Top 5 Privacy Tokens to Watch Before 2026
Zcash jumps 78% in a week, leading a major rally in privacy coins. Here are the top 5 privacy tokens by market cap in 2025.
Which topics should we dive deeper into?
Select what genuinely interests you. Your picks feed directly into our editorial planning.
Crypto news that's actually worth your time.
Weekly. 60 seconds. Carefully curated by our editors: no hype, no promo flood, no spam.
Zcash Skyrockets Amid Privacy Coin Revival
Privacy coins are back in the spotlight. Zcash ($ZEC) has surged more than 78% this week, making it the top-performing privacy-focused cryptocurrency. Over the last 24 hours alone, ZEC jumped 30.67% to around $689, with trading volumes nearing $2.8 billion.
This explosive growth signals a sharp revival of investor interest in privacy tokens, especially as global debates around crypto regulation and on-chain surveillance heat up. With a market cap of $11.22 billion, Zcash now leads the privacy coin sector by a wide margin.
Quick Market Overview
While the broader crypto market remains volatile, privacy coins are outperforming. Traders appear to be rotating capital into niche sectors with unique value propositions — and privacy remains one of the strongest narratives in crypto’s long-term vision.
Zcash’s momentum is partly driven by speculation around future upgrades improving scalability and anonymity. Meanwhile, coins like Dash and ZKsync (though not strictly privacy coins in the traditional sense) are gaining traction due to strong community activity and high trading volumes.
Top 5 Privacy Coins by Market Cap (as of November 7, 2025)
| Rank | Coin | Price | 24h Change | 7d Change | Market Cap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zcash ($ZEC) | $689.29 | +30.67% | +78.72% | $11.22B | |
| 2 | Litecoin ($LTC) | $90.48 | +3.21% | -5.47% | $6.92B | |
| 3 | Monero ($XMR) | $362.19 | +3.58% | +9.98% | $6.68B | |
| 4 | Dash ($DASH) | $110.42 | -5.93% | +131.10% | $1.37B | |
| 5 | ZKsync ($ZK) | $0.06476 | -7.66% | +117.71% | $552M |
- Zcash’s 7-day rally outpaces every other privacy-focused asset, followed closely by Dash and ZKsync, which both posted triple-digit percentage growth over the week.
- Monero and Litecoin remain solid veterans, maintaining consistent liquidity and strong user bases, despite facing tighter regulations on major exchanges.
Why Privacy Coins Are Surging Again
Analysts suggest that renewed interest in privacy assets comes amid global concerns over government control and digital surveillance. As blockchain becomes more regulated, coins like Zcash and Monero are drawing attention from users seeking anonymity and financial freedom.
Institutional analysts also note that Zcash’s recent price spike could indicate a broader narrative shift — from mainstream assets to specialized, use-case-driven crypto projects.
Crypto Future: Will Privacy Coins Continue to Skyrocket?
With Zcash leading the charge, the privacy coin market could be entering a new growth phase. However, volatility remains high, and potential regulatory pushback could still impact these tokens’ accessibility.
Still, privacy-focused assets continue to demonstrate strong community support and innovative development — positioning them as one of the most resilient and mission-driven sectors of the crypto world.
Partner links: some links on this page are partner links. If you become a customer through one of them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Selection, ratings and ranking are decided independently by our editorial team. Ethics and Independence · Ownership and Funding
For later? Save this article and find it again in your profile.
Related articles
- Monero slides below $470 as XMR sheds 22 percent in a week
- Litecoin price falls to $45, 46 percent below its January high
- Monero price falls 8.6 percent: XMR hits its lowest level since mid-October
- Monero outperforms the market: XMR has doubled against bitcoin in a year
- Zcash drops below $1,000 as Grayscale launches an ad blitz for ZCSH
Which topics should we dive deeper into?
Select what genuinely interests you. Your picks feed directly into our editorial planning.
Crypto news that's actually worth your time.
