The renowned Arthur Hayes, known for his accurate forecasts, shared intriguing insights on the potential emergence of a genuine altcoin season while assessing past cycles during the When Shift Happens podcast on October 10. Hayes indicates a notable shift wherein investors are now prioritizing projects that not only create hype but also generate income and distribute shares to coin holders. This change will define the new era.
The Transition from Hype to Real Economy
During the podcast, Hayes highlighted the unsustainable promises of DeFi protocols in previous cycles. He emphasized that many projects failed to have a customer base, product-market fit, or revenue models despite gaining attention through high coin valuations. In the DeFi Summer of 2021, users flocked to protocols primarily for coin rewards, and this transient interest evaporated with market crashes.
From 2023 to 2024, crypto venture capital funds inflated market prices with strategies like “high TVL – low supply,” but investors gradually recognized artificial valuations and grew more rational. Hayes views this shift as a reflection of the crypto market’s maturation process.
A New Era in Cryptocurrencies
Hayes asserted that this transformation in investor behavior is shaping a new altcoin season. Emerging projects are starting to not only drive blockchain activity but also generate income from users and share these profits with coin holders. Hayes cited projects like Hyperliquid as the pioneers of this approach, emphasizing that actual value emerges from usage rather than speculation.
He believes that this selective behavior among investors will elevate market quality and help create enduring brands. Hayes also noted that the current cycle is distinct from previous artificial rally periods, with substantial growth expected once this structural transformation concludes.