Zcash and Monero Surge as Bitcoin and Ethereum Lag

Zcash and Monero emerged as the top performers among major cryptocurrencies over the past 24 hours, with Bitcoin and Ethereum showing little movement. Zcash (ZEC) has seen a remarkable year-to-date gain of over 700%, trading between $1,300 and $1,370 in early October 2026. The coin reached an all-time high near $1,699 on September 26, 2026, before pulling back slightly.

Monero (XMR) is priced around $560, also showing positive yearly gains. It hit its peak at approximately $801 in January 2026 and is now working its way back toward that mark. Privacy coins as a group have surged 205% since April 2026, adding approximately $24.5 billion in market capitalization over a five-month stretch ending in late September 2026.

Grayscale launched its ZCSH ETF on NYSE Arca on August 25, 2026, attracting hundreds of millions in inflows initially. However, recent weeks have seen some outflows as the price swung around. The outflows are notable because ETF money tends to chase momentum, and ZEC's retreat from its September high and the fund's recent redemptions likely feed into each other.

Zcash also underwent a technical upgrade, known as NU7, which activated faster blocks at 25-second intervals in early October 2026. Monero, known for its stronger reputation among privacy purists, faces pressure from potential delistings despite ongoing use in decentralized transactions. Unlike Zcash, Monero has no comparable ETF product to support it.

Bitcoin is currently trading below its October 2025 peak, and Ethereum has been similarly listless. The broader takeaway is that the ETF effect is significant but not one-sided. Regulated access appears to be the key factor in attracting mainstream capital to privacy assets, with institutional money amplifying both rallies and drawdowns.