[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong] BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes warned the global financial system could come under severe strain if AI automation coincides with war in the Middle East. He said that in the current market environment he is prioritising safe assets such as cash and gold rather than buying bitcoin.

On March 6, blockchain media outlet Cointelegraph reported that Hayes said in a recent YouTube session that geopolitical tensions, AI-driven job losses and financial leverage acting at the same time could create the most turbulent market environment in recent history.

He cited the rapid spread of AI automation, especially in white-collar jobs, as a major risk factor. Hayes predicted that about 10 to 20 percent of high-income U.S. knowledge workers could lose their jobs within the next 3 to 6 months. "They are the core class of the financial system that carries mortgages, auto loans and student debt," he said. "If only 20 percent of them lose their jobs, it can trigger a banking crisis," he added.

Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East were also pointed to as another variable. Hayes said that if the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict expands, it could shock energy and financial markets.

Hayes claimed U.S. President Donald Trump has about 4 weeks left to resolve the situation. He pointed to the possibility that if the war affects oil infrastructure or sea shipping routes, it could lead to a sharp rise in oil prices. "If oil prices rise too much, the market will not be able to bear it and political pressure will force a solution," he said.

Amid the uncertainty, Hayes presented holding cash, investing in gold and buying short-term U.S. Treasuries as his current strategy. He said he would maintain that approach until central banks move to provide large-scale liquidity to respond to stress in the financial system.

Hayes said he supports cryptocurrencies' role as a store of value over the long term, but he assessed that bitcoin is not an immediate hedge in a near-term crisis.

Instead, he picked decentralised derivatives trading platform Hyperliquid as the project to watch most in this market cycle. He cited a low ratio of fake trading volume, a high profit-sharing structure and transparent team token allocation as strengths.

"If you are looking for true crypto alpha, Hyperliquid is the most noticeable project in this cycle," Hayes said. He stressed the need to focus on fundamentals-based projects rather than a meme coin-centred speculative trend.

He also expressed scepticism about the CLARITY Act, a cryptocurrency regulatory bill being discussed in the U.S. Congress. On expectations that the bill would connect traditional finance and crypto markets, he said its impact would be "almost none" and argued that "the on-chain economy moves independently of these frameworks".

Hayes said bitcoin and major cryptocurrencies are likely to outperform fiat currency-based assets over the long term, but stressed that the macroeconomic environment and market timing still matter for short-term investing. He advised investors to secure liquidity first, diversify portfolios with physical assets such as gold and not rush into new crypto positions until a central bank policy shift emerges.