Zcash (ZEC) has seen a remarkable surge of 30% in just 24 hours, following a bold prediction made by Arthur Hayes, the co-founder of BitMEX. Hayes suggested that this privacy-focused cryptocurrency could potentially reach an astounding $10,000. This speculation catalyzed a wave of buying activity, driving ZEC’s price from $272 to a peak of $355 shortly after his post on X.
Hayes issued this optimistic forecast in a tweet on October 26, 2025, labeled as a “vibe check.” His remarks quickly ignited excitement across trader communities, resulting in significant buying sprees that rapidly elevated Zcash’s position in the market.
In a stunning performance, Zcash surged by 490% over the past month, successfully crossing a market cap threshold of $5 billion for the first time in its history. This dramatic spike occurred in tandem with heightened interest from traders, some of whom attributed this momentum to Hayes’ endorsement. Crypto trader AB Kuai Dong highlighted that such backing from a renowned figure like Hayes instigated a flurry of trading activity.
Amidst the growing buzz in crypto social media, traders began to express their own experiences with FOMO, with one user, Clemente, admitting to joining the rally because the excitement was simply too compelling to resist.
During this thrilling period, Zcash outperformed its peers in the top 50 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, consolidating its position as a frontrunner. Arthur Hayes has a history of influencing token prices; for instance, at the WebX 2025 conference, he forecasted a massive increase for Hyperliquid’s HYPE token, resulting in a notable price jump.
Interest in Privacy Tokens
The resurgent interest in Zcash could suggest a broader trend towards privacy-focused cryptocurrencies. Some analysts believe that this rally is reflective of increasing public concern over privacy due to government initiatives limiting encryption technologies. Zcash, launched in October 2016 after nearly a decade of development, leverages an encrypted ledger and zero-knowledge proofs to ensure transaction privacy. Users have the flexibility to choose between transparent transactions or fully shielded ones, which protect the identities of the sender and receiver as well as the transaction amount.
Other privacy coins also experienced gains during this rally. Monero, currently the leading privacy cryptocurrency by market value, saw a 3.6% increase, trading at $346 despite its delisting or restriction on several major exchanges, including Binance and OKX.
Technical Trends Support the Surge
From a technical perspective, analysts have pointed to various patterns signifying potential upward momentum for Zcash. Technical analyst Lennaert Snyder noted that Zcash has been consistently testing the $305 resistance level, with catalysts such as a new Grayscale trust launch and an upcoming halving event driving interest. In addition, another analyst, Clifton FX, identified an ascending triangle pattern on the 8-hour chart, which could signal further price appreciation should a breakout occur.
A current assessment of the token shows it trading at $333.77, with traders closely monitoring the support level at $281.35. While the surge is notable, some analysts are advising caution, noting that a high Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 79 indicates that Zcash may be entering overbought territory, suggesting potential for a correction due to buyer fatigue.
As traders keep a watchful eye on market dynamics, the recent resurgence of Zcash underscores the ever-evolving landscape of cryptocurrency investments, with privacy coins garnering renewed attention amid growing demand for transactional anonymity.