Weekly. 60 seconds. Carefully curated by our editors: no hype, no promo flood, no spam.
November 10, 2026 5:29 PM
$1,003: Zcash loses 16 percent in under two hours and hits its lowest level since September
On November 10, Zcash fell from $1,197 to $1,003 in less than two hours, its lowest level since September 5. Our own analysis shows how leveraged long positions accelerated the slide and which EU deadline matters more for Zcash holders.
November 10, 2026 5:13 AM
Monero falls 5.6 percent to $568: THORChain has finished the XMR integration, but swaps are not live yet
Monero has fallen around 5.6 percent in 24 hours to about $568, with no confirmed trigger. At the same time THORChain has finished coding its Monero integration, but swaps will only start after the next node churn.
November 5, 2026 6:36 PM
Litecoin Price: Down 26% in 30 Days, Now the 200-Day Line Decides
Litecoin lost 7.9% in 24 hours and 26% in 30 days as the Nasdaq rout hit crypto. The levels that count now, what could turn the picture and how to hedge.
November 2, 2026 11:19 PM
Zcash falls 7.4 percent ahead of block 3,543,405, the NU7 cut-off for old Sprout funds
Zcash lost 7.4 percent to $1,228.33 on October 30, 2026, making it the biggest loser in the top 25. The protocol deadline matters more than the price: with NU7 at block height 3,543,405, balances left in the old Sprout pool become unusable.
November 2, 2026 6:19 AM
Monero swap service Wagyu confirms data leak: 4,580 XMR orders exposed with IP addresses
Monero swap service Wagyu.xyz has confirmed a data leak that, according to Hudson Rock, links 4,580 Monero orders to receiving addresses and IP addresses. The Monero blockchain is not affected; the risk for customers is phishing.
October 22, 2026 10:13 AM
Monero climbs to $644, leaving it about 24 percent short of January's record
Analysis: Monero gained around ten percent in a day while Bitcoin, Ethereum and Zcash stood still. The distance to January's all-time high shows where XMR really stands better than the daily percentages, and trading access in Europe is the more important question.
October 18, 2026 10:26 PM
Monero gains 8.1 percent to $592 while Zcash falls 3.7 percent: outperforming the market
Monero climbs to around $592 while Zcash loses 3.7 percent and the wider market slips. Where the gap comes from, what Article 79 of the EU anti-money-laundering regulation changes from 2027 and what that means for custody.
October 17, 2026 1:17 PM
Monero price at $558 after the 0.18.5.4 update: the level that decides
Monero has released point version 0.18.5.4, fixing bugs in DNSSEC, checkpoints and block lists. At the same time XMR sits at the top of its weekly range with a gain of 6.93 percent, while the rest of the crypto market gives ground.
October 16, 2026 4:44 AM
Zcash holds $1,073 and takes back 14 percent from the low: where does ZEC stand now?
Zcash fell as far as $1,073.55 on 15 October 2026 and trades at around $1,224 again. Between the daily low and the daily high lay 16.6 percent, a range that decides more about leveraged positions, the holding period and custody than the closing level does.
October 15, 2026 10:25 AM
Zcash drops 13 percent to $1,089, the steepest fall in the top 25
Zcash loses around 13 percent within 24 hours to $1,089.72 and slips below the $1,100 mark. No other of the 25 largest cryptoassets gives up more on the day, while Monero loses just 2.3 percent.
October 12, 2026 10:31 AM
$1,332: Zcash is the only one of the ten largest coins with a weekly gain
Zcash stands at around $1,332, a good eight percent above the previous day. Among the ten largest cryptocurrencies, ZEC is the only one up over seven days. Two dates in October and November decide what holders have to settle beforehand.
October 10, 2026 10:44 AM
Top 3 Coins to Watch Next Week: These Altcoins Could Explode
Twelve of the top 17 coins closed the week in the red. These three didn't. Here are the altcoins to watch next week and the catalysts behind them.
