The post Exclusive: Arthur Hayes Sets $500K Bitcoin Target For End Of 2026, Backs HYPE At $200 appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Bitcoin price surged to $78,000 on Wednesday, hitting a new monthly high as strong institutional buying and easing geopolitical tensions boosted investor sentiment. BTC price is  2.5% at $78,029, outperforming a largely flat S&P 500.

According to Walter Bloomberg, Large Bitcoin holders bought around 45,000 BTC in the past week, with many of the purchases happening at the same time. Long-term investors have also added more than 1 million BTC over the last three months, showing growing confidence in the market.

Adding to the bullish sentiment, BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes has set an end-of-year Bitcoin price target of $500,000 and a $200 target for HYPE, in an exclusive interview with Coinpedia, while reaffirming that the majority of his personal wealth remains stored in Bitcoin.

Also Read : Exclusive: Arthur Hayes Says He Will Believe Ripple Supporters When Institutions Use XRP On-Chain at Scale

Bitcoin Remains His Highest Conviction Bet

Asked to rank the current top ten crypto assets by conviction, Hayes did not hesitate. Among Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and the rest of the top ten by market capitalization, he said Bitcoin remains his strongest conviction holding, a position backed by where he keeps most of his own money.

The view aligns with a broader narrative that has been building through 2026, as institutional inflows into Bitcoin spot ETFs continue and macro uncertainty drives demand for hard assets. Bitcoin has been the primary beneficiary of that rotation, with analysts pointing to sustained accumulation by large holders as a structural support for prices.

Price Targets For End Of 2026

• Bitcoin: $500,000
  
• HYPE: $200
  

The $500,000 Bitcoin target would mean a substantial move from current levels and puts Hayes among the more aggressive forecasters in the market. The HYPE target of $200 signals strong conviction in the Hyperliquid ecosystem, which has been one of the standout performers in decentralised derivatives trading in 2026.

What Could Blow Up Or Accelerate The Targets

Hayes flagged a single wildcard as the biggest variable that could either accelerate or derail his 2026 targets,  though the specific wildcard was not included in the available excerpts of the interview. 

Based on his publicly stated macro views, the most likely candidate is a shift in US monetary policy or a significant expansion of global liquidity, both of which he has previously identified as the primary drivers of crypto bull markets.

The post Exclusive: RAKIA CEO Omri Raiter Reveals How a $3B Crypto Network Is Powering State-Level Operations appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

In an exclusive interview, Omri Raiter, CEO of RAKIA, has shed light on a massive cryptocurrency laundering ecosystem tied to state-backed actors — one that may be far larger than publicly reported.

Raiter challenges the widely cited figures, stating that “the real state-linked volume is materially higher,” suggesting the scale of activity extends well beyond the $3 billion benchmark often cited.

AI-Powered Intelligence Uncovers Hidden Networks

At the core of the discovery is RAKIA’s advanced intelligence platform, which uses AI-driven multisensory data fusion to analyze vast streams of information simultaneously.

Raiter explains, “where conventional blockchain tracing follows wallets, RAKIA connects those wallets back to real-world operators, devices, and infrastructure.”

This approach allows investigators to move beyond transactions and uncover the actual actors behind them — a critical breakthrough in identifying state-linked operations.

USDT on Tron Emerges as the Primary Rail

The interview also reveals a key operational trend: USDT’s dominance on Tron (TRC20) in these flows.

According to Raiter, “the operational state rail… runs overwhelmingly on USDT-TRC20,” highlighting how stablecoins have become the backbone of large-scale financial movement under sanctions.

While Bitcoin remains part of the ecosystem, particularly in mining and specific use cases, it is not the primary vehicle for day-to-day transactions.

Loopholes in Global Regulation

Despite increasing scrutiny, Raiter points to structural weaknesses in global crypto regulation that continue to enable illicit activity.

“By the time an address is designated, the funds have moved,” he notes, underscoring how reactive compliance systems struggle to keep pace with rapidly shifting wallets.

Unregulated exchanges and gaps in cross-chain monitoring further complicate enforcement, creating blind spots across the ecosystem.

Clear Signals of State Involvement

One of the most striking revelations involves activity during Iran’s prolonged internet blackout. Despite near-total civilian disconnection, RAKIA identified more than 1,100 active crypto nodes operating within the country.

Raiter states unequivocally, “this is direct state involvement. The infrastructure itself constitutes the evidence.”

The concentration of nodes in key strategic regions further reinforces the conclusion.

Crypto Payments Enter State Policy

The interview also highlights a major shift in how cryptocurrency is being used at the national level. RAKIA confirms that crypto-based toll systems are now operational in critical trade routes.

“It is real, it is operational, and it has been codified into Iranian law,” Raiter said, pointing to what he describes as a landmark moment in state adoption of digital assets.

A Defining Shift Ahead

From laundering networks to sovereign revenue systems, Raiter’s insights suggest that cryptocurrency is rapidly becoming embedded in state-level strategy.

The implications are significant: as enforcement struggles to keep up, the role of digital assets in geopolitical and financial systems is entering a new, more complex phase.