TLDR
Zcash (ZEC) fell 1.55% in the past 24h to $34.87, extending a 10.5% weekly decline. Key drivers:
- Privacy Coin Sector Pressure – Qubic’s 51% attack on Monero spooked investors, raising fears of similar risks for Zcash.
- Technical Breakdown – ZEC trades below critical moving averages, signaling bearish momentum.
- Market-Wide Risk-Off Sentiment – Crypto market cap dropped 2.79% as Bitcoin dominance rose.
Deep Dive
1. Privacy Coin Sector Pressure (Bearish Impact)
Overview:
Qubic’s recent 51% attack on Monero (XMR) and subsequent community vote to target Dogecoin (DOGE) highlighted vulnerabilities in proof-of-work networks. While Zcash wasn’t directly attacked, investors grew wary of privacy coins’ exposure to mining centralization risks.
What this means:
- Monero’s 25% monthly drop (Decrypt) spilled over to ZEC, which shares similar privacy-focused mechanics.
- Qubic’s mining strategy (redirecting hashpower for AI) fueled speculation about broader proof-of-work instability, even though Zcash uses Equihash (ASIC-resistant).
What to look out for:
- Further Qubic announcements targeting proof-of-work chains.
- Exchange delisting risks for privacy coins (e.g., Kraken paused XMR deposits).
2. Technical Breakdown (Bearish Impact)
Overview:
ZEC broke below key technical levels:
- 30-day SMA: $38.52 (current price: $34.87).
- RSI (14-day): 38 (approaching oversold but no reversal signal).
- MACD: Negative divergence (-1.16 vs. signal line -0.99), confirming bearish momentum.
What this means:
- The $35 pivot point (daily) is critical; a sustained drop could trigger sell-offs toward $30.
- Fibonacci retracement shows resistance at $37.02 (78.6% level), limiting upside potential.
3. Market-Wide Risk-Off Sentiment (Mixed Impact)
Overview:
Crypto markets fell 2.79% as Bitcoin dominance rose to 59.18%, signaling capital rotation to safer assets. ZEC’s 24h volume ($84.9M) declined 6.4%, reflecting reduced buying interest.
What this means:
- Altcoins underperformed BTC (-1.55% vs. BTC’s -0.9%).
- TradFi flows dipped: ETH ETF inflows slowed to $22.76B AUM (CoinMarketCap).
Conclusion
ZEC’s decline reflects sector-specific risks (privacy coin instability), technical weakness, and broader market caution. While oversold conditions could spark short-term rebounds, sentiment remains fragile. Key watch: Can ZEC hold $34.50 (August 19 low) to avoid a deeper correction?