ZEC is rewriting the rules: from near delisting to a 400% moonshot, the “invisible Bitcoin” is suddenly crypto’s most visible comeback story.
Zcash (ZEC) — the privacy-first altcoin built on Bitcoin’s codebase — is staging one of crypto’s most dramatic comebacks. After languishing below $100 for years, ZEC has exploded over 433% in the past month, reclaiming its spot in market conversations and proving that the cypherpunk dream isn’t dead — it’s just been hiding.
Founded in 2016 as a Bitcoin-compatible network offering full transactional privacy via zero-knowledge proofs, Zcash was once a darling of the early crypto era. It hit $3,000 in 2018, then crashed and flatlined near $15 in mid-2024, flirting with delisting from Binance.
But this time, the comeback is grounded in tech, not nostalgia. Upgrades from the Electric Coin Company (ECC) under Project Tachyon, plus the rollout of the Zashi wallet, have turned ZEC into a modern privacy infrastructure play — and institutional traders are paying attention.
No revival is complete without a catalyst. Enter Arthur Hayes, BitMEX co-founder and liquidity connoisseur. Hayes revealed that ZEC is now Maelstrom’s second-largest position after Bitcoin, calling it “the ultimate anti-ETF coin.”
Zcash’s surge — more than 340% in a single month — made it the top-performing major altcoin of late 2025. Hayes even threw out a wild projection: “ZEC to $10,000” — a nod to growing confidence in privacy assets as a hedge against centralized surveillance and government data dragnets.
“Privacy isn’t a luxury; it’s the next frontier of financial sovereignty,” — Arthur Hayes
Zcash’s secret weapon has always been zk-SNARKs, cryptographic proofs that enable fully shielded transactions. Over 30% of all ZEC is now transacted privately, reducing liquid supply and tightening market dynamics.
Key upgrades under Project Tachyon improved scalability and transaction finality, while the Zashi wallet simplified shielded transfers — making privacy usable, not just theoretical.
ZEC has also expanded beyond its own chain:
“Zashi made Zcash usable. Tachyon made it fast. Together, they made it relevant again.” — Galaxy Research
As Bitcoin becomes increasingly ETF-driven and custodial, Zcash is becoming its philosophical opposite — a store of value that hides itself.
Institutional desks, particularly in Asia and Europe, are testing privacy allocations as part of multi-asset strategies. Regulatory risks remain, but the market narrative has shifted: privacy is a feature, not a crime.
Analysts see support between $500–$520 and resistance near $600, with targets up to $1,000 if momentum holds.
ZEC’s surge isn’t just price action — it’s a statement. In a market dominated by compliance and visibility, Zcash represents resistance through math.
Its deflationary supply (21 million ZEC, like Bitcoin) and hardened network make it one of the few Proof-of-Work holdouts in a Proof-of-Stake world.
If this cycle truly values sovereignty over speculation, Zcash may become the most relevant “old coin” of the new crypto era.
Zcash (ZEC) is up 433% in a month, powered by ECC’s Project Tachyon, the Zashi wallet, and a new wave of institutional privacy adoption. Arthur Hayes calls it his second-largest position and predicts a $10K future. More than a comeback — it’s a cultural countertrend: privacy as performance.
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