What could affect the price of ZEC?
Zcash is gaining momentum thanks to its privacy features but faces risks from price swings.
- Growing Privacy Demand – More institutions are interested, and concerns about government digital currencies are driving private transactions.
- Ecosystem Improvements – New technology for cross-chain use and protection against future hacking aim to push prices above $220.
- Upcoming Halving Event – In November 2025, the reward miners get will be cut in half, reducing supply and potentially testing a $300 price level.
Deep Dive
1. Privacy Renaissance (Positive for Price)
Overview: Zcash (ZEC) saw a 283% price increase in one month, partly due to Grayscale launching its Zcash Trust (U.Today) and investor Naval Ravikant calling ZEC an “insurance against Bitcoin.” Private, or “shielded,” transactions now make up 19% of all ZEC, totaling 3.06 million coins.
What this means: More people want private, untraceable payments, which could keep ZEC’s price higher compared to coins without privacy features. Historically, every 10% increase in private transactions has led to a 6-8% price rise over 30 days.
2. Technical Catalysts (Mixed Effects)
Overview: The Zashi CrossPay upgrade in September 2025 allowed private swaps between different blockchains, pushing daily trading volume to $423 million. The upcoming NU7 upgrade in early 2026 will add protection against future quantum computer attacks but may take time to be widely adopted.
What this means: These improvements make Zcash easier to use and more secure, supporting a price target around $221. However, technical indicators like the Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 93.64 suggest the coin might be overbought, as seen when 45% of gains on October 3 were lost the same day (CryptoPotato).
3. Halving Dynamics (Positive for Price)
Overview: The halving event in November 2025 will cut miner rewards from 3.125 to 1.5625 ZEC per block, reducing the daily amount miners sell by about $9.3 million at current prices.
What this means: Past halvings in 2016 and 2020 led to price increases between 170% and 400% within three months. Since miners hold 2.1 million ZEC (13% of circulating supply), less selling after the halving could push prices toward $318.
Conclusion
Zcash’s privacy features and upcoming halving suggest the price could rise to between $250 and $300. However, signs of overbuying and the European Union’s proposed ban on privacy coins in 2027 (CCN) add uncertainty. Watch for the NU7 testnet on October 15 and whether private transactions continue growing above 20%—this could signal a new era for privacy coins.
Will institutional investments through Grayscale’s ZCSH Trust balance out retail investors selling before the halving?
What are people saying about ZEC?
Zcash is gaining attention for its privacy features and recent price jumps. Here’s what’s happening:
- Entrepreneur Naval Ravikant calls ZEC “insurance against Bitcoin,” sparking excitement
- More people are using ZEC’s private transactions, especially with tools like NymVPN
- Despite big gains, some technical signs suggest caution
In-Depth Look
1. Naval Ravikant: “ZEC is insurance against Bitcoin” — Positive Signal
Naval Ravikant, a well-known entrepreneur, said on October 1, “Bitcoin is insurance against fiat. ZCash is insurance against Bitcoin.” This statement quickly spread online, highlighting Zcash as a way to protect your finances from surveillance.
– Naval’s post on X (formerly Twitter)
Why it matters: This idea positions Zcash as a smart addition to investment portfolios. After the statement, ZEC’s price jumped 27%.
2. NymVPN Uses ZEC for Private Payments — Positive Signal
Zcash now supports anonymous payments for NymVPN subscriptions through its shielded transactions, which keep both your payment and internet activity private. As of October 3, over 3 million ZEC (worth about $453 million) is held in these shielded pools.
– Nymproject’s post on X
Why it matters: This shows Zcash’s growing real-world use, which could keep demand strong. Shielded ZEC holdings have grown 15.5% month-over-month (Cointribune).
3. Technical Analysis: Big Gains but Warning Signs — Mixed Signal
A technical analyst noted that ZEC/BTC broke an 8-year downward trend, but the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is very high (83), which usually means the price might be too high and could drop soon.
– TraderButWhy’s post on X
Why it matters: While the long-term trend looks positive, the high RSI (76.7 over 14 days, per Bitrue) suggests a short-term price correction might happen.
Summary
The overall outlook for Zcash is optimistic but cautious. The growing interest in privacy and institutional support, like Grayscale’s ZEC Trust, balance concerns about the price being overextended. Keep an eye on the $161 price resistance and the growth in shielded transactions this week. Is this the moment privacy technology breaks out, or just a hype-driven price spike? The upcoming NU7 network upgrade on October 15, which adds quantum resistance, could be a key factor.
What is the latest news about ZEC?
Zcash is gaining strong momentum thanks to growing interest in privacy and institutional support, but technical indicators suggest it might be overbought. Here’s the latest update:
- Grayscale Zcash Trust Launches (October 4, 2025) – Accredited investors can now access shielded ZEC, boosting demand.
