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Zcash Leads Privacy Coin Rally, Reaching $10.6 Billion Market Cap
The Zcash (ZEC) token has surged 63% in a week, pushing its market capitalization to $10.6 billion and cementing its position as the 12th-largest crypto asset. The token leads the broader rally in privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, driven by growing demand for anonymity.
While much of the crypto market remains subdued, traders are betting on privacy coins, with Zcash leading the charge.
According to CoinMarketCap, Zcash hit a high of $655 earlier on Friday, bringing its market cap to around $10.6 billion. By the time of writing, the rally had cooled slightly, with prices pulling back to $632, giving ZEC a market cap of $10.3 billion and ranking it 12th among global crypto assets.
CoinMarketCap data shows ZEC up nearly 23% in the past 24 hours and more than 63% over the week.
This surge continues a breakout move that has turned the once-undervalued privacy coin into a leader of the “privacy renaissance” of 2025, reshaping the debate around anti-surveillance cryptocurrencies and financial autonomy.
Leading Privacy Coins Post Strong Weekly Gains
As Bitcoin and Ethereum remain in consolidation, investor attention has shifted toward privacy-oriented assets, with ZEC outperforming rivals such as Monero (XMR).
Besides Zcash, CoinMarketCap data shows Dash, Decred, and ZKsync as top gainers among privacy coins last week.
Dash rose by over 141%, Decred by 96%, and ZKsync by 122%. Monero also gained nearly 12%, but compared to other major privacy coins, XMR’s performance was modest.
Once the benchmark for privacy coins, Monero has stagnated amid liquidity issues and exchange delistings due to regulatory pressure.
Zcash’s Hybrid Model Boosts Institutional Appeal
Zcash benefits from a dual-mode design, offering both transparent and shielded addresses.
This structure allows the token to coexist with regulated exchanges and custodians, making it a more acceptable choice for investors seeking privacy without running afoul of compliance standards.
Zcash Leads the Privacy Movement in Crypto
The Zcash surge has been fueled by activists and prominent industry figures, including Arthur Hayes, Naval Ravikant, Mert Mumtaz, and Tredgay, who have championed privacy as the next major theme in crypto.
Their posts and podcasts emphasize that Zcash’s zero-knowledge proof technology represents a pure form of decentralized value transfer still viable in an increasingly regulated environment.
In an episode of Chain Reaction, Zcash Foundation Executive Director Alex Bornstein clarified that neither the Foundation nor Electric Coin Company paid influencers to promote ZEC, describing the recent wave of support as a spontaneous cultural shift rather than a coordinated campaign.
However, not everyone shares the enthusiasm.
Jan3 CEO and Bitcoin advocate Samson Mow warned ZEC investors on Thursday to “reconsider their positions”, comparing Zcash to Dogecoin and advising holders to take profits and buy BTC.
See also: "Bitcoin Recovers to $106K Amid Progress on U.S. Budget Deal"
