Crypto trader identifies Hyperliquid and AI tokens as front-runners for upcoming altcoin surge. The rise of Hyperliquid and the renewed enthusiasm for AI-centric crypto initiatives suggest a broader resurgence of risk appetite in altcoins, according to Michael van de Poppe. Latest updates: Hyperliquid is outperforming much of the crypto landscape as traders shift back towards higher-risk investments.

— Hyperliquid’s HYPE token reached a new all-time high following the launch of two HYPE ETFs in the United States.

— Van de Poppe noted that European traders are increasingly turning to Hyperliquid as perpetual futures trading remains challenging to access on many regulated platforms in Europe.

— He contended that Hyperliquid’s expansion into tokenized stocks, commodities, and pre-IPO assets is accelerating wider tokenization trends within the crypto space.

— Van de Poppe speculated that HYPE could potentially climb to $100 or beyond if the appetite for crypto continues to grow.

— Van de Poppe made these comments during an appearance with Jennifer Sanasie on Decryptnews’ Markets Outlook. What this signifies: Van de Poppe perceives Hyperliquid as a short-term victor, but believes Solana presents a more compelling long-term investment.

— He indicated that liquidity within crypto markets is becoming concentrated around a select group of protocols that are driving robust user growth and revenue.

— Van de Poppe mentioned that while Hyperliquid currently reaps the benefits of this concentration, he cautioned that competitors will inevitably enter the space and challenge its dominance.

— He characterized Solana as having successfully transitioned from a “degen” ecosystem to a more institutional blockchain environment.

— Van de Poppe asserted that Solana’s long-term positioning as a foundational infrastructure makes it a more appealing choice compared to Hyperliquid over an extended timeline. The AI narrative: AI-related crypto projects remain significantly undervalued compared to traditional AI firms, according to van de Poppe.

— He highlighted NEAR and Bittensor as two of the strongest infrastructure plays associated with AI adoption within crypto.

— Van de Poppe argued that valuations for both private and public AI companies have become inflated, while crypto AI tokens have sharply declined despite ongoing growth in the ecosystem.

— He noted that NEAR’s anticipated revenue growth from approximately $10 million in 2025 to as much as $100 million this year supports a considerably higher valuation.

— Van de Poppe also mentioned that Bittensor’s ecosystem growth and subnet structure could justify prices ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 if adoption trends continue. The privacy discourse: Privacy remains one of the most significant long-term issues in crypto, yet fully anonymous systems encounter substantial regulatory risks.

— Van de Poppe stated that both institutional and retail users desire greater transactional privacy on blockchains.

— He argued that governments are unlikely to endorse fully anonymous privacy coins over the long haul, as regulators seek transparency in transactions.

— Van de Poppe pointed out that funds in Europe already face limitations when interacting with specific privacy-centric assets.

— He suggested that zero-knowledge proof systems and permissioned privacy models could offer more sustainable pathways for institutional adoption. Macro perspective: Van de Poppe stated that bond yields and central bank policies remain the most significant short-term macro influences on crypto.

— He indicated that Japanese bond yields serve as a crucial market indicator and could heavily sway overall risk appetite.

— Declining yields could bolster equities and crypto markets, while persistent inflation might pose challenges.

— Van de Poppe does not anticipate aggressive interest rate cuts or renewed monetary easing from the Federal Reserve in the near future.

— He cautioned that additional rate hikes would likely exert pressure on crypto and broader risk assets.