Back in 2017, privacy coins were the rebels of cryptocurrencies. I still remember having Zcash (ZEC) and Monero (XMR) in those early wild days when anonymity was the new frontier. Everyone talked about economic freedom and resistance to censorship. Eventually, I sold my Monero bag earlier this year and decided that the days of privacy coins were over. I thought I would never be able to shine again because the regulations became stricter.
But cryptocurrencies never cease to amaze us. Zcash, which was quietly trading around $66 not too long ago, has suddenly seen a vertical rise. I ignored the first run up to $170 thinking it was over. After all, most “dinosaur coins” no longer move 10x. And yet here we are — Zcash just touched on $670proving that the privacy narrative remains influential in this market.
The quiet revolution of privacy coins
Privacy coins are built to hide sensitive transaction details such as sender, recipient, and amount. Unlike Bitcoin’s transparent ledger, these coins use cryptographic magic to protect users’ identities.
Zcash, Monero, and Dash all share this mission, but they use vastly different technology stacks. After years of dormancy, the sector suddenly woke up, increasing its market capitalization by nearly 80% since early November 2025. The timing couldn’t be more interesting, as traders appear to be pivoting away from mainstream altcoins and toward privacy-focused assets once again.
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Why Zcash is leading the way
Zcash has always stood out for its sophisticated encryption. use zero knowledge proof To verify transactions without revealing personal information. After a major upgrade in NU5, Zcash introduced the Halo 2 attestation system, eliminating the need for a “trusted setup” and improving both efficiency and security.
Another factor driving ZEC’s rise is the upcoming halving event. This is a classic catalyst that reduces supply and fuels speculation. Combine this with short squeezes and technical breakouts, and it’s easy to see why momentum traders have jumped on board so eagerly.
Zcash is currently at a seven-year high, and on-chain data shows that the number of shielded transactions is increasing. More and more users are finally choosing privacy by default, showing that the technology is maturing, not just the price.
Return of Dash and Digital Cash
While Zcash focuses on encryption, Dash takes a “digital cash” approach. It uses CoinJoin, a mixed protocol that mixes multiple transactions, making it difficult to trace funds. Dash’s masternode system also enables instant and low-cost payments, which is a key feature for real-world ease of use.
This project has been around for years, but was often overlooked as new chains emerged. But the recent surge shows that even if the market narrative changes, old names can still deliver big profits. Traders looking for privacy and speed seem to be turning a new leaf to Dash.
Monero (XMR): The veteran is still standing
Monero has always been the purest privacy play. Its ring signatures and stealth addresses make transactions completely opaque, and it has been under scrutiny by regulators for years.
In November, XMR rose more than 9% in 24 hours to reach $378, its highest since June. This is a solid five-month high and part of a 128% annual increase. The recent rally broke through multiple resistance zones and triggered close to $400,000 worth of short-term liquidations in one day.
While Monero’s market capitalization still lags behind Zcash’s explosion, it remains the backbone of the privacy space. Analysts say if this momentum continues, XMR could challenge its all-time high of $517 in 2021.
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What is the driving force behind your comeback?
- Market rotation: Traders are looking for a story with real upside after months of range-bound moves in major assets. Privacy fits that requirement perfectly.
- Technical breakout: Many privacy coins have broken years of downward trends and triggered a new cycle.
- Derivatives activities: The move was amplified by a rise in open interest and short covering.
- Future half-life: The Zcash halving event is gaining fundamental momentum.
regulatory cloud
Of course, it’s not all sunshine. Privacy coins remain in a gray area under the global AML (anti-money laundering) framework. The EU’s new AML rules and FATF travel rules could limit how exchanges can list or support assets that increase anonymity until 2027.
Some exchanges have already delisted ZEC, XMR, and DASH in regions such as Japan and South Korea. Liquidity can dry up quickly, and slippage is common during periods of instability. For most traders, that means DYOR (do your own research) is more than just a slogan, it’s survival.
For short-term traders, PERP is available. This means you don’t actually hold the coins, so you can skip regulations and just trade price movements.
Other notable privacy tokens
- Decrid (DCR): Hybrid consensus with embedded governance.
- Litecoin (LTC): Added MimbleWimble extension for transferring privacy options.
- Verge (XVG): It focuses on TOR and I2P integration.
- PIVX: Built on Dash code, but tweaked for anonymous staking.
- Tornado Cache (TORN): It remains active despite regulatory overheating, demonstrating the unstoppable nature of on-chain privacy tools.
Here is a complete list of privacy coins by market cap from Coingecko.
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final thoughts
Seeing Zcash increase 10x in a few weeks feels like deja vu. A flashback to when privacy coins ruled the charts. It may be nostalgia, it may be a rotation of the story, but the result is the same. People are finding value again. financial privacy.
While we’re not chasing ZEC at $670, this is a powerful reminder that trends in cryptocurrencies can come back when you least expect them. Whether you’re growing airdrops, trading meme coins, or managing a long-term portfolio, one thing is clear. That means privacy is always valuable.
And for those of us who lived through the era of 2017, it feels like Zcash’s run has come full circle.
If you enjoyed this blog, check out our recent blog about $BTC reaching extreme fear levels.
As always, don’t forget to claim the following bonuses at Blofin. See you next time!
