Core Insights - Monero (CRYPTO: XMR) has experienced a significant price increase, rising by 19% on January 12 and an additional gain on January 13, totaling a 44% increase over five days, although it later surrendered some gains [2] - Despite the price surge, there is no clear catalyst for this increase, such as a major protocol upgrade or favorable regulatory news, leading to uncertainty about the reasons behind the price movement [4][6] - The fundamental issues surrounding Monero, particularly its privacy features, continue to pose challenges for its long-term viability, as financial regulators view privacy technology as a potential threat to oversight [6][7] Investment Thesis - Monero's design allows for private transactions by default, which is appealing but also complicates its investability due to regulatory scrutiny [5] - The lack of new developments or changes in the regulatory landscape means that the asset's valuation does not have a solid basis for further increases [5][6] - The ongoing skepticism from regulators suggests that Monero will remain on the fringes of the crypto-financial system, limiting its potential for mainstream adoption [6][9]

Core Insights - Dash (DASH) has experienced a significant price surge, increasing over 30% in the last 24 hours and more than 33% over the week, briefly reaching $68 before a pullback [1] - Despite the recent rally, some indicators suggest that momentum requires confirmation for a larger price movement [2] Volume Analysis - On-Balance Volume (OBV) has been trending lower since mid-November, indicating a lack of buying pressure to support the price increase [3][4] - The recent price rise to $68 was not accompanied by a corresponding increase in volume, suggesting a potential for a short-term pullback [5] Trend Structure - Dash's price has reclaimed all major exponential moving averages (EMAs) on the daily timeframe, indicating a potentially stronger trend compared to previous rallies [6] - Currently, Dash is trading above the 20, 50, 100, and 200-day EMAs, a condition that previously preceded a 550% rally [7] Money Flow Indicators - The Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) is currently above zero and compressing near its descending trendline, which could indicate sustained capital inflows if it breaks above that trendline [9] - This shift in money flow dynamics suggests a potential for a structurally driven rally rather than one based solely on market sentiment [8][9]

Core Insights - Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC) experienced an 11% decline in price over 24 hours due to the resignation of its core developer team amid a governance dispute, leading to uncertainty about its future [1] - Despite the turmoil, Zcash remains a viable investment option, although it may be prudent to wait for stabilization before making purchases [2] Developer Team Situation - The Electric Coin Company (ECC), which originally comprised Zcash's developers, has collectively decided to leave due to dissatisfaction with actions from individuals associated with Bootstrap, a nonprofit involved in Zcash's governance [4] - The exact nature of the dispute is not fully clear, but it appears to involve changes in employment terms for the developers [5] - The departing developers plan to establish a new business to continue their work, focusing on developing a new wallet for Zcash [5] Open Source Nature - Zcash is open source software, meaning that the departure of the core developer team does not equate to the end of the coin; the same team can continue their work under a new organization [6] - Other teams or individuals can still contribute to Zcash's codebase, ensuring ongoing development and feature enhancements [6] Privacy Features - Zcash continues to focus on its core functionality as a privacy coin, utilizing zk-SNARKs cryptographic proofs to allow users to validate transactions without revealing sensitive details [7] - The platform will maintain its ability to facilitate private transactions, distinguishing it from other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin [7] Overall Outlook - The resignation of the developer team is concerning but does not signify the demise of Zcash; the project is expected to continue with new leadership and ongoing development efforts [8]

zcash got sec roundtable seat december 15 and grayscale etf filing november 26. winklevoss twins need 556,000 more zec to hit their 5% supply target. that's $249m of guaranteed buying at current prices. monero got 73 exchange delistings this year. zec got relisted on okx. the only privacy coin getting institutional bids has a $1.09b market cap gap to xmr. ...

Canton Leads Privacy Coin Rally As Midnight, Zcash, Monero Tick Up► https://t.co/R8BQKAW2ww https://t.co/R8BQKAW2ww ...

