Zcash Soars Over 450% in October Amid Privacy Hype

12th October 2025 – Zcash (ZEC), the privacy-focused layer-1 blockchain, has posted one of the strongest rallies in its history, climbing over 450% from late September lows to reach a multi-year high of $297 on October 11. The explosive surge, which outpaced Bitcoin and the broader crypto market, has catapulted ZEC to the top of the performance charts for privacy coins in 2025.

Despite a sharp intra-day correction caused by market-wide panic following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of new tariffs on China, ZEC rebounded quickly, underscoring its newfound momentum and investor interest.

Timeline of a Historic Pump

The rally began in late September as ZEC broke out from an eight-year downtrend, rising from $50 to $153 by October 1. That move triggered further bullish interest, culminating in a 100%+ single-day spike on October 2, even as Bitcoin dipped briefly to $106,000.

Over the next week, ZEC’s price continued to climb, peaking at $297 on October 11 – marking its highest level since April 2022. The coin has since consolidated around $277, showing signs of stability amid broader market volatility.

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Key Drivers Behind the Surge

Several factors contributed to Zcash’s meteoric rise:

• Institutional Access: The launch of Grayscale’s Zcash Trust (ZCSH) on October 2 marked a major milestone, offering traditional investors easier exposure to the asset. The announcement coincided with a surge in ZEC futures volume on platforms like Hyperliquid, which saw $1.28 billion in trading.
• Privacy Narrative Revival: Renewed concerns over CBDCs and financial surveillance, especially in the EU, have pushed demand for privacy-preserving assets. ZEC’s shielded transactions hit all-time highs, with over 20% of total supply now shielded—strengthening its positioning as “encrypted Bitcoin” for DeFi and cross-border use.
• Social Media Endorsements: Influential figures such as Naval Ravikant and Mert Mumtaz voiced strong support for ZEC. Ravikant described Zcash as “insurance against Bitcoin,” sparking increased interest and awareness. Zcash-related social media activity spiked 1,000%, according to Messari.
• Technical Breakout: From a charting perspective, ZEC broke a long-standing cup-and-handle formation, confirmed a bullish MACD crossover, and is now trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Its Relative Strength Index (RSI) hit 79—indicating overbought conditions, but also strong momentum.

Trump Tariff Shock and Market Response

On October 11, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on Chinese imports, citing Beijing’s planned export controls on rare earth minerals. The announcement rattled global markets, causing a $20 billion crypto liquidation event.

Zcash briefly plummeted to $150 but rebounded within 24 hours—outperforming Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana, which all posted double-digit losses. ZEC’s quick recovery reinforced its relative strength and solidified its place as one of October’s breakout assets.

Risks and Road Ahead

Despite the bullish momentum, analysts have flagged several risks:

• The RSI remains high, raising the possibility of a near-term pullback to the $200–$230 range.
• Regulatory pressure on privacy coins remains a long-term concern, especially as exchanges have previously delisted ZEC in certain jurisdictions.
• Zcash adoption still lags behind competitors like Monero, with only ~20% of the circulating supply in shielded pools.
• Some fear the rally may echo past ZEC pumps, which were followed by prolonged bear markets.

Still, with technical upgrades like the NU6.1 release and Zashi wallet improvements on the horizon, Zcash appears better positioned than in prior cycles. If privacy becomes a dominant narrative in the next market leg, ZEC could continue to play a leading role.

The Talk

Real voices. Real reactions.

KOLsMediaCommunity

Same guy built Zcash. Same guy built Starknet. If you don’t see the pattern, you might need a zero-knowledge proof to verify your bags. https://t.co/EF9WWRy307

Mercek

@WorldOfMercek

11 days ago

The difference between bitcoin and Zcash according to chatGPT https://t.co/icJ95HTM3Q

Thor Torrens

@ThorTorrens

about 24 hours ago

Everything’s red And then there is Zcash https://t.co/9TPEuhgmVv

TylerD 🧙‍♂️

@Tyler_Did_It

1 day ago

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