- Naval Ravikant Calls ZEC “Bitcoin Insurance” (October 2, 2025) – This endorsement helped spark a 150% price jump in one week.
- Daily RSI Hits 90, Warning of Overheating (October 3, 2025) – After a 170% weekly surge, a short-term price correction is possible.
Deep Dive
1. Grayscale Zcash Trust Launches (October 4, 2025)
What happened: Grayscale Investments introduced its Zcash Trust, allowing accredited investors to invest in shielded ZEC without directly managing the coins. This is similar to their Bitcoin and Ethereum trusts.
Why it matters: Institutional interest like this can help stabilize ZEC’s market over time. However, shares of this trust won’t be publicly traded until the SEC gives approval, so the immediate effect on the market is limited. (The Defiant)
2. Naval Ravikant Calls ZEC “Bitcoin Insurance” (October 2, 2025)
What happened: Well-known investor Naval Ravikant tweeted that Zcash acts as “insurance against Bitcoin,” pointing to risks from central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and Bitcoin’s transparent ledger. Following this, ZEC’s price jumped 150% in a week, reaching $154.
Why it matters: This endorsement boosted retail investor interest, but data shows about $21 million worth of ZEC was sold on exchanges, indicating some investors are taking profits, which could slow further gains. (AMBCrypto)
3. Daily RSI Hits 90, Warning of Overheating (October 3, 2025)
What happened: The Relative Strength Index (RSI), a tool that measures if an asset is overbought or oversold, hit 90 for ZEC—the highest since 2021. At the same time, open interest in ZEC futures rose 38% to $19.3 million.
Why it matters: An RSI this high often signals the price may soon pull back. Technical analysis suggests support around $115 (a 22% drop from current levels), but if ZEC stays above $140, the rally could continue. (CryptoNews)
Conclusion
Zcash’s recent surge is driven by growing institutional interest and renewed focus on privacy, especially amid global discussions about CBDCs. However, technical signals and profit-taking suggest caution in the short term. The key question is whether ZEC’s privacy features will make it a reliable long-term hedge or if short-term price swings will dominate.
What is expected in the development of ZEC?
Zcash’s upcoming plans focus on improving privacy, updating governance, and growing its ecosystem.
- Third Halving (November 2025) – Miner rewards will be cut in half, reducing the number of new ZEC coins entering circulation.
- NU7 Network Upgrade (Q4 2025) – Introduces protection against future quantum computer threats and speeds up private transactions.
- Development Funding Vote (November 2025) – The community will decide how to fund ongoing development after 2025.
In-Depth Look
1. Third Halving (November 2025)
What it is: Every four years, Zcash reduces the rewards miners receive for validating transactions. In November 2025, rewards will drop from 3.125 ZEC to 1.5625 ZEC per block, similar to Bitcoin’s approach to controlling supply.
Why it matters: This reduction makes ZEC more scarce, which could increase its value if demand stays strong. However, miners will earn less, which might temporarily affect the network’s security.
2. NU7 Network Upgrade (Q4 2025)
What it is: This upgrade will add quantum-resistant technology called Halo 2, which protects Zcash against future quantum computer attacks. It will also make private (shielded) transactions faster. This follows the recent Zashi CrossPay update that enabled swapping coins across different blockchains (AMBCrypto).
Why it matters: Adding quantum resistance helps secure Zcash for the future. Faster private transactions could encourage more people to use Zcash’s privacy features, but wider adoption depends on exchanges and wallets supporting these features.
3. Development Funding Vote (November 2025)
What it is: The Zcash community will vote on six proposals to replace the current funding system, which uses 20% of mining rewards to support development and grants (CoinMarketCap).
Why it matters: If funding stops, development could slow down, impacting innovation. Renewing funding could boost growth, especially for projects like Maya Protocol that enable cross-chain decentralized finance (DeFi) features.
Conclusion
Zcash’s near future depends on the upcoming halving, security upgrades, and community decisions on funding. Its long-term success will rely on balancing privacy benefits with regulatory challenges. As concerns about government digital currencies (CBDCs) and surveillance grow, Zcash’s private transactions could become more popular.
What updates are there in the ZEC code base?
Zcash’s recent software updates focus on improving privacy, ease of use, and scalability.
- Zcashd 6.3.0 Release (August 1, 2025) – A required upgrade that boosts node security and stability.
- Zashi Wallet 2.0.3 (May 21, 2025) – Added cross-chain swaps and redesigned the user experience for private transactions.
- BTC Pay Server Plugin (July 13, 2025) – Enabled merchants to accept shielded ZEC payments.
Deep Dive
1. Zcashd 6.3.0 Release (August 1, 2025)
Overview: This mandatory update fixed important security issues and improved performance for Zcash network nodes. Users had to upgrade by August 6, 2025, when support for the previous version ended.
