ZEC x6 in One Month: What Drove This Frenzy?
Original Article Title: Zcash Surpasses 2021 Peak as Traders Bet on Privacy Revival
Original Article Author: Akash Girimath
Original Article Translation: Chopper, Foresight News
Abstract
As the November halving approaches and market attention towards privacy-focused assets reignites, Zcash (ZEC) has once again taken the spotlight, with traders actively positioning themselves around the privacy coin narrative. Sources revealed to Decrypt that despite limited on-chain growth, endorsements from notable investors and the discourse around privacy have fueled market activity. Some experts suggest that the sustainability of this surge depends on post-halving market sentiment for ZEC and whether user adoption can move beyond short-term speculation to achieve substantial growth.
Fueled by a dual drive of speculative fervor and the resurgence of the privacy theme, Zcash has seen a triple-digit percentage increase in the past 30 days, successfully surpassing its 2021 high. This privacy coin has surged from a low of $54 to around $372 within a month, ranking among the best-performing assets in the market.

ZEC Historical Price Chart, Source: CoinMarketCap
This price is 11.5% higher than the $319 closing price on May 8, 2021, but according to CoinGecko data, it is still 88% lower than the historical peak of $3191.93 set nearly nine years ago.
The Perfect Storm of Multiple Catalysts

Shivam Thakral, CEO of BuyUCoin, stated that Zcash's rise is due to the convergence of multiple catalysts:
1. The upcoming November halving. It is expected that on November 18, the Zcash block reward will halve from 3.125 ZEC to 1.5625 ZEC;
2. Growing privacy concerns driving the resurgence of privacy coin interest;
3. Market discussions sparked by Arthur Hayes' "US$10,000 Target Price" proposal.
In the first week of October, Zcash saw a significant upward breakout for the first time, triggered by endorsements from notable investors such as Naval Ravikant and support from former Coinbase engineer and Helius CEO Mert Mumtaz.
Decrypt previously reported that Grayscale decided to allow accredited investors to invest in ZEC tokens, a move that further fueled Zcash's upward trend in the latter half of the month.
The resurgence of privacy coins also drove strength across the sector. Over the past week, Monero and Dash rose by 9.1% and 12.5% respectively, as traders started turning to these established anonymous assets.
"With tightening global regulations and escalating controversies over digital surveillance, privacy has once again become a focus," added Thakral. "Despite Zcash being an established coin, its privacy narrative is clear and concise. Coupled with the halving approaching, traders have found an easy-to-operate, liquid way to position themselves in this theme."
Doubts About the Sustainability of the Rally: Speculation Dominant, Fundamentals Await Validation
However, Thakral also cautioned that this rally is more driven by speculation rather than fundamental growth. The key consideration is the limited growth in shielded transactions for Zcash.
He stated that Zcash's future trend depends on two key factors: how miners and investors react post-halving and whether the privacy narrative can move beyond pure speculation to achieve real user growth, avoiding a reversal in sentiment where good news leads to profit-taking.
This article is contributed content and does not represent the views of BlockBeats.
You may also like

Zcash Price Prediction: SEC Concludes Probe Without Enforcement Action – Is This the Green Light Investors Needed?
Key Takeaways The SEC has completed its long-standing investigation into the Zcash Foundation, leading to a positive shift…

Victim Loses $282 Million in Bitcoin and Litecoin to a Hardware Wallet Scam
Key Takeaways: A $282 million crypto theft involving Bitcoin and Litecoin, marked as the largest individual crypto theft…

User Loses $282M in One of the Most Significant Social Engineering Crypto Heists
Key Takeaways A crypto user lost over $282 million in Bitcoin and Litecoin due to a sophisticated social…

Zcash Foundation Emerges Unchallenged as SEC Probe Concludes with No Enforcement Actions
Key Takeaways SEC Completes Probe: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has concluded its extensive investigation into…

Whale Places Big Bets on BTC, ETH, and ZEC
Key Takeaways A large investor, identified as a whale, has initiated significant long positions on Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum…

XMR Surges Over 50% in One Week: Who’s Buying?
Key Takeaways Monero (XMR) defies regulatory pressures, marking a 262% increase since January 2025, reaching an all-time high…

Key Market Intelligence on January 13th: What You May Have Missed
Key Takeaways The “Clarity Act” draft suggests that users can only earn interest by holding stablecoins, indicating significant…

XMR Surges Over 50% in One Week: Who's Buying?

Monero Surges: Breaking Above $680 with an 18% Increase
Key Takeaways Monero (XMR) has been on the rise, gaining approximately 18% in the past 24 hours. The…
A Decade-Old Crypto Veteran, Zcash Is Facing a Midlife Crisis Too
In youth, restraint in the name of compliance; in midlife, wealth—and thoughts of divorce.

XMR Surges to New All-Time High Amid Market Optimism
Key Takeaways Monero (XMR) has reached an all-time high, recently trading at $596.58. This marks a more than…

Monero’s XMR Reaches $500, Surpassing Expectations Amid Zcash Challenges
Key Takeaways: Monero’s XMR recently soared past the $500 mark, a record not seen since its peak in…

Key Market Intel on January 12th - A Must Read! | Alpha Morning Report

Zcash Core Team Exodus Story, Crypto's Own OpenAI Drama

ZCash Team Split, Bank of America Upgrades Coinbase Rating, What's the Overseas Crypto Community Talking About Today?

2026 Crypto New Year's Rally: Cautiously Bullish Market Sets Sail
Market Update — January 7
Bitmine has staked another 28,000 Ethereum, worth approximately $91.16 million.

Whale Shifts to Massive Short Positions in Cryptocurrency Market
Key Takeaways A crypto whale transitioned from long to short positions, involving significant assets amounting to over $91…
Zcash Price Prediction: SEC Concludes Probe Without Enforcement Action – Is This the Green Light Investors Needed?
Key Takeaways The SEC has completed its long-standing investigation into the Zcash Foundation, leading to a positive shift…
Victim Loses $282 Million in Bitcoin and Litecoin to a Hardware Wallet Scam
Key Takeaways: A $282 million crypto theft involving Bitcoin and Litecoin, marked as the largest individual crypto theft…
User Loses $282M in One of the Most Significant Social Engineering Crypto Heists
Key Takeaways A crypto user lost over $282 million in Bitcoin and Litecoin due to a sophisticated social…
Zcash Foundation Emerges Unchallenged as SEC Probe Concludes with No Enforcement Actions
Key Takeaways SEC Completes Probe: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has concluded its extensive investigation into…
Whale Places Big Bets on BTC, ETH, and ZEC
Key Takeaways A large investor, identified as a whale, has initiated significant long positions on Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum…
XMR Surges Over 50% in One Week: Who’s Buying?
Key Takeaways Monero (XMR) defies regulatory pressures, marking a 262% increase since January 2025, reaching an all-time high…