.
- Strong presale traction for Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) and Best Wallet Token ($BEST) suggests growing appetite for infrastructure projects as traders rotate beyond spot $BTC exposure.
- Meanwhile, Hyperliquid dominates decentralized perps volume with sub‑second on‑chain execution and HIP‑3 fee cuts, positioning it well if derivatives trading surges.
Arthur Hayes thinks Bitcoin has likely carved out strong support around the $80k region, hinting that the next leg of the bull market may be forming.
In Hayes’ view, the lowest we’ll see $BTC this year is ‘low $80K’s’. But, while Bitcoin may not fall any further, it will likely not go any higher either, at least until 2026.
If he’s right, this is the stage where liquidity returns, volatility compresses, and patient capital starts positioning for the next outsized moves.
When $BTC stabilizes after a major run, the easy trade is gone. At that point, you’re usually not early buying Bitcoin itself – you’re early rotating into the infrastructure and high‑beta plays that benefit most if the cycle resumes.
That means Bitcoin Layer 2s, core DeFi rails, and exchanges built for on‑chain leverage.
This backdrop is pushing more traders to look beyond spot $BTC toward projects that can scale usage, unlock new yield, or supercharge liquidity. In particular, fast execution environments plugged into Bitcoin, smarter wallet layers, and deep derivatives venues are emerging as prime hunting grounds for upside.
Below are three names to watch right now: Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), a high‑throughput Bitcoin Layer 2, Best Wallet Token ($BEST), a next‑gen access layer, and Hyperliquid ($HYPE), the dominant on‑chain perps engine riding this volatility wave.
1. Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) – First Bitcoin L2 with SVM Speed
Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) pitches itself as the first Bitcoin Layer 2 to integrate the Solana Virtual Machine. It aims to deliver execution that’s even faster than Solana while still settling back to Bitcoin.
The architecture is modular: Bitcoin L1 handles settlement and security, while a real‑time SVM Layer 2 handles execution.
In practice, that means sub‑second confirmation for wrapped $BTC payments, DeFi trades, and NFT mints at a fraction of typical Bitcoin fees.
For users, the immediate draw is simple: high‑speed payments in wrapped $BTC with low fees. It also means DeFi primitives like swaps, lending, and staking protocols that finally feel responsive in the Bitcoin universe.
Under the hood, Bitcoin Hyper uses a single trusted sequencer that periodically anchors state to Bitcoin, plus a decentralized canonical bridge for $BTC transfers.
The $HYPER presale has already raised over $28.5M, with $HYPER valued at $0.013335, and staking rewards set at 41%. If you’re betting on Bitcoin regaining momentum, this is one of the more aggressive ways to get leveraged exposure to Bitcoin‑secured throughput.
Based on Bitcoin Hyper’s utility proposition and the presale’s performance, a realistic price prediction for $HYPER puts the coin at $0.20 in 2026. 2030 could see $HYPER at $1.50 once the ecosystem takes off and sees mainstream adoption.
For profit hunters, these numbers translate to an ROI of 1,399% and 11,145% respectively, if you buy at today’s price.
These numbers recommend $HYPER as one of the best crypto to buy today.
The $HYPER presale window will close between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026. If you want in, read our guide on how to buy $HYPER.
Buy $HYPER on the presale page today.
2. Best Wallet Token ($BEST) – Aggressive Play on Wallet Market Share
If Bitcoin resumes its uptrend and new users flood back in, the battle for wallet dominance becomes critical.
Best Wallet is targeting an ambitious 40% share of the crypto wallet market by the end of 2026 by focusing on simplicity, security, and integrated on‑chain tooling.
The core stack centers on a fully integrated Fireblocks MPC‑CMP wallet, giving users institutional‑grade key management with retail‑friendly UX.
On top of that, Best Wallet lets you build custom multi‑wallet portfolios, so you can segment trading capital, long‑term holdings, and experimental positions while managing everything through a single interface.
The roadmap features a lineup of developmental milestones, from the Fiat Onramp to the Best Card and the Rubic-powered DEX aggregator, tapping 330 DEXs and 30 bridges.
The Best Wallet Token presale has raised over $17.5M so far, with $BEST priced at $0.026005. The project offers a dynamic staking model currently at a 75% APY.
Long-term, Best Wallet shows great potential.
Our price prediction for $BEST puts the token at a potential high of $0.62 in 2026 and $0.82 by 2030, considering the project’s utility and scope. These numbers suggest an ROI of 2,284% and 3,053% respectively, potentially higher if the wallet sees mainstream adoption.
The presale is set to end in just two days, so there’s not much time left. Read our guide on how to buy $BEST if you want in today.
Buy $BEST before the presale ends.
3. Hyperliquid (HYPE) – Dominant On‑Chain Perps Engine
While Bitcoin chops around key levels, derivatives volumes often tell you where traders are actually positioning.
Hyperliquid (HYPE) has quietly become the dominant decentralized perpetuals exchange, built on its own high‑performance Layer‑1 blockchain optimized for low‑latency, high‑throughput trading.
Hyperliquid uses an on‑chain order book with around 0.2‑second median trade latency, powered by its HyperCore + HyperEVM architecture.
This allows it to feel more like a centralized exchange, while maintaining full on-chain settlement, a combination that has historically been difficult for DeFi to achieve at scale.
According to a RedStone report, Hyperliquid processes up to $30B in daily volume and commands over 80% of the DeFi perps market share, underscoring just how far ahead it is of rival protocols.
The chain has begun evolving into a broader DeFi ecosystem, with new projects building on its liquidity and order‑book rails.
The recent HIP‑3 ‘growth mode’ upgrade introduced permissionless market creation with taker fees slashed by more than 90%, encouraging new markets and deeper liquidity in long‑tail assets.
For traders who see a renewed Bitcoin uptrend as fuel for derivatives activity, Hyperliquid is one of the clearest ways to get exposure to the on‑chain leverage layer.
$HYPE is selling at $33.28 and it’s on a 1.48% growth arc at the time of writing.
Recap: If Arthur Hayes is right about Bitcoin stabilizing near $80K, infrastructure plays like Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), access layers like Best Wallet Token ($BEST), and liquidity engines like Hyperliquid ($HYPE) could see outsized benefits as capital rotates beyond $BTC.
This isn’t financial advice. DYOR before investing.
Authored by Bogdan Patru, Bitcoinist: https://bitcoinist.com/best-crypto-to-buy-as-hayes-expects-bitcoin-bull-2026
