Privacy-focused Zcash (ZEC) experienced a significant 30% surge n a 24-hour period, peaking at $355 from $272, after influential crypto entrepreneur Arthur Hayes made a highly bullish prediction on social media. Hayes suggested that the token could eventually reach $10,000.
Hayes’ Endorsement Fuels FOMO
The price spike, which saw Zcash outperform all other top 50 tokens by market capitalization, was largely attributed to Hayes’ post, creating a “fear of missing out” (FOMO) environment among traders. Crypto commentators noted that an endorsement from such a prominent figure encouraged a rapid influx of followers, triggering what one trader called a “market frenzy.” This isn’t the first time Hayes’ public predictions have influenced a token’s price; a similar spike followed his optimistic forecast for the HYPE token in August 2025.
Privacy Tokens in Focus
While Hayes’ prediction was the immediate catalyst, some market observers believe the rally also reflects a growing interest in privacy-related tokens. This sentiment is driven by increasing governmental efforts to restrict encryption and other privacy technologies.
Zcash, which launched in 2016 and uses zero-knowledge proofs to allow for both transparent and fully shielded (private) transactions, has seen its market cap cross the $5 billion threshold for the first time. The token’s 24-hour surge contributed to a 490% rally over the preceding 30 days.
Fellow privacy coin Monero (XMR), the leader in the privacy coin sector by market cap, also saw a modest 3.6% gain to reach $346. Unlike Zcash, Monero remains delisted or restricted on several major cryptocurrency exchanges, including Binance and OKX.
October 2025, Cryptoniteuae
