Ahmet Bedirhan Arvas 
As Zcash continues its rapid rise, it has surpassed two major projects to claim the 13th spot in the total market cap rankings. The projects overtaken by Zcash include Stellar (XLM), a blockchain designed to facilitate fast, secure, and low-cost cross-border payments, and Bitcoin Cash (BCH), a decentralized cryptocurrency created for fast and low-cost peer-to-peer transactions.
What is Zcash (ZEC)?
Created in 2016 through a fork of Bitcoin’s codebase, it was developed to support anonymous transactions using zero-knowledge proofs. It employs zk-SNARKs, a cryptographic method that verifies transactions without revealing sensitive information, encrypting the sender, receiver, and transaction amount to ensure financial privacy.
Unlike fully transparent blockchains like Bitcoin, it allows users to choose between shielded addresses for privacy or transparent addresses for audit purposes. This flexibility appeals to both privacy advocates and regulated institutions.
For a more detailed analysis, read: How High Can Zcash Price Go in November?
Why is Zcash (ZEC) Rising?
ZEC has surged over 50% in just one week despite the spread of negative news and FUD, drawing the full attention of the market. With this rally, its market capitalization has reached $9.75 million, placing it 13th in the total market cap rankings. Among privacy coins, Zcash now holds the highest market value, surpassing Monero with an impressive annual increase of 1,172%.
The current surge is driven by real-world utility, increased adoption of shielded transactions, and shifting perceptions around privacy in cryptocurrencies. If this trend continues and privacy-focused adoption gains more traction among investors, Zcash could still have room for further growth.
Until recently, Zcash was relatively unknown, trading around the $16 mark, but it now sits near $600. It began its upward movement at the end of September and has since gained more than tenfold in value. From trading below $54 at the end of September, Zcash soared to $748 on Friday — its highest level since January 2018.
Current Market Data
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