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Markets

Grayscale Praises an Altcoin—It Has Risen 19x in the Past Year

Grayscale Research argued that the current valuation of the privacy-focused cryptocurrency Zcash (ZEC) does not fully reflect its potential and that the project possesses characteristics that

AnonymousCryptoCompass newsroom
August 27, 2026
2 min read
NEWS
Grayscale Praises an Altcoin—It Has Risen 19x in the Past Year
CryptoCompass editorial visual for markets coverage.

Grayscale Research argued that the current valuation of the privacy-focused cryptocurrency Zcash (ZEC) does not fully reflect its potential and that the project possesses characteristics that could challenge Bitcoin’s (BTC) market share in the long term.

In its assessment, the company described Zcash as a decentralized digital currency similar to Bitcoin, but noted that ZEC, unlike Bitcoin, offers users broader options regarding financial privacy.

According to Grayscale, one of Zcash’s most important advantages is its technology that allows users to keep their transaction information private. The company believes that financial privacy could become an even more important feature, especially in an environment where AI-powered surveillance and data analysis are becoming increasingly common.

The report stated that Zcash could differentiate itself from Bitcoin not only through its privacy features but also through its efforts to adapt to technological advancements.

Grayscale stated that Zcash developers are working on long-term threats such as cybersecurity risks that quantum computers may pose in the future. It was also noted that strengthening Zcash’s connection with different blockchain networks through technologies called “intents” could expand the project’s use case.

According to the company, features such as financial privacy, technological adaptation, and cross-chain connectivity are among the key elements that could enable Zcash to compete against Bitcoin’s strong network effect.

Grayscale noted that despite the ZEC price increasing by approximately 19 times in the past year, Zcash’s total market capitalization is still less than 1% of Bitcoin’s market capitalization.

The company argued that this large valuation difference between the two cryptocurrencies shows that there is still significant room for competition in the sector. According to Grayscale, Zcash can continue to increase its share of the cryptocurrency market if it can expand its technological advantages and use cases.

However, the company also emphasized that investing in Zcash carries high risk. Grayscale stated that even if Zcash successfully gains market share against Bitcoin, a continuous or linear increase in the ZEC price should not be expected.

*This is not investment advice.

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