BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes has publicly outlined his current investment portfolio, revealing a diversified mix of cryptocurrencies, commodity producers, oil majors, defense contractors, Latin American energy names, and physical gold.
The disclosure, shared on February 23, 2026, highlights a deliberate shift toward scarcity-driven and production-linked assets amid heightened geopolitical tension and persistent inflation pressures.
Hayes summarized his allocation succinctly: gold, silver, copper and uranium miners; oil majors; “merchants of death” in the defense sector; Latin American energy companies; cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, ZEC, and HYPE; alongside physical gold holdings. The composition reflects a pragmatic approach to capital preservation and upside capture in a volatile macroeconomic environment.
Hayes’ equity exposure centers on commodity-linked producers, including miners focused on gold, silver, copper, and uranium. Uranium spot prices trade between $120 and $130 per pound, up roughly 50% year-over-year, supported by renewed nuclear energy commitments. Copper prices hover near $4.10-$4.20 per pound, while gold trades between $2,600 and $2,650 per ounce, up approximately 15% year-to-date.
Oil exposure includes major integrated producers benefiting from WTI crude prices in the $70-$75 per barrel range. Defense holdings such as RTX and Lockheed Martin have gained roughly 10-15% year-to-date as global military spending approaches $2.3 trillion, up around 5% annually.
On the digital asset side, Hayes holds Bitcoin (trading near $64,500), Ethereum (around $1,860-1,900), ZEC (approximately $40-$45), and HYPE, a smaller-cap DeFi token. The crypto allocation appears oriented toward digital scarcity, privacy infrastructure, and asymmetric yield opportunities rather than speculative momentum trades.
The portfolio reflects positioning against persistent global inflation, currently running near 3%-4% across major economies, and tariff-related supply chain disruptions that could add incremental pricing pressure. Commodity-linked equities provide exposure to tangible production capacity, while defense stocks hedge against prolonged geopolitical fragmentation.
Uranium stands out as a thematic driver. Global nuclear capacity is projected to expand 10%-15% by 2030, increasing uranium demand by approximately 20% year-over-year. Exchange-traded funds focused on nuclear energy have risen 20-30% in 2026, reflecting structural capital inflows.
Bitcoin, with a market capitalization near $1.28-$1.3 trillion, continues to function as a digital scarcity asset, particularly in post-halving cycles. Ethereum, despite trading pressure, remains foundational to decentralized finance infrastructure. ZEC introduces privacy-focused exposure, potentially benefiting from heightened surveillance debates in global financial systems.
As of February 23, 2026, Bitcoin trades between $64,500 and $64,800, down 4%-5% over 24 hours. Ethereum is down 3-4% in the same period, with market capitalization near $224-$230 billion. Broader crypto liquidations have ranged between $238 million and $324 million over 24 hours, reflecting elevated leverage.
Gold has advanced 0.5%-1% in recent sessions, while silver trades near $30-$31 per ounce. Uranium prices continue upward momentum, and defense equities such as RTX trade near $204-$205 per share, up roughly 10% year-to-date. Energy equities remain supported by stable oil pricing and constrained global supply.
The divergence between production-linked equities and technology-heavy indices has widened as investors rotate toward inflation-resistant assets.
While commodity and defense exposure may benefit from sustained geopolitical tension, rapid de-escalation could compress risk premiums in those sectors. Commodity cycles also remain historically volatile, with copper experiencing periodic demand-driven pullbacks.
In crypto markets, regulatory scrutiny, particularly toward privacy-focused assets, could impact ZEC and similar tokens. Additionally, digital asset volatility remains elevated relative to traditional equities.
However, upside scenarios include uranium prices potentially advancing toward $150 per pound by 2027, gold approaching $3,000 per ounce in continued fiat debasement narratives, and Ethereum rebounding toward $2,500 should network upgrades strengthen adoption.
Arthur Hayes’ disclosed allocation illustrates a pragmatic portfolio architecture built around scarcity, production capacity, and geopolitical resilience. By combining digital assets with commodity producers, energy majors, defense contractors, and physical gold, the strategy seeks to balance volatility with structural macro tailwinds.
The approach reflects a broader institutional shift toward tangible and inflation-sensitive assets as global economic fragmentation intensifies. Whether commodities and defense continue to outperform will depend on geopolitical developments and inflation trajectories, while crypto allocations remain positioned as asymmetric digital scarcity bets within a diversified macro hedge.
