What to know:
Arthur Hayes said HYPE is close to his buy zone but wants a dip below $20, adding to short-term fear.
HYPE is down over 60% from its peak, with weak momentum and key price levels already broken.
Token unlocks add pressure, but some large buyers are quietly accumulating at lower prices.
HYPE is under heavy pressure again. Over the past few days, HYPE has seen sharp price drops, rising fear among small investors, and recently after strong opinions from Arthur Hayes.
HYPE is currently trading near $23.91, down more than 60% from its all-time high. In just the last 24 hours, the token has lost over 2%, and nearly 13% over the past week.
Arthur Hayes Adds Fuel to the Fire
Arthur Hayes posted on X with a message that quickly caught attention. He wrote that HYPE is “almost in my strike zone” and said he would like to see it dip below $20. He also added a sharp comment suggesting that if more team members sell their tokens, his “dreams can come true.”
It’s always nice to get something right …$HYPE is almost in my strike zone. I need it to dip below $20 though. Maybe if some more team members dump, my dreams can come true. pic.twitter.com/YW0J4XC7Iz
— Arthur Hayes (@CryptoHayes) December 19, 2025
This post matters because Hayes has a long history of calling major market tops and bottoms. When someone like him publicly says he is waiting for a lower price, it often affects the market mood. Many traders see such behavior as a signal that more downside could be coming, which can lead to panic selling or hesitation to buy.
Hayes often prefers to buy strong projects only after most weak hands are shaken out. In simple terms, he wants fear, heavy selling, and boredom in the market before stepping in. A lower price gives him a better risk-to-reward setup. When insiders sell large amounts of tokens, it increases supply and hurts confidence. If this happens during an already weak market, prices can fall even faster. Hayes likely believes that only after this selling pressure is done can a real long-term recovery begin.
HYPE’s First Bear Phase
Another trader, Crypto Chase, said that HYPE is going through its first real bear phase. He pointed out that good projects usually do not go to zero, but they often fall much more than people expect. According to him, a long period of price movement around $10 to $12 could mark a solid bottom before a strong rally. However, he warned this process could take months.
This idea fits with what the charts are showing. HYPE has fallen below important price levels that previously held for months. Algorithmic traders and stop-loss triggers has exacerbated selling. With HYPE now below all major moving averages (30-day: $31.34, 200-day: $41.25), bulls lack clear entry points until $22–$19. The MACD histogram at -0.425 signals bearish momentum; a reversal requires a sustained close above $26.
Token Supply Is Adding Pressure
About 10 million HYPE tokens are unlocking this month, adding a large amount of new tokens to the market. When supply rises faster than demand, prices usually fall. While the Hyper Foundation proposed burning 37M HYPE, which is about 10% of supply, the vote concludes Dec 24, too late to offset immediate oversupply.
On-chain data shows that a few big buyers have placed large buy orders between $15 and $25. One wallet alone holds over $22 million worth of HYPE. This suggests that while retail traders are nervous, some long-term players see value at lower levels.
What Comes Next?
Right now, sentiment around HYPE is clearly bearish. Arthur Hayes’ comments may push prices lower in the short term by increasing fear and doubt. However, his interest also signals that smart money is watching closely. If HYPE can survive this phase and supply pressure eases, the same voices calling for lower prices today could become buyers tomorrow.
For now, all eyes are on whether HYPE can hold near current levels or slide closer to the $20 zone Hayes is waiting for.
Also Read: Solana-Based Lifinity To Shut Down, Return $43.4M To Token Holders
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