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Raoul Pal Backs Zcash as Bitcoin’s “Younger Brother” as ZEC Outperforms Altcoins
Zcash surged above $400 for the first time since January, reaching a peak of $424 on May 3. This marks a 100% recovery from early-year lows and brings it closer to Monero.
Key Takeaways
- ZEC crossed $400 on May 3 for the first time in 2026
- Over $10.5 million in short positions were liquidated
- Analysts suggest Zcash could capture up to 10% of Bitcoin’s market
Zcash Outperforms Large-Cap Altcoins
Zcash emerged as one of the top-performing large-cap altcoins. After peaking at $424, it slightly corrected to $414 but still posted nearly 8% daily gains and about 17% weekly growth.
Alongside Dogecoin (≈12%), it was among the few altcoins delivering double-digit weekly returns.
The rally continues a recovery trend that began after ZEC dropped below $200 in March. Since then, the asset has more than doubled, with market capitalization approaching $7 billion.
Although Zcash previously led the privacy coin sector, it lost its top spot to Monero earlier this year. The gap is now narrowing.
Influence of Key Market Figures
The surge appears partly driven by statements from prominent industry figures.
Barry Silbert highlighted the underestimated demand for privacy-focused assets:
“In 2015, we didn’t realize there was $2 trillion demand for decentralized digital stores of value. Now we know more — and Zcash benefits from that.”
He also noted that cryptocurrencies that cannot be easily tracked are harder to regulate.
Investor Raoul Pal described Zcash as Bitcoin’s “younger brother,” while influencer Jesus Martinez claimed Zcash could achieve what Bitcoin could not.
Massive Short Liquidations
The rally triggered significant liquidations:
- Over $10.6 million in short positions liquidated
- Largest single liquidation: $1.1 million
- Long liquidations totaled under $900,000
Total liquidations reached approximately $11.5 million, amplifying upward momentum.
