2026-01-09 05:25:40

When it comes to the privacy track in the crypto market, the past few years have been full of controversy. On one side is blockchain's pursuit of transparency, and on the other side, the genuine need for privacy in financial transactions, business data, and personal security.

This year, the situation is different. Institutional investors are gradually participating, regulatory frameworks are becoming clearer, and cryptographic technologies like zero-knowledge proofs are maturing. The entire privacy track has evolved from early adversarial anonymity to a more systematic, flexible, and compliant infrastructure. In simple terms, privacy is shifting from a black-and-white controversial topic to an essential foundational requirement in crypto finance.

The most noticeable changes are from a monetary perspective. Since the second half of 2025, traditional privacy assets like Zcash and Monero have performed remarkably well. Zcash's surge has been especially strong—its highest increase this year approaching 1100%, with its market cap temporarily surpassing Monero. This is not small retail speculation; it reflects the market re-evaluating the value of optional privacy and compliance flexibility.

On the technical side, upgrades are also underway. Early privacy projects mainly focused on one thing: hiding transaction paths. Monero, early Zcash, and Tornado Cash all followed this approach. Now, privacy infrastructure is evolving toward more complex and feature-rich solutions.

ZEC9,57%

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TokenVelocity

· 1h ago

It has taken so long for zk technology to break through, and finally someone understands it. Compliance and privacy are truly essential for the future. Institutional entry is a signal; the turning point from privacy as opposition to privacy as infrastructure is crucial. The surge in Zcash is definitely not a coincidence; the market is voting. I've long said Monero is too extreme, but optional privacy is the right path. Who is losing in the trend of privacy financial infrastructure? From anonymous coins to the elevation of privacy layers, it's awesome. Last year, some people criticized privacy coins as money laundering tools, and now they are in vogue. With a clear compliance framework, the privacy track is alive; this cycle is different. zk zero-knowledge proofs are finally being used in large-scale scenarios.

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MetaNeighbor

· 01-09 15:00

I've been optimistic about the privacy sector for a long time, and finally it's my turn to shine. Doubling ZEC is really exciting. The next step might be to look into other projects within the privacy ecosystem.

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EyeOfTheTokenStorm

· 01-09 05:47

ZEC's recent 1100% surge, to be honest, exceeded expectations. From a quantitative perspective, it indeed triggered a rebound from a historical bottoming pattern, but the question is—do institutions really believe in the privacy compliance narrative? Or is this just another hype before a new round of profit-taking? I am optimistic about the long-term logic of the privacy sector, but the current risk of jumping in is a bit high. I recommend everyone to first focus on trading volume and holding structure, and not to be blinded by short-term gains.

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RuntimeError

· 01-09 05:39

The recent surge in ZEC's price is truly outrageous, but to be honest, we still need to be cautious of regulatory risks.

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metaverse_hermit

· 01-09 05:37

ZEC has surged 1100%. This time, we really can't hold back anymore. I've always said privacy is a necessity. Now institutions are starting to buy the dip. The compliant privacy track is the future.

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consensus_whisperer

· 01-09 05:30

ZK technology has finally matured, turning privacy from opposition into infrastructure. This turning point is quite interesting. It was about time. Zcash's 1100% surge is well-deserved, and institutional entry is a signal. Can privacy and compliance coexist? This is truly the breakthrough for Web3. Monero has been surpassed, which is a bit surprising but also reasonable. Opt-in privacy indeed has a larger market. From anonymity as opposition to infrastructure—this story is told clearly. The real question is whether it can last long-term.

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GasGasGasBro

· 01-09 05:27

zec this wave is really incredible, a 1100% increase has truly dazzled me Compliance and privacy should have come earlier; the previous adversarial approach was too primitive How did Monero get overtaken? That's interesting Privacy needs have always been there; now it's just that institutional money is finally entering Tornado Cash was really naive back then Zero-knowledge proofs are indeed impressive; they finally come in handy This round is played by serious institutions, not just small investors speculating randomly From controversy to infrastructure, the privacy track has truly evolved 1100%... what the heck... should I add more to zec? Can privacy and regulation be compatible? I thought it was more complicated before

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SybilAttackVictim

· 01-09 05:26

Wow, ZEC has surged 1100%. It was heavily suppressed before, and now that institutions are entering, it's clear that privacy can never go back to how it was.

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