Strategy performance update 1

From their respective tracked start dates through October 20, 2026, the report’s equally weighted AlphaNet strategy basket gained approximately 39%, compared with a 0.8% decline in its asset benchmark over the corresponding periods. Tracking began in January, with newer strategies joining later; the basket does not represent a single portfolio held from one common start date.

In the report’s latest three-week comparison through October 20, the strategy basket gained 3.5% while the benchmark fell 9.9%. Individual results show how different approaches contributed—and how their relative performance changed during the market pullback.

This is the first in our strategy performance update series. We’ll follow the results, explain what the numbers measure and examine how our strategies behave as market conditions change.

Three approaches to the same market

This update covers Hackworth, our family of AI-driven strategies for crypto perpetual trading. Its three approaches span 15 assets, giving us 45 strategies. Each generates signals and manages positions automatically, including long and short positions.

Prime takes a balanced approach to long and short opportunities.

Trend leans toward long exposure while retaining the ability to short.

Optima Short places greater emphasis on short-side opportunities and mean reversion, trading around price moves that may reverse.

The same asset can therefore have three strategies with different trading behavior. Comparing them across several time frames helps show where those differences matter.

What the figures measure

All reported strategy returns already include trading costs.

These are published model strategy results, not customer account returns. Each strategy is measured from its tracked start date, excluding earlier backtests. The curves primarily record profit and loss when trades close, which can create flat stretches followed by jumps. The latest point also includes a provisional valuation of open positions.

ZEC retained substantial gains after the pullback

Tracked since January 2026, ZEC Trend returned approximately 409% and Prime approximately 407% through October 20. Both gained around 96% over the latest 90 days. ZEC has been a major contributor to the overall results.

Those gains did not accumulate in a straight line. The strategies gave back some performance during the latest pullback, although both remained substantially positive over their full tracking periods and the recent quarter.

XMR showed a different ordering

XMR’s strategies have been tracked since April 2026. Through October 20, Optima Short gained approximately 113%, Prime 103% and Trend 89%. The latest 30 days also contributed meaningful gains.

Approximate published model strategy returns through October 20, 2026.

Optima Short led across both windows. In this case, the approach with the strongest long bias did not produce the highest return. The figures show the difference in outcomes; trade-level analysis would be needed to establish how much came from long positions, shorts or mean-reversion trades.

HYPE showed why the time frame matters

Over the latest 90 days through October 20, HYPE Trend gained 38.5%, ahead of Prime at 32.1% and Optima Short at 25.2%. Over the latest 30 days, however, HYPE’s reported asset return was −15.3%, and the strategy ranking reversed.

Published model strategy returns through October 20, 2026.

Trend led over the longer window. Optima Short held up better in the recent decline, finishing slightly positive while Prime and Trend recorded smaller period losses than the asset. These are returns over the stated windows, rather than measurements of maximum drawdown.

HYPE illustrates why cumulative performance alone is not enough to describe a strategy. The strongest result over one period can come from a different approach than the one that holds up best during a reversal.

What we’ll follow next

The latest three-week comparison was encouraging: the strategy basket advanced while its benchmark declined. Within that result, ZEC, XMR and HYPE showed different performance patterns. Future updates will follow those changes and take a closer look at the trades behind them, building a clearer picture of how each approach handles rallies, reversals and quieter markets.