Deep Dive
1. Network Security Recovery (Bullish Impact)
Overview: Monero’s price rebounded after the community countered Qubic’s attempt to dominate its mining hashrate. Qubic, a pool linked to IOTA’s co-founder, briefly controlled ~35% of Monero’s network in August, raising fears of a 51% attack. By mid-September, coordinated efforts redistributed mining power to decentralized pools like P2Pool, reducing Qubic’s influence.
What this means: Restored confidence in Monero’s decentralization eased fears of transaction censorship or chain attacks. Kraken resumed XMR deposits/withdrawals after a brief freeze (CoinMarketCap Community), signaling reduced operational risks.
What to look out for: Continued monitoring of mining pool distribution via MoneroBlocks.
2. Technical Breakout (Bullish Impact)
Overview: XMR broke above the $290.71 Fibonacci retracement level (23.6% of its July-August swing), turning former resistance into support. The RSI (14-day: 69.82) shows bullish momentum without overbought extremes, while the MACD histogram (+4.17) confirms upward pressure.
What this means: Short-term traders likely bought the dip after XMR tested the 200-day EMA ($276.35) last week. A close above the 7-day SMA ($278.35) suggests consolidation into a higher range.
Key threshold: A sustained hold above $290 could target $328 (127.2% Fibonacci extension).
3. Altcoin Season Momentum (Mixed Impact)
Overview: The Altcoin Season Index surged 72% in 30 days to 74, indicating capital rotation into smaller cryptos. Monero’s privacy focus aligns with renewed interest in niche narratives, though regulatory risks linger.
What this means: XMR’s 28.2% 30-day gain outpaces Bitcoin (+1.02%) and Ethereum (+1.02%), reflecting demand for uncorrelated assets. However, privacy coins remain vulnerable to exchange delistings (e.g., Bit2Me’s 2024 XMR removal).
Conclusion
Monero’s rebound stems from restored network security, technical buying, and altcoin rotation. While bullish in the short term, monitor mining decentralization progress and trading volumes (up 24.84% to $97.4M) for sustainability.
Key watch: Can XMR maintain momentum above $290 if Bitcoin dominance (56.93%) stabilizes?