- Zcash price doubled in a year, up 92% to $56 as demand for privacy coins grows.
- Influential figures like Helius CEO Mert and Cake Wallet’s Vik Sharma are actively backing ZEC.
- Cross-chain integration with NEAR and wallet upgrades boost adoption while Monero faces network issues.
Zcash has quietly doubled in price over the past year, climbing from $29 to $56, as the conversation around financial privacy grows louder in the crypto industry. Once seen as a niche project, ZEC is suddenly back in the spotlight with strong support from high-profile voices and improved adoption through cross-chain integrations. With a 92% annual gain, the privacy-focused coin is now testing levels not seen in years, and analysts suggest its breakout may just be beginning.
Industry Leaders Push ZEC Into the Spotlight
One of the biggest drivers of renewed attention is Mert, CEO of Helius and a well-known Solana advocate. With nearly 260,000 followers, Mert has been publicly championing Zcash as essential for financial freedom, even calling it superior to Monero in terms of privacy properties. Other influencers like Ignas, Looposhi, and Cake Wallet founder Vik Sharma have also joined in, amplifying the ZEC narrative across Crypto Twitter. This growing wave of endorsement is helping push Zcash back into the mainstream conversation, positioning it as the leading privacy coin.
Technical Strength and Cross-Chain Adoption
The technology backing Zcash has also earned fresh respect. Bryan Gillespie, a mathematician and cryptographer, praised Zcash’s zero-knowledge proof system as one of the strongest formal protocols in crypto. At the same time, new integrations are improving usability: Zcash was added to NEAR Intents for cross-chain operations spanning 20 blockchains, while Zashi wallet upgrades are making private payments easier for retail users. These developments have bolstered adoption just as Monero faces network instability, giving ZEC an opening to capture more market share.
Price Outlook: More Upside Ahead?
Zcash is now the 84th largest crypto by market cap and the second-largest privacy coin, trailing only Monero. But with Monero’s ecosystem under stress, ZEC has a chance to extend its rally further. Traders are watching resistance around $61, which ZEC tapped briefly this week, as a potential launchpad for the next leg higher. If industry support and new integrations continue to accelerate, Zcash could transition from a niche privacy asset into a core holding for investors looking to hedge against growing financial surveillance.
