In a post on X (Twitter), Hayes wrote:
“Due to the rapid price increase, ZEC is now the second-largest liquid position in our portfolio, right behind BTC.”
Thus, the privacy-oriented cryptocurrency has unexpectedly taken a central role in the investment strategy of one of the crypto industry’s most well-known traders.
Zcash Drops 12% After an Impressive Rally
At press time, the price of Zcash (ZEC) had fallen about 11.8% in the past 24 hours to $548, according to CoinMarketCap. The token’s market capitalization remains solid at $8.9 billion, while trading activity stays strong — the 24-hour trading volume surged by 139% to $4.63 billion.
Currently, around 16.28 million ZEC are in circulation out of a total supply of 21 million, with a fully diluted valuation (FDV) of approximately $11.5 billion.
The hybrid structure of Zcash — supporting both transparent and shielded transactions — makes it one of the most distinctive assets among privacy coins. Like Bitcoin, it features a fixed supply of 21 million coins and operates on the Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus mechanism.
Revival of Interest: Zcash as a Symbol of Digital Privacy
According to Zcash Foundation Executive Director Alex Bornstein, the recent surge in interest toward the project wasn’t driven by the foundation itself. Instead, it emerged organically amid growing public concern over government surveillance and data privacy.
In an interview with Chain Reaction, Bornstein noted that the renewed attention to Zcash reflects a “powerful grassroots movement for digital freedom and financial sovereignty.”
“We were surprised when mentions of ZEC started appearing. Watching that wave of interest grow and reach its peak was incredible,” he admitted.
Thus, the resurgence of Zcash appears not to be a marketing-driven event but a reflection of a new cycle of interest in privacy and decentralization — trends that continue to shape investor sentiment across the crypto market in 2026.