Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies Zcash and Monero outperformed major assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum over the last 24 hours. As of early October 2026, Zcash trades between $1,300 and $1,370, marking a year-to-date increase exceeding 700%. The asset reached an all-time high of approximately $1,699 on September 26, 2026.
Monero currently trades near $560, following a peak of about $801 in January 2026. The broader privacy coin sector has grown by 205% since April 2026, adding roughly $24.5 billion in market capitalization during the five months ending in late September 2026.
Grayscale introduced the ZCSH ETF on NYSE Arca on August 25, 2026. While the fund initially saw significant inflows, recent price volatility has led to outflows. Additionally, the Zcash network implemented the NU7 upgrade in early October 2026, which reduced block intervals to 25 seconds.
Market analysts note that while Zcash benefits from regulated ETF access, Monero remains popular among privacy purists due to its default transaction privacy. However, Monero continues to face potential delisting risks and lacks a comparable ETF product to support its liquidity.