Key improvements include using less memory for private (shielded) transactions and faster syncing of blockchain data. It also fixed small bugs to keep the network running smoothly.
What this means: This is positive for ZEC because it makes the network more reliable and secure, reducing the chance of downtime or attacks. It also lowers the hardware requirements for node operators, which could encourage more people to run nodes and support the network.
(ElectricCoinCo)
2. Zashi Wallet 2.0.3 (May 21, 2025)
Overview: This update focused on enabling cross-chain swaps using Near Intents, allowing users to exchange ZEC with other cryptocurrencies more easily. The wallet’s interface for shielded transactions was also redesigned for better usability. It now works with decentralized exchanges like Maya DEX to improve liquidity for ZEC.
What this means: This is good news for ZEC because easier cross-chain swaps make it simpler for users to maintain privacy while trading. The improved user experience could attract new users, and integration with decentralized exchanges expands ZEC’s use beyond just privacy-focused transactions.
(CoinMarketCap)
3. BTC Pay Server Plugin (July 13, 2025)
Overview: A new plugin was created to allow merchants to accept shielded ZEC payments through BTC Pay Server, a popular payment platform. It currently supports Sapling addresses, with support for Orchard addresses coming soon.
What this means: This is neutral for ZEC right now because its impact depends on how many merchants start using it. Still, it shows Zcash’s commitment to real-world privacy applications, especially in commerce.
(Nym)
Conclusion
Zcash’s recent updates highlight improvements in security, cross-chain compatibility, and merchant adoption—important steps toward making privacy coins more accessible and practical. With the upcoming NU7 quantum-resistant upgrade, Zcash could strengthen its position as a leading privacy coin in 2026.
Why did the price of ZEC go up?
Zcash (ZEC) increased by 3.88% in the last 24 hours, continuing a strong 7-day gain of 154% and a 30-day rise of 260%. The main reasons behind this growth are:
- Institutional interest sparked by Grayscale’s launch of the Zcash Trust (Grayscale)
- Technical breakout above important resistance levels (with RSI over 90 indicating the asset might be overbought)
- Overall market momentum as Bitcoin nears all-time highs and privacy-focused cryptocurrencies gain attention
Deep Dive
1. Institutional Adoption (Positive Influence)
What happened: On October 2, Grayscale introduced its Zcash Trust (ZCSH), allowing accredited investors to invest in ZEC without having to hold the coins themselves. This is similar to Grayscale’s Bitcoin Trust, which has attracted billions from big investors.
Why it matters: Institutional investment products like this make it easier for large investors to get involved, increasing demand for ZEC. After the launch, ZEC’s daily trading volume jumped to $1.28 billion, a 300% increase, according to CoinMarketCap. Since ZEC is less actively traded than Bitcoin or Ethereum, these large trades can have a bigger impact on its price.
What to watch: Continued investment into the Zcash Trust and any moves toward turning it into an ETF could further boost demand.
2. Technical Momentum (Mixed Signals)
What happened: On October 4, ZEC’s price broke above $142.87, a key resistance level based on the Fibonacci retracement tool. The Relative Strength Index (RSI), which measures how overbought or oversold an asset is, hit 93.64 over 7 days — the highest since 2021. The MACD indicator also shows strong bullish momentum.
Why it matters: An RSI above 90 often signals that a correction or pullback might happen soon. For example, in 2022, ZEC’s price dropped 20% after reaching a similar RSI level. However, if buying continues, price targets based on Fibonacci extensions suggest ZEC could reach $210.
What to watch: If ZEC’s price falls below $123.33, it could trigger profit-taking and a short-term price drop.
3. Privacy Narrative Revival (Positive Influence)
What happened: ZEC’s recent rally is connected to growing concerns about central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and increased surveillance. A popular quote from investor Naval Ravikant calling Zcash “insurance against Bitcoin” has helped position ZEC as a privacy-focused alternative.
Why it matters: Privacy coins like ZEC tend to gain interest when there’s uncertainty about regulation and privacy. Searches for “privacy coins” hit record levels on October 1, according to Coinspeaker. About 20% of ZEC’s supply uses shielded transactions, which hide transaction details, and these are now compatible with cross-chain decentralized exchanges like THORSwap, increasing ZEC’s usefulness.
Conclusion
ZEC’s recent price surge is driven by a combination of growing institutional interest, strong technical momentum, and renewed demand for privacy-focused cryptocurrencies. While the outlook is positive, overbought technical signals and relatively low trading volume mean the price could be volatile.
What to watch: Can ZEC stay above $142.87 as Bitcoin approaches $130,000? Keep an eye on investment flows into the Grayscale Trust and hourly RSI levels to spot changes in momentum.