Arthur Hayes, the BitMEX co-founder who now runs the crypto fund Maelstrom, is making a big bet. He told his investors this week that Bitcoin will 'explode' past $90,000 on its way back to $126,000. Hayes considers a return to Bitcoin's October high a 'foregone conclusion' — and he's pushing his fund to maximum risk to ride that wave.
Hayes' conviction on Bitcoin's trajectory
Hayes didn't mince words. He sees the move above $90,000 as a launching pad, not a ceiling. From there, he expects Bitcoin to climb all the way back to $126,000 — a level that would match or exceed the peak it hit last October. That's a roughly 40% gain from today's prices, assuming his first target holds.
The prediction comes at a time when the broader market has been choppy, but Hayes sounds unfazed. He's not hedging. He's all in.
Why he's going all-in
Hayes is taking Maelstrom to 'maximum risk,' according to the statement. That means he's leaning heavily into his conviction, not just talking about it. For a fund manager with Hayes' track record, that kind of aggressive posture grabs attention. He's essentially betting the house on a repeat of the rally that pushed Bitcoin to its October high.
It's a bold call. And he's made it clear he doesn't see much downside from here — at least not one that would change his mind.
His altcoin picks
Alongside his Bitcoin thesis, Hayes named three altcoins he's backing: HYPE, ZEC, and NEAR. He didn't elaborate on why he chose them, but the picks cover different corners of crypto — privacy (ZEC), layer-1 infrastructure (NEAR), and a newer player (HYPE).
Whether those tokens can keep up with his Bitcoin forecast is an open question. But for now, Hayes is putting his money where his mouth is.
The next test? Whether Bitcoin can break through $90,000 in the coming weeks. If it does, Hayes' 'foregone conclusion' starts looking a lot more plausible.
