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.THE SHIFT NEWSLETTER💡Go beyond the mic - subscribe to The Shift, my new weekly new...
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.
THE SHIFT NEWSLETTER
💡Go beyond the mic - subscribe to The Shift, my new weekly newsletter where I share the uncut stories, raw takes, and behind-the-scenes notes from When Shift Happens: https://www.kevinfollonier.com/crypto-web3-newsletter
___________
PARTNERS
⚖️ Variational aggregates liquidity to offer industry-leading depth on crypto, equities, commodities, and more: https://www.variational.io/
🚀 Jupiter is the most used Decentralized Exchange in Crypto and the largest DEX by volume on Solana: https://jup.ag/
💳 KAST lets you manage and spend stablecoins or crypto with a Visa Card or Apple Pay. Live in 100+ countries - Get $20 Signup Bonus - https://go.kast.xyz/VqVO/SHIFT - promo code: SHIFT
🔓 Trezor offers the safest cold-storage wallets for crypto and true financial independence.
Buy with 10% off - promo code: WSH10 - https://affil.trezor.io/SH12h
🌱 Bitwise Asset Management manages $15B+ across 30+ crypto investment products — ETFs, index funds, alpha, staking, and more. https://bitwiseinvestments.com/
⚖️ Ethena is a synthetic dollar protocol on Ethereum, offering a crypto-native, non-bank-dependent stablecoin called USDe. It uses a delta-neutral hedging strategy with staked ETH to maintain a $1 peg. https://ethena.fi/
♾️ Coinsilium provides vital funding and expert advice to Web3 and AI-powered early-stage technology companies. https://www.coinsilium.com
___________
Follow Mert Mumtaz
• Twitter: https://x.com/0xMert_
• Twitter: https://x.com/heliuslabs
• Website: https://www.helius.dev/
FOLLOW WHEN SHIFT HAPPENS
Twitter (X): https://x.com/KevinWSHPod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinfollonier_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kevinfollonier_
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinfollonier/
Website: https://kevinfollonier.com/
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
