Core Insights - In early 2026, over 200,000 Zcash (ZEC) were unshielded, representing approximately 1.2% of ZEC's circulating supply, as privacy coins continued to underperform the broader market [2][6] - The unshielding event has raised concerns about potential sell-offs, particularly as a whale transferred 74,002 ZEC, valued at about $35.75 million, to Binance shortly after the unshielding [5][6] - Despite a general recovery in the altcoin market, ZEC's price declined from $530 to $490, a drop of around 7%, indicating a divergence from the overall market trend [6][7] Group 1: Unshielding Activity - The unshielding process involves converting funds from shielded pools to transparent pools, often for trading purposes [2] - The total amount of ZEC in shielded pools decreased to approximately 4.86 million ZEC after previously peaking above 5 million [3] - Deposits into shielded pools have stagnated, suggesting a lack of bullish sentiment compared to previous growth [4] Group 2: Market Performance - ZEC has experienced significant derivative capital outflows, with increasing short positions noted [6] - The overall altcoin market capitalization (TOTAL3) increased by 7%, rising from $825 billion to $885 billion, while ZEC's price fell [6] - Other privacy coins, including Monero (XMR) and Dash (DASH), have also underperformed, indicating a trend of weakness in the privacy sector [7] Group 3: Institutional Interest - Grayscale has identified Zcash (ZEC) as a promising altcoin, anticipating continued growth in the privacy sector driven by rising institutional interest [8]

Core Viewpoint - Cypherpunk Technologies has significantly increased its investment in privacy coin zcash, reflecting a strategic focus on accumulating a substantial share of the network amid a positive market sentiment for privacy-focused digital assets [1][2][3] Company Summary - Cypherpunk Technologies purchased $28 million worth of zcash (ZEC), raising its total holdings to 290,062 ZEC, valued at approximately $152 million [1] - The firm now holds about 1.76% of zcash's circulating supply after acquiring 56,418 tokens at an average price of $514.02 each [1] - The company's average cost per ZEC is $334.41, positioning it as one of the few digital asset treasury firms that remain profitable following a broader market correction [2] Industry Summary - Zcash has experienced a remarkable price increase of over 1,200% since September, driven by a shift in investor sentiment towards privacy coins [2] - Cypherpunk aims to accumulate 5% of the Zcash network, indicating a long-term commitment to the asset and its perceived societal importance [3] - Following the latest purchase, Cypherpunk's shares rose by 11% to $1.31, although they were down approximately 1.5% in pre-market trading [3]

Market Overview - Crypto markets are stable with Bitcoin trading above $89,000, indicating traders are considering year-end positioning [1] - Bitcoin is priced at approximately $89,441, showing a gain of over 1% for the day, while Ethereum is around $3,032 with modest gains [2] - Major altcoins like BNB, XRP, and Solana are experiencing low-volatility movements, with BNB near $864 and XRP at $1.92 [2] Privacy Coins and Altcoins - Privacy-focused tokens are gaining traction, with Monero trading around $471 after a 2% increase, and Zcash nearing $443, reflecting strong weekly momentum [3] - Niche projects are also attracting speculative inflows, with gaming token BEAT seeing a significant rise in trading volume and market cap, while Hyperliquid's HYPE token is gaining attention due to whale purchases [4] Gold Market Influence - Gold prices have surpassed $4,400 per ounce, setting new records and drawing defensive capital away from risk assets, yet Bitcoin's stability contrasts with previous cycles where gold rallies led to crypto pullbacks [5] Whale Activity and Institutional Positioning - Whale behavior shows mixed sentiment, with one large holder exiting a significant AAVE position at a loss, while others are accumulating sETH and increasing exposure to HYPE, which is trading near $25.48 after a nearly 5% daily gain [6] - Institutional positioning remains stable, with Bitcoin ETFs, particularly BlackRock's IBIT, attracting around $25 billion in inflows in 2025, indicating sustained demand for regulated Bitcoin exposure [7] Market Sentiment - As Christmas approaches, market sentiment is cautious with elevated fear indicators and thinning liquidity, although historical trends suggest potential late-December rebounds [7]

Very bullish on privacy coins over the coming months. ...

