Zcash has surged 600% in 2025 while Bitcoin and Ethereum have turned negative for the year. The privacy-focused cryptocurrency now leads all major digital assets despite a recent pullback from its yearly high.
What Happened: Privacy Coin Surge
Zcash reached $700 last month before declining to current levels around $396.
The token still holds a commanding lead over other cryptocurrencies in 2025, with OKB in second place at 121% gains.
Bitcoin has dropped 3.79% year-to-date while Ethereum fell 6.81%.
Dogecoin also lost its yearly gains during the broader market correction.
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Why It Matters: Institutional Backing
BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes predicted in October that Zcash could reach $10,000. He called the token "Bitcoin with complete privacy" and disclosed he owns a significant amount.
Hayes labeled ZEC the next major rotation play for investors.
Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies including Monero and Dash have also posted strong gains this year.
These coins obscure sender, receiver and transaction data, providing anonymity that Bitcoin and other leading cryptocurrencies cannot offer.
On-chain analytics firm Arkham said it has labeled more than 50% of Zcash's shielded and unshielded transactions. The U.S. government holds 3,692 ZEC tokens worth $1.47 million, seized from AlphaBay founder Alexandre Cazes.
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