Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies gained 213% since October 2025, sharply outperforming Bitcoin and most major crypto sectors, according to Glassnode data. The sector also climbed 90% during the past 30 days, making privacy coins the strongest-performing category in the market over that period. Bitcoin remains 36% below its October peak.
Meanwhile, the median top-200 cryptocurrency sits 58% below its high from the same period. DeFi, Layer 1, AI, RWA, memecoins, and Layer 2 assets also remain below those peaks.
Zcash delivered the largest gain within the group. ZEC rose 2,496% over the past year and moved from No. 82 to No. 7 by market capitalization. The token now represents about 62% of the privacy sector's total value. Grayscale also launched its Zcash ETF on August 25, expanding institutional access to the asset.
The fund attracted about USD 34.4 million in net inflows by September 4 as ZEC moved above USD 1,000. At the same time, Zcash mining activity increased. Network computing power rose from about 25 GSol/s in late August to more than 30 GSol/s. Futures open interest also reached approximately USD 2.3 billion, according to Coinpaper.
This leverage increases the market's sensitivity to sudden price swings and potential liquidations. However, Glassnode data shows that the wider privacy trade extends beyond Zcash.
Also Read: Dash Gains 43.61% as Privacy Coins Rally While Bitcoin Slips
The privacy basket excluding ZEC has gained 85% over one year. It has also risen 56% since Bitcoin reached its October 2025 peak, according to Glassnode. Monero has doubled in value over the past year and broke above USD 600 after leaving a multi-year trading range. Dash and Horizen also beat Bitcoin over the past 90 days.
Earlier in 2026, Dash gained 71% alongside advances in Monero, Decred, and Horizen. More recently, privacy coins again led as Bitcoin moved above USD 81,000. ZEC and DASH ranked among the strongest movers during that broader market advance. Glassnode also found that every privacy asset with at least one year of trading history remained positive.
All eight qualifying privacy assets posted gains over the period. By comparison, only about one in eight cryptocurrencies within the top 200 achieved the same result. The sector's rapid gains have also increased volatility risk. Large price moves over short periods can produce sharper reversals, especially as leveraged futures positions continue to build.