Emre Yumlu 
Zcash (ZEC) has surged nearly 55% in the past 24 hours, significantly outperforming the broader crypto market’s modest gains. This sharp rally is driven by several factors, including institutional adoption, DeFi integrations, and growing demand for privacy-focused assets.
Institutional Adoption on the Rise
One of the main catalysts behind ZEC’s recent rally is the reopening of Grayscale’s Zcash Trust. This investment vehicle allows accredited investors to gain regulated exposure to ZEC without directly holding the asset.
Key Highlights:
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The reopening of Grayscale Trust provides large investors with a safer and more accessible way to invest in ZEC.
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Rising discussions around privacy and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are fueling greater interest in privacy coins.
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ZEC’s market cap jumped 150% in a week, while trading volume spiked from around $100 million to $1.27 billion.
If institutional demand continues to expand, discussions around potential ZEC-based ETFs may come into play.
DeFi and Privacy Use Cases
DeFi integrations are also playing a major role in ZEC’s growth. The recent ThorSwap integration has enabled cross-chain swaps, allowing ZEC holders to transact privately across networks such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.
Additional developments include:
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NymVPN partnership, where ZEC is being increasingly used for privacy-focused subscription payments.
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Currently, private transactions account for around 20% of the circulating ZEC supply, reinforcing its strong privacy narrative.
Grayscale’s Statement on ZEC
Grayscale emphasized ZEC’s unique positioning, stating:
“Zcash is similar to Bitcoin in its design, but it leverages privacy technology that encrypts transaction details and allows users to shield their assets. Grayscale Zcash Trust has reopened for private placement to accredited investors.”
.@Zcash is similar to Bitcoin in its design. Zcash $ZEC was created from the original Bitcoin code base, but it uses a privacy technology that encrypts transaction information and allows users to shield their assets.
Grayscale Zcash Trust is open for private placement for… pic.twitter.com/gzPmQRiZl5
— Grayscale (@Grayscale) October 1, 2025
This announcement underscores growing institutional trust and confidence in ZEC as a long-term digital asset.
What is Zcash (ZEC)?
Launched in 2016 as a fork of Bitcoin’s codebase, Zcash is a blockchain network built with a strong focus on privacy. It utilizes Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP), a cryptographic technique that allows two parties to verify information without revealing the underlying data.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
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