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The Motley Fool’s October 5, 2026 article names Solana (SOL), Hyperliquid (HYPE), and Zcash (ZEC) as three cryptocurrencies to consider for a possible next bull-market rally. Its stated audience is patient investors who already hold plenty of Bitcoin and some Ethereum—not readers looking for guaranteed winners or a replacement for those assets.
The $3 trillion headline refers to a dated market-cap snapshot, not proof that a new bull market is underway. The article says the total crypto market capitalization reclaimed $3 trillion on October 2, after ending June at $2.1 trillion. DWF Labs Research had reported a separate crossing above $3 trillion on September 28, describing it as the first since January 29. Those reports are different snapshots; neither establishes a lasting market floor. The Motley Fool’s article and DWF Labs Research’s September 28 note are the sources for those dates and figures.
Which three cryptocurrencies does the article identify?
Alex Carchidi’s article identifies SOL, HYPE, and ZEC. The investment cases are distinct: Solana’s ecosystem activity and tokenization, Hyperliquid’s derivatives-trading activity and reported HYPE purchases, and Zcash’s privacy features and constrained issuance. The article does not provide a like-for-like valuation, risk-adjusted return forecast, or independently verified current-price comparison, so the picks should be read as the author’s theses rather than a ranked or validated investment recommendation.
What does the $3 trillion market-cap figure mean?
The article reports that total cryptocurrency market capitalization rose 43% from $2.1 trillion at the end of June to a reclaim of $3 trillion on October 2, 2026. DWF Labs Research separately described a crossing above $3 trillion in a September 28 note, calling it the first since January 29. The two dated reports can reflect multiple crossings; they are not evidence of one uncontested, durable milestone. A market-cap threshold is a snapshot of aggregate asset values, not a signal that prices will keep rising or that a bull market has begun.
How the three investment theses differ
| Cryptocurrency | Article’s proposed demand driver | What the thesis depends on | Key uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solana (SOL) | Launchpad activity and tokenized assets on Solana | Continued ecosystem use and a link between that activity and demand for SOL | The article’s tokenization, fee-burn, regulatory, and price-causation claims were not independently verified here |
| Hyperliquid (HYPE) | Reported use of transaction fees to buy HYPE in the open market | Ongoing derivatives-trading activity and continuation of the described purchase mechanism | Fee allocation, buyback totals, and relative market activity were not independently verified here |
| Zcash (ZEC) | Privacy-focused demand alongside a capped supply | Continued demand for privacy and the protocol’s stated issuance schedule | Privacy demand does not guarantee appreciation; supply and halving details should be checked against current protocol sources |
Solana (SOL): ecosystem activity and tokenization
The article argues that activity in Solana launchpads and tokenized assets could support demand for SOL. It reports that Pump.fun added an option to pair new tokens with 93 tokenized assets, including tokenized stocks, and that a portion of transaction fees is burned. These are claims reported by the article; the tokenized-asset count and fee details were not independently confirmed here.
The article also reports that SOL rose 50% over three months and links the timing to an SEC order it calls an “innovation exemption,” dated September 17. It presents that connection as part of its explanation, but the order and any causal link between it and the price move are not established here. A price increase over a past period does not show that the same catalyst will persist.
Hyperliquid (HYPE): fee-linked purchases and trading activity
The article describes Hyperliquid as a blockchain focused on decentralized derivatives, including perpetual futures. It says 97% to 99% of transaction fees are used for open-market HYPE purchases. It also attributes to CryptoSlate research a figure of approximately $370 million of $638 million in project token buybacks from January through August 2026.
Those figures are the article’s attributed evidence, not independently confirmed measurements here. The thesis relies on the platform continuing to attract trading activity and on the reported fee-to-purchase mechanism continuing to operate as described. Trading volumes, token purchases, and market prices can change, and the reported buybacks alone do not establish future demand or returns.
Zcash (ZEC): privacy and constrained issuance
The article’s Zcash thesis pairs privacy-focused use with a maximum supply of 21 million ZEC. It gives November 24, 2028 as the estimated next halving date, when the block reward is expected to fall from 1.56 ZEC to 0.78 ZEC. These supply and schedule figures are reported by the article and should be checked against current primary protocol information; a lower issuance rate does not guarantee a higher price.
The article also cites a 952% gain over the preceding 12 months. That is a volatile historical figure tied to the article’s publication context, not a current return or a forecast, so it should not be used as a present-day performance measure without fresh verification.
What should an investor take from the comparison?
- Demand is not the same across the three. SOL’s case centers on ecosystem use, HYPE’s on derivatives activity and reported token purchases, and ZEC’s on privacy demand and limited issuance.
- Each thesis has a different execution dependency. Solana needs useful, continuing activity; Hyperliquid’s case depends on platform trading and its reported purchase mechanics; Zcash’s case depends partly on demand for its privacy features.
- The article’s numbers are time-bound claims. Market capitalization, token prices, trading activity, and buyback totals can change. The reported figures do not establish current conditions or future returns.
- The picks are not substitutes for a portfolio plan. The article itself says these coins make sense to buy only if a portfolio already has Bitcoin and Ethereum. That is its caveat, not a universal rule for every investor.
What to verify before acting on the article
Because the article makes claims about rapidly changing markets and specific token mechanisms, check the relevant current sources rather than treating the figures above as live data. In particular, verify total market capitalization and prices from a consistent market-data provider; consult the regulator for the order and any current legal interpretation; check Hyperliquid’s current documentation and on-chain data for fee allocation and purchases; and confirm Zcash’s supply and halving schedule against primary protocol sources. The article’s thesis is not individualized financial advice, and crypto assets can be highly volatile.
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