October 6, 2026 10:36 PM
Buying Monero in Germany: six major exchanges no longer list XMR
On October 5, 2026, of eight trading venues checked only two still carry an XMR pair, and neither is open to German customers. MiCA Article 76(3) explains the delistings, and Article 79 of the anti-money-laundering regulation sets the tougher limit from July 10, 2027.
September 29, 2026 1:33 AM
Zcash falls 8.5 percent as open interest shrinks 13.5 percent: the level that decides
Zcash trades at around $1,464 on September 28, 2026, 8.5 percent below the previous day. Our own measurement of open interest on OKX shows a fall of 13.5 percent in 24 hours, so more leverage unwinding than price loss.
September 25, 2026 10:26 AM
Crypto Prices Today: Bitcoin Slides to $84,000 While Altcoins Rally Hard
Bitcoin trades near $84,000 after an 8% weekly drop while XRP, ADA and Zcash rally. Here is what is moving crypto prices today.
September 24, 2026 4:20 PM
Litecoin Jumps by Double Digits While the Market Falls: Check Buy Route, Holding Period and Leverage Now
Litecoin gains 11.29 percent in a day while Bitcoin, Ether and XRP give ground. What sits behind the jump, and the three points you as an investor in Germany should check right now.
September 21, 2026 7:25 PM
Litecoin Has an ETF, and Almost Nobody Uses It
Litecoin gains 11.5 percent. A spot ETF has traded on the Nasdaq since October 2025; at the end of June it held around $5.49 million. What that gap says about ETF expectations.
September 20, 2026 4:13 AM
Zcash Above $1,500: What ZEC Holders Should Check on Tax and Custody
Zcash rose above $1,500 on September 19 for the first time since 2016 and, after an intraday high of $1,590.80, trades back at around $1,474. For German holders three questions hang on that jump: the one-year holding period, the planned year-end cut-off and the EU anti-money-laundering regulation from July 2027.
September 19, 2026 4:34 AM
Monero Jumps 11 Percent to $575: What XMR Holders in Germany Should Check Now
Monero gained 11.19 percent in 24 hours and is outrunning the wider market. For German holders, however, the decisive date is July 10, 2027: from then on, authorized exchanges may no longer carry XMR.
September 18, 2026 5:29 PM
Bitcoin Price Reclaims $80,000 as the Entire Crypto Market Turns Green
Bitcoin is back above $80,000 after a 5.75% daily jump, and almost every major coin followed. Here is what is driving the move and which altcoins lead.
September 17, 2026 10:40 AM
Crypto News Today: Bitcoin Holds $76,000 After Fed Hike and CLARITY Act Collapse
The CLARITY Act died in the Senate, the Fed hiked for the first time since 2023, and Zcash ripped anyway. Here is the full crypto market update.
September 15, 2026 9:20 AM
Crypto Price Today: Bitcoin Stuck Near $77,000 as the Fed and the CLARITY Act Collide
Crypto prices barely moved today, but two events this week decide the next leg: the Senate CLARITY Act vote and a Fed meeting priced for a rate hike.
September 1, 2026 10:22 AM
Crypto News Today: Bitcoin Stalls While Zcash and Monero Steal the Show
Crypto news today: Bitcoin cools after its best week in three years, Saylor buys again, and privacy coins keep running. Here are the prices and levels.
August 24, 2026 12:34 AM
Is Monero a Good Buy at Current Prices?
As of 15 November 2026: Monero has fallen below its October low and just below the 200-day average, and the October breakout has not held. We check with our own price data what that means for buying at current prices.
August 1, 2026 12:56 PM
Crypto Prices Today: Bitcoin Holds $63,000 as Hyperliquid and Privacy Coins Break From the Pack
Bitcoin is down 28% this year and most majors are worse. Three assets are still green in 2026. Here is the full market picture today.
More from CryptoTicker