Core Insights - Privacy coins Canton and Midnight have outperformed the market, with Zcash and Monero also showing gains following the announcement by the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) to issue tokenized securities on the Canton Network [1][2] - The overall cryptocurrency market experienced a slight dip due to negative U.S. employment data, but the news from DTCC acted as a catalyst for the rally in privacy coins [2] - DTCC, which handles $3.7 quadrillion in transactions annually, will begin minting U.S. Treasuries on Canton's blockchain in the first half of 2026, with plans to expand the project in subsequent years [3][4] Market Performance - Canton has gained 7% to $0.07615, while Midnight is up 2.5% to $0.06397 in the past 24 hours [1] - Zcash and Monero have increased by 2.9% and 1.5% respectively, with Zcash being integrated as the default privacy rail by DEX aggregator ShapeShift [1][4] - Zcash has risen over 650% since mid-September, while Monero is up 100% in the past year, contrasting with Bitcoin's 16% decline [5] Strategic Developments - DTCC will take a leadership role in Canton's decentralized governance and co-chair the Canton Foundation alongside Euroclear [4] - The launch of Canton and Midnight has positively impacted the privacy coin market, with Midnight up 170% since its launch on December 9 [6] - Digital Asset, the parent company of Canton, has secured strategic investments from major firms like BNY, Nasdaq, and S&P Global, and reported $135 million in total funding [6]

Core Viewpoint - The prediction is that Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC) will dominate the privacy coin segment in the coming years, making it a potential investment opportunity compared to competitors like Monero (CRYPTO: XMR) [1] Privacy Coin Features - A privacy coin allows users to transact without revealing their complete financial history, but most regulated exchanges avoid non-auditable privacy assets due to compliance concerns [3] - Zcash addresses this issue by offering both transparent and shielded wallet addresses, allowing for flexible transaction types that can satisfy regulatory requirements [4] Technological Advantages - Zcash employs zk-SNARKs, enabling transaction validation without disclosing sender, receiver, or amount, and allows selective information sharing with third parties, making it more acceptable to regulators compared to Monero [5] Institutional Adoption - By 2027, the value in the privacy coin segment is expected to favor the coin that aligns best with institutional risk frameworks, with Zcash currently positioned as the most compliant option [6] Market Position - Zcash is one of the few surviving privacy coins, with Monero offering better privacy protection, but lacking the compliance features that Zcash possesses [7]

📊 MEXC Research: Privacy Coins Are Back.81% of global volume comes from MENA/CIS/SEA, with $DASH & $ZEC up 2,000%+ and $XMR dominating.👇Full report: https://t.co/upMqFPDKiV ...

Market Trends - Privacy coins like ZCash, Monero, and Dash are experiencing a decline, mirroring the broader cryptocurrency market's pullback [1] Cryptocurrency Performance - The report indicates a loss of momentum for privacy coins [1]

Core Insights - Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC) has experienced a significant price increase this year, rising from approximately $50 in mid-September to over $700, before stabilizing around $450 [1] - A new catalyst has emerged that could potentially drive Zcash's price to $1,000 next year [2] Regulatory Environment - Privacy coins like Zcash face regulatory challenges due to their potential use in illicit activities, leading to scrutiny from regulators [4] - Major exchanges, such as OKX, have previously delisted Zcash due to regulatory pushback, which limited its market access and growth potential [5] Recent Developments - OKX has re-listed Zcash as of November 24, which is expected to be a significant catalyst for the coin's price and market interest [5] - The re-listing coincides with a growing interest in Zcash, marking a potential turning point for the asset after years of being overlooked [7] Market Dynamics - OKX serves millions of users globally, particularly targeting Chinese-speaking investors, despite the ban on cryptocurrency trading in mainland China [6] - The re-listing of Zcash opens up access to a large pool of potential buyers, particularly from Chinese retail investors who have been unable to invest in privacy assets for the past few years [6][7]

Monero and Zcash Diverge in Double-Digit Weekly Swing as Privacy Coins Rotate► https://t.co/208n32iDXm https://t.co/208n32iDXm ...