Zcash Founder Zooko Wilcox Joins ZEC Treasury Firm as Privacy Coin Surges► https://t.co/AJjKC0iJ7R https://t.co/AJjKC0iJ7R ...

🚨 LATEST: New rankings show the top 10 privacy coin projects by development, along with how each has moved since the last update. https://t.co/Bii0bVpY8W ...

RT Santiment (@santimentfeed)🧑‍💻 Here are crypto's top 10 privacy coin projects by development. Directional indicators represent each project's ranking positioning since last update:📈 1) @nym $NYM 🥇📈 2) @dashpay $DASH 🥈📈 3) @hoprnet $HOPR 🥉📈 4) @zcash $ZEC📈 5) @decredproject $DCR📈 6) @monero $XMR📈 7) @duskfoundation $DUSK📈 8) @concealnetwork $CCX📈 9) @beldexcoin $BDX📈 10) @firoorg $FIRO📖 Read about the @santimentfeed methodology for filtering notable github activity data from project repositories, and why i ...

Core Viewpoint - Grayscale is seeking to launch the first US Zcash ETF, aiming to provide regulated, exchange-traded access to ZEC, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency [1][3]. Group 1: ETF Details - Grayscale filed a Form S-3 with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to convert the Grayscale Zcash Trust into an ETF, which would trade on NYSE Arca under the ticker ZCSH [1]. - The ETF is designed to track CoinDesk's Zcash Price Index (ZCX) [1]. - Upon regulatory approval, the product will be renamed to Grayscale Zcash Trust ETF [5]. Group 2: Asset Management - Coinbase Custody will hold the underlying ZEC assets, while Coinbase, Inc. will act as the prime broker, and BNY Mellon will serve as the transfer agent and administrator [2]. - As of November 25, the trust held approximately 394,400 ZEC, valued at around $199 million based on that day's prices [6]. Group 3: Market Context - The filing comes after a challenging year for ZEC, but the token has recently shown strong gains, trading near $513 with a 5% increase [4]. - The renewed interest in privacy-focused transactions coincides with the ETF proposal, reflecting ZEC's regained momentum [4][7]. Group 4: Operational Mechanics - The ETF aims for its share price to reflect the value of the trust's ZEC holdings, minus fees, using the ZCX index as a benchmark [6]. - New shares and redemptions will occur in blocks of 10,000, with cash orders managed by a liquidity provider [6]. - In-kind creations require regulatory approval, which is not yet granted [7].

Core Viewpoint - Grayscale Investments is seeking to convert its Zcash Trust into a U.S.-listed exchange-traded fund (ETF) to capitalize on the significant rise in Zcash's value, which has surged nearly 1,000% over the past year [1][4]. Group 1: ETF Development - The filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission represents Grayscale's effort to expand its ETF offerings into the privacy-coin sector [1][2]. - If approved, this would be the first U.S. ETF providing regulated exposure to Zcash, a cryptocurrency that utilizes zero-knowledge proofs for transaction privacy [2][3]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - Zcash's unique feature is its selective privacy through shielded transactions, which has become increasingly appealing to investors concerned about the traceability of Bitcoin and other transparent blockchains [3][4]. - The Zcash market has experienced significant volatility, with its price rising from approximately $40 to over $700 in a few weeks, before fluctuating around $450 [5][6]. Group 3: Institutional Interest - A Zcash ETF would lower the management premium associated with the current trust structure and facilitate easier trading through traditional brokerage accounts [4]. - This product could provide institutional investors with a regulated entry point into the privacy-coin market, which has faced challenges in attracting mainstream capital due to compliance issues [4]. Group 4: Regulatory Concerns - Concerns have been raised regarding the storage of Zcash on centralized exchanges, as it may compromise its privacy features, turning it into a traceable asset [6][7]. - The comments from BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes highlight ongoing issues related to self-custody and regulatory oversight in the context of privacy coins [7].