Traders are shifting toward Monero (XMR) as Zcash (ZEC) faces renewed scrutiny over cryptographic vulnerabilities, with XMR trading volume rising 47% over the past 14 days. The movement reflects growing demand for privacy-focused cryptocurrencies with stronger security assurances.
- XMR daily trading volume rose from $185M to $272M in 14 days (Jan 1–15, 2026)
- Zcash's zk-SNARKs protocol flagged for potential privacy vulnerabilities in December 2025
- XMR's privacy model relies on ring signatures and stealth addresses, with no known equivalent flaws
- Coinbase and Kraken reported a 32% increase in XMR deposit inflows during the same period
- ZEC's market capitalization dropped 11% over the same timeframe
- A growing number of decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols now prioritize XMR for privacy-preserving transactions
Monero (XMR) has seen a notable uptick in transaction volume and user activity, coinciding with growing concerns about Zcash's (ZEC) underlying cryptographic protocol. Data from blockchain analytics platforms show XMR's average daily trading volume climbed from $185 million to $272 million between January 1 and January 15, 2026, representing a 47% increase. This surge follows a public advisory issued by a group of independent researchers in late December 2025, highlighting potential flaws in Zcash’s zk-SNARKs implementation that could allow for selective privacy breaches under specific conditions.