- Zcash surged 15% to $362 after Arthur Hayes repeated his bold $10K price prediction.
- Trading volume jumped 45%, fueled by rising demand for privacy coins and shielded transactions.
- Some traders warn the rally may be hype-driven, questioning Hayes’ influence and long-term fundamentals.
Zcash (ZEC) is on fire again. The privacy coin jumped 15% in just over a day, hitting $362 after BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes once more dropped his now-famous prediction: ZEC to $10,000. His post on X simply read, “nothing stops this train,” reigniting speculation across the crypto community. Trading volume also spiked 45% to nearly $800 million as traders piled in.
Hayes’ $10K Call Reignites the Zcash Frenzy
This isn’t the first time Hayes has fueled a rally. Last week, a similar comment from him sent ZEC up 30% in one day. His $10,000 target represents a massive 2,677% upside from current levels — meaning a $100 investment could, in theory, turn into more than $267,000 if the call ever came true. Whether that’s optimism or overhype depends on who you ask, but the excitement has clearly returned to the privacy coin space.
Privacy Coins Back in the Spotlight
The rally lines up with growing global interest in privacy-focused crypto as concerns about government surveillance mount. ZEC’s shielded supply rose 13% in October, now exceeding 4.9 million ZEC, while private transactions climbed 36% month-over-month. That activity suggests users are genuinely engaging with the technology — not just trading on hype. Privacy advocates say Zcash’s zk-SNARKs tech, which keeps transaction details hidden, could see renewed relevance as data control becomes a bigger public issue.
Doubts Linger Over the Rally’s Sustainability
Still, not everyone’s buying into the hype. Some analysts think the move looks more like influencer-fueled speculation than organic growth.
Critics point to Hayes’ history of hyping tokens before major selloffs and warn this might follow the same pattern. Others note that Zcash has had similar surges before, only to retrace once the buzz fades. While ZEC’s recent performance is impressive, the big question remains — is this the start of a long-term trend, or just another quick spike on crypto’s roller coaster?
