Zcash's Rise in Privacy and the Growth of Decentralized Exchanges Indicate a More Mature Crypto Market Focused on User Empowerment

Electric Coin Co. (ECC), the organization responsible for

(ZEC), revealed that the privacy-focused cryptocurrency experienced a 198.92% surge in value, reaching approximately $420 by mid-November 2025, up from $50 in mid-September, as reported by . This dramatic price movement occurred alongside a notable increase in shielded supply, with more than 4.1 million coins now protected through Zcash’s Orchard protocol. The expansion points to rising interest in zero-knowledge proof-based transactions, as users increasingly seek privacy in an environment of regulatory uncertainty.

ECC’s roadmap for Q4 2025 is focused on boosting Zcash’s functionality and privacy capabilities. Major plans include adding ephemeral addresses for swaps using the NEAR Intents protocol, enhancing hardware wallet support for Keystone, and implementing Pay-to-Script-Hash (P2SH) multisig wallets, according to The Block. These developments come after Zashi’s recent rollout of decentralized on-ramp and off-ramp services, which have made shielded

transactions more efficient. The roadmap also highlights efforts to minimize technical debt and improve management of the developer fund, positioning Zcash to strengthen its market position against rivals like Monero.

At the same time, decentralized exchanges (DEXs) achieved record-breaking volumes, with perpetual DEXs handling $1.36 trillion in October—a 79% jump from August’s $759 billion—according to

. Hyperliquid led with $299 billion in trades, followed by Lighter and at $265.4 billion and $259.9 billion, respectively. The migration toward DEXs is fueled by traders’ desire for greater transparency, reduced fees, and concerns over regulations affecting centralized exchanges (CEXs). This movement is reflected in a 20% increase in the share of DEX-to-CEX spot trading volume since 2024.

Ethereum’s stablecoin sector also hit a new high, recording $2.82 trillion in monthly transactions—driven primarily by

($1.62 trillion) and ($895.5 billion)—as investors gravitated toward stable assets amid market swings, . stood out among DEXs, processing $170.9 billion in October, reinforcing its status as a central liquidity provider.

In a notable development, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) contributed to volatility in the crypto market after receiving a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, who later claimed not to know him, according to

. CZ’s subsequent $2 million acquisition of ASTER tokens—a DEX asset—triggered a 20% price rally, as reported by .

As the digital asset sector continues to develop, Zcash’s advancements in privacy and the surge in DEX trading activity indicate a maturing market that places greater emphasis on user autonomy and security. Nonetheless, regulatory challenges and broader economic factors—such as Trump’s energy agenda and the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policies—remain significant risks for asset valuations.