Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Mert Mumtaz, co-founder and CEO of Helius and one of the most respected voices on Solana and Zcash, breaks down why he sees both as deeply misunderstood heading into 2026, using his "physics and incentives" framework to separate real conviction from noise.
He also debunks the recent Zcash security scare, explains why AI is forcing Web3 toward "spaceflight-level" security standards, and weighs in on Near's high-upside 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: kevinfollonier.com/crypto-web3-newsletter
___________
PARTNERS
⚖️ Variational aggregates liquidity to offer industry-leading depth on crypto, equities, commodities, and more: 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 - affil.trezor.io/SH12h
🌱 Bitwise Asset Management manages $15B+ across 30+ crypto investment products — ETFs, index funds, alpha, staking, and more. 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. ethena.fi
♾️ Coinsilium provides vital funding and expert advice to Web3 and AI-powered early-stage technology companies. coinsilium.com
🚀 Kalshi is a US regulated financial exchange that allows users to trade on the outcomes of real-world events : kalshi.com/category/crypto
___________
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: instagram.com/kevinfollonier_
TikTok: tiktok.com/@kevinfollonier_
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kevinfollonier
Website: 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
4:05 Dating On Zero Sleep: Mert's Relationship Secret
7:30 The X Growth Hack That 6x'd His Following
8:51 Partnerships: @Variational @BitwiseInvest
9:44 SOL Crashed To $8... Then Everything Changed
15:48 Solana's Secret Leadership Shakeup
18:22 The Two Laws That Future-Proof Solana
25:47 Why Solana Wins By Default
28:05 Why Traders Are Blind To Solana
30:38 Partnerships: @KASTxyz @Trezor
31:43 Mert's Big Bet: Solana In 2026
36:42 How Solana Becomes The New Wall Street
42:45 The Countdown To Solana's Big Upgrade
44:23 Is Solana Actually Back?
47:31 Partnerships: @JupiterExchange @Ethena
48:14 The Zcash "Scandal" That Wasn't
55:39 AI Is Coming For DeFi's Bugs
59:24 ZEC's 20X Case, Explained
1:04:40 NEAR: The Dark Horse Mert Is Watching
1:09:32 Closing Thoughts
Mert Mumtaz, co-founder and CEO of Helius and one of the most respected voices on Solana and Zcash, breaks down why he sees both as deeply misunderstood heading into 2026, using his "physics and incentives" framework to separate real conviction from noise.
He also debunks the recent Zcash security scare, explains why AI is forcing Web3 toward "spaceflight-level" security standards, and weighs in on Near's high-upside 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: kevinfollonier.com/crypto-web3-newsletter
___________
PARTNERS
⚖️ Variational aggregates liquidity to offer industry-leading depth on crypto, equities, commodities, and more: 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 - affil.trezor.io/SH12h
🌱 Bitwise Asset Management manages $15B+ across 30+ crypto investment products — ETFs, index funds, alpha, staking, and more. 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. ethena.fi
♾️ Coinsilium provides vital funding and expert advice to Web3 and AI-powered early-stage technology companies. coinsilium.com
🚀 Kalshi is a US regulated financial exchange that allows users to trade on the outcomes of real-world events : kalshi.com/category/crypto
___________
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: instagram.com/kevinfollonier_
TikTok: tiktok.com/@kevinfollonier_
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kevinfollonier
Website: 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
4:05 Dating On Zero Sleep: Mert's Relationship Secret
7:30 The X Growth Hack That 6x'd His Following
8:51 Partnerships: @Variational @BitwiseInvest
9:44 SOL Crashed To $8... Then Everything Changed
15:48 Solana's Secret Leadership Shakeup
18:22 The Two Laws That Future-Proof Solana
25:47 Why Solana Wins By Default
28:05 Why Traders Are Blind To Solana
30:38 Partnerships: @KASTxyz @Trezor
31:43 Mert's Big Bet: Solana In 2026
36:42 How Solana Becomes The New Wall Street
42:45 The Countdown To Solana's Big Upgrade
44:23 Is Solana Actually Back?
47:31 Partnerships: @JupiterExchange @Ethena
48:14 The Zcash "Scandal" That Wasn't
55:39 AI Is Coming For DeFi's Bugs
59:24 ZEC's 20X Case, Explained
1:04:40 NEAR: The Dark Horse Mert Is Watching
1:09:32 Closing Thoughts
