Zcash leads Q4 privacy rally – Analyst foresees ZEC at $1,000

The broader crypto market reversed most of its earlier positive factors in 2025, however privateness cash, led by Zcash [ZEC], dominated the narrative all through the second half of the yr. 

In keeping with asset supervisor Grayscale, the highest 20 performers in This autumn have been privateness cash, together with ZEC, Monero [XMR], Sprint [DASH], and others. 

Past investor positive factors, ZEC and privateness cash additionally dominated in social mindshare, noted Grayscale. 

“Tokens on this theme dominated in mindshare, suggesting that worth efficiency was pushed at the very least partially by energy in narrative momentum. This coincided with rising utilization throughout a number of privateness networks, together with Zcash and Sprint.”

Supply: Grayscale

In This autumn, ZEC posted positive factors of over 600%, adopted by DASH at 218%. XMR noticed a 48% rally over the identical interval. 

For many consultants, together with companions at a famend enterprise capital agency, a16z, privateness would be the ‘most vital moat in crypto.’ If the narrative extends into 2026, then ZEC might prolong its positive factors. 

Can ZEC hit $1000?

Price mentioning, nevertheless, that ZEC’s positive factors weren’t that clean and have been one of the vital risky crypto belongings in This autumn.

After exploding over 1000% in October and tagging a file excessive of $751, the coin slumped by half to $320 by early December. 

At press time, it had reversed some losses and traded at $539, about 35% away from its all-time excessive (ATH). 

Supply: ZEC/USDT, TradingView

However can it double from right here and cross $1000? In keeping with a pseudonymous analyst, Anonymist, the goal was reachable forward of an inevitable provide squeeze. 

The consumer said that, out of the present ZEC circulation of 16 million cash, about 5 million are shielded and might not be freely accessible for buying and selling. That would depart 10 million ZEC for the market. He added, 

“As worth continues to extend, the tradable provide is being squeezed, with exchanges holding fewer and fewer ‘free cash’. I challenge that at a worth of round $1,000, there could also be solely round 8-9M tradable cash.”

Supply: X/Anonymist 

Nonetheless, on the time of writing, prediction web site Polymarket was pricing a 30% likelihood that Zcash might hit $1,000.

In reality, in accordance with CoinGlass data, 70% of Binance’s prime merchants have been shorting the asset, underscoring bearish sentiment amongst some gamers.  

Nonetheless, a rising accumulation within the spot markets might drive the Zcash restoration within the close to time period. 

Closing Ideas

• The privateness phase was probably the most risky and the top-performing narrative in This autumn 2025, led by Zcash. 
• Analyst projected that Zcash might double to $1000, citing a pending provide squeeze.