Key Takeaways:
- Zcash is up 700% since September, trading around $430.
- Galaxy Digital credits new wallets, integrations, and user sentiment.
- Privacy coins are rebounding despite looming regulatory crackdowns.
- The rally reflects a broader shift toward valuing user privacy in crypto.
Zcash’s Stunning Comeback Amid Market Drawdown
Zcash (ZEC) is staging one of crypto’s most surprising rallies in 2025. The privacy-focused coin — a 2016 Bitcoin fork — has surged over 700% since September, now trading at around $430, according to Galaxy Digital. The firm attributes the rise to new infrastructure, improved usability, and a cultural shift toward valuing privacy.
Over 30% of Zcash’s supply is now locked in private pools, an all-time high. This growing preference for concealed transactions shows users are leaning back into crypto’s original ethos: financial privacy.
Tools and Integration Drive Adoption
Galaxy’s analyst Will Owens credits Zcash’s rally to Zashi, a new wallet that makes private transactions more accessible. Cross-chain integrations also now let users move assets between public and private ledgers while maintaining anonymity — a crucial advancement for privacy-focused investors.
Also Read: Zcash comeback signals a privacy revival
Owens notes that while Zcash’s technology hasn’t changed dramatically, the narrative has. “This rally is driven by vocal support from top crypto voices and a reminder of how vital privacy is for permissionless money,” he said.
Other privacy coins are also outperforming: Monero is up 130% this year, and Dash has gained 400%, all outpacing Bitcoin.
Privacy’s Rebrand: From Liability to Necessity
What was once viewed as a regulatory risk is now being reframed as a user right. Investors like Naval Ravikant argue that “transparent crypto won’t survive a government crackdown.” Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) also highlighted record growth for privacy tools such as Zcash, Railgun, and Noir — a privacy programming language gaining traction in 2025.
This renewed focus suggests that privacy, long stigmatized in crypto, is becoming a selling point rather than a liability.
Regulation Still Looms
Despite the optimism, regulators are far from backing down. The EU plans to ban privacy coins like Zcash and Monero from exchanges by 2027, citing anti–money laundering concerns. Platforms like Binance and Kraken have already restricted access, while past prosecutions of Tornado Cash developers underscore the legal risks facing the sector.
Still, as Galaxy notes, the market’s response reveals something deeper — a philosophical and financial bet that privacy will remain essential in the next phase of crypto.
