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FIGR_HELOC $1.03 Arthur Hayes Predicts Ethereum Will Reach $10K by Year-End
Former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes says ETH can hit $10,000 by year-end, as ETF flows and quarterly returns frame the call.
Key takeaways
- The target is far. Hayes says ETH will reach $10,000 by year-end, more than three times the price near $2,700.
- ETF flows turned mixed. Ethereum ETFs added $892 million in September, but a $2.8 million outflow ended a daily inflow streak.
- Quarterly gain was strong. ETH gained just under 70% in Q3 2026 after falling 29.26% in Q1 and 25.28% in Q2.
What happened
Arthur Hayes, former CEO of BitMEX, said at KBW 2026 in Seoul that he expects Ethereum to hit $10,000 by the end of the year. In a CoinDesk clip on X, he answered directly when asked for his ETH price prediction. He likes ETH, he said, because he can put a large amount of money into it without expecting a sudden 75% loss from an exploit.
The target is more than three times the current price near $2,700. ETH is still about 46% below its $4,946 all-time high, and the forecast requires a gain of roughly 3.7 times.
Hayes said narratives explain Ethereum's lag against other networks. He pointed to Solana capturing the meme coin narrative and rising quickly. He argued Ethereum remains the most secure layer one because it has the largest market capitalization.
Why it matters
Hayes's own ETH trades have not always been well timed. In August he sold 2,365 ETH at about $1,821, a loss of $241,000, after buying 7,213 ETH at an average of $1,923. In July he sold 5,900 units for nearly $10 million after buying them days earlier for $10.58 million, a loss of more than $600,000.
The call also comes as Ethereum ETFs show mixed flows. Ethereum ETFs recorded $892 million in net inflows during September with one trading day left. A daily inflow streak that started September 18 ended with a $2.8 million outflow, while the previous week brought $689.9 million of net inflows. Cumulative inflows reached $13.95 billion. ETH was down 1% over 24 hours and nearly 3% over the past seven days, but up more than 11% across two weeks and 9% higher than a month ago.
What the data shows
Ethereum has traded above $2,500 for the past two weeks, but $2,800 has been a tough level to clear. Coinglass data shows ETH gained just under 70% in Q3 2026 after falling 29.26% in Q1 and 25.28% in Q2.
Background
Hayes said Ethereum pioneered the decentralized computer idea and was a victim of its own success. He argued other challengers picked up the slack. His forecast is notable because ETH remains about 46% below its $4,946 all-time high.
What is still unclear
- Whether ETH reaches $10,000 by year-end depends on sustaining ETF inflows and reversing recent daily outflows.
- Ethereum remains about 46% below its $4,946 all-time high, leaving a large gap to the $10,000 target.
Questions readers ask
What is Arthur Hayes's Ethereum price prediction?
He said at KBW 2026 in Seoul that he expects Ethereum to hit $10,000 by the end of the year. In a CoinDesk clip, he answered directly with that forecast.
How far is Ethereum from $10,000?
ETH traded near $2,700 when Hayes made the call, so the target is more than three times that price. Reaching $10,000 would require a gain of roughly 3.7 times.
How have Ethereum ETFs performed recently?
Ethereum ETFs recorded $892 million in net inflows during September with one trading day left. A daily inflow streak that started September 18 ended with a $2.8 million outflow, and cumulative inflows reached $13.95 billion.
