Kyle Criticizes Hyperliquid Four Days After Leaving, Arthur Hayes Responds with a $100,000 Bet
In the midst of a market downturn, Hyperliquid ($HYPE) has nearly doubled in value since January, drawing both praise and criticism. Kyle Samani, the recently departed co-founder of Multicoin Capital, publicly criticized the project, calling it representative of crypto's classic problems: founders "fleeing their home country," facilitating crime, being closed-source, and permissioned.
Arthur Hayes, BitMEX co-founder, responded not by addressing the criticisms but by proposing a $100,000 bet: that HYPE would outperform any large-cap crypto of Kyle’s choosing from February 10th to July 31st. Kyle did not accept the wager, aligning with his earlier, since-deleted tweet expressing that crypto is "not as interesting as many thought."
The article dissects Kyle's critiques, noting that Hyperliquid's operational structure (offshore entity, U.S. user ban) is standard industry practice. It suggests his harsh tone may stem from a personal desire to distance himself from the industry post-departure, contrasting with his former firm, Multicoin, which was revealed to have built a significant $46 million position in HYPE around the time of his exit.
The exchange highlights a classic crypto divide: those who have left the "table" often critique from an ethical standpoint ("should"), while those still invested argue primarily with price action ("will it pump"). The discussion quickly devolved into personal attacks about wealth and portfolio performance, underscoring how deeply entrenched financial interests are in shaping narratives within the space.
marsbit02/09 04:53
