Mert Mumtaz, co-founder and CEO of Helius, breaks down why he sees Solana and Zcash as two of crypto's most undervalued bets heading into 2026, using his "physics and incentives" framework to separate real conviction from trader noise.
He also debunks the recent Zcash security scare, explains why AI is forcing crypto toward "spaceflight-level" security standards, and weighs in on Near's high-upside, low-conviction potential.
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• Twitter: https://x.com/heliuslabs
• Website: https://www.helius.dev/
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DISCLAIMER
The info contained herein is for informational purposes only. Nothing herein shall be construed to be financial, legal, or tax advice. The content of this video is solely the opinions of the speakers who are not a licensed financial advisor or registered investment advisor. Trading cryptocurrencies poses considerable risk of loss. The speakers do not guarantee any particular outcome.
0:00 Introduction
1:57 Coffee, Zyns, & Sleep Discussion
3:26 Is It Better To Work At Night With ADHD
4:05 How Mert Has A Relationship Despite His Schedule
6:45 Mert On Being A Parent
7:30 How Mert Grew On X So Fast
8:51 Partnerships: @Variational @BitwiseInvest
9:44 Mert’s Experience With SOL’s Price Drop
15:48 The Behind The Scenes With Solana
18:22 How Solana’s Future-Proofing Its Ecosystem
25:47 Why Businesses Will Build On Solana
28:05 Why Solana Isn’t Seen As The Obvious Choice
30:38 Partnerships: @KASTxyz @Trezor
31:43 Mert’s Thesis Behind Solana In 2026
36:42 Solana Will Become The Biggest Financial Economy
42:45 The Timeline On Solana’s Changes Going Live
44:23 Is Solana Making Its Comeback?
47:31 Partnerships: @JupiterExchange @Ethena
48:14 The Zcash Drama Explained
55:39 AI’s Advancement Means Crypto Must Evolve
59:24 What Is Zcash’s Potential
1:04:40 How Is NEAR Special Like Solana & Zcash
1:09:32 Closing Thoughts
