Monero Rose 6.5% This Week While Zcash Fell 6%. Which Privacy Coin Is the Better Buy?
Monero (XMR) rose 8.1% while Zcash (ZEC) fell 5% in the week ending October 17, 2026. Monero trades at $558, up 13.5% in 30 days, while Zcash is at $1,162, down 10.9% over the same period. Zcash's NU7 network upgrade review is scheduled for October 20, which could impact its price.
How this was made
The 30-second read
Why it matters
Monero shows strength with an 8.1% weekly gain, while Zcash is pressured by upgrade uncertainty, leading to divergent short‑term outlooks.
Market read
Provides traders with a short‑term view on two privacy coins, indicating potential buying bias toward XMR and caution on ZEC pending the upgrade outcome.
What to watch
Potential regulatory scrutiny on privacy coins and the lack of a US spot ETF for XMR could limit upside.
Background
The article compares the recent price performance of Monero (XMR) and Zcash (ZEC) and assesses which privacy coin offers a better buying opportunity ahead of Zcash's upcoming NU7 upgrade review.
Ticker impact
Monero rose 8.1% this week, outperforming Zcash and showing steady demand ahead of the Zcash NU7 review.
upward pressure as traders view XMR as the stronger privacy coin in the near term
Price is rising on steady demand, thin market may cause volatility but no immediate negative catalyst.
Zcash fell 5% this week and is under pressure ahead of the NU7 network upgrade review on Oct 20.
downward pressure as uncertainty around the NU7 upgrade persists
Recent price drop, lower trading activity, and upgrade uncertainty create a bearish short‑term outlook.
Market effects
Highlights divergent performance within the privacy‑coin niche, suggesting investors may rotate between XMR and ZEC based on upgrade risk.
Primarily impacts global crypto markets; no specific regional effect.
Modest relevance to the broader crypto market as privacy coins represent a small segment.
Counterpoint
If the NU7 upgrade succeeds, ZEC could rally sharply, potentially outperforming XMR despite recent weakness.
Key entities
- cryptocurrencyMonero
Privacy‑focused cryptocurrency that automatically hides transaction details.
- cryptocurrencyZcash
Privacy coin offering optional shielded transactions, pending NU7 network upgrade.
