Why did Arthur Hayes sell his Worldcoin (WLD) position?

Arthur Hayes said he exited Worldcoin because market conditions had deteriorated. He shared a declining SpaceX pre-IPO perpetual futures chart and stated that the trend was moving in the wrong direction before announcing he had sold his WLD holdings.

Why is Hayes' Worldcoin sale attracting attention?

The sale came only days after Hayes' venture capital firm, Maelstrom, described Worldcoin as one of the strongest ways to gain exposure to upcoming AI-related IPOs. The quick reversal surprised traders who had viewed the firm's research note as a bullish signal.

What is the connection between Worldcoin and AI IPOs?

Maelstrom researcher Lukas Ruppert argued that Worldcoin could benefit from growing investor interest in artificial intelligence companies. The report positioned WLD as an indirect way to gain exposure to the AI investment theme ahead of expected high-profile listings.

How did Worldcoin (WLD) react after Maelstrom's bullish report?

Worldcoin initially rallied following the publication of the report, climbing above $0.60 on June 5. However, the token later reversed course and fell to around $0.40 by June 7 as market sentiment weakened and Hayes announced his exit.

What did Arthur Hayes previously say about Worldcoin?

Hayes had indicated that he planned to hold WLD through the anticipated SpaceX IPO, which is expected on June 12. His decision to sell before that event led some market participants to question the timing of the move.

Is Worldcoin the only crypto asset Arthur Hayes has recently sold?

No. Hayes has also sold positions in Hyperliquid (HYPE), Zcash (ZEC) and NEAR Protocol in recent weeks. These sales followed earlier bullish comments on those projects, highlighting a more active and tactical trading approach.

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Hayes exits WLD after backing AI IPO trade

Written by Isaac FrancisPublished Jun 8, 2026, 6:46 AM

Maelstrom co-founder Arthur Hayes has exited his position in Worldcoin just days after his venture capital firm highlighted the token as one of the strongest ways to gain exposure to upcoming artificial intelligence-related initial public offerings.

Hayes disclosed the sale on social media on Saturday, citing deteriorating market performance and sharing a chart of the SpaceX pre-IPO perpetual futures contract, which had fallen sharply in recent sessions.

“This chart is going in the wrong direction,”

Hayes said before adding:

“Dumped WLD. I’m out. See y’all at the clerb.”

The move surprised some traders because Maelstrom researcher Lukas Ruppert had published a bullish note on Wednesday describing Worldcoin as an overlooked AI investment opportunity and forecasting the token could reach $5 by August.

The report helped push WLD above $0.60 on June 5, but the token subsequently reversed course and fell back to around $0.40 by June 7, coinciding with Hayes' announcement that he had closed his position.

Worldcoin is the latest asset affected by Hayes' shifting market outlook after he previously sold positions in Hyperliquid, Zcash and NEAR Protocol despite earlier bullish commentary on each project.

However, blockchain data from Arkham Intelligence indicates Hayes has already begun reversing some of those decisions, with a wallet linked to him reportedly purchasing approximately $2 million worth of HYPE after the token declined sharply following his earlier sale, highlighting the increasingly tactical nature of his trading strategy.

At the time of reporting, Worldcoin price was $0.4759.