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Zcash Price Prediction for 2026: Cycle Could Be Over

Last Updated 18 November 2025
Valdrin Tahiri
Authors
Edited by Ryan James

Key Takeaways

  • Zcash has modified its node operation as it transitions towards a Proof-of-Stake model.
  • The ZEC coin led the crypto market with a massive pump since September 2025.
  • Our Zcash price prediction suggests that ZEC may have reached its cycle peak and is likely to decline.

The Zcash privacy coin experienced a challenging couple of years in 2023 and 2024, but the trend shifted at the end of 2025. 

The platform announced that it would be changing the way the computers, or nodes, that help power the blockchain operate. It said it would now operate on a system called Zebra. 

In early 2024, Zcash avoided the Binance (BNB) delisting that struck its fellow privacy coin, Monero (XMR). The announcement that its new consensus mechanism was in the pipeline would have helped generate interest.

Let’s now take a look at our Zcash price predictions, made on Nov. 18, 2025. We’ll also examine the Zcash price history and provide an overview of what Zcash is and its key features.

Zcash Coin Price Prediction 

Let’s look at the ZEC price predictions made by CCN on Nov. 18, 2025. We will use the wave count method to make predictions, while the minimum and maximum targets will depend on the price movement during the year.

Minimum ZEC Price Prediction Average ZEC Price Prediction Maximum ZEC Price Prediction
2026 $80 $96 $400
2027 $33 $55 $100
2030 $3,000 $4,000 $5,000

The most likely wave count suggests a bearish trend. ZEC has completed a W-X-Y structure since March 2020, and wave Y has ended, as evidenced by the sub-wave count (red). 

Sub-wave C had 4.61 times the length of sub-wave A, which is the final extension before the price movement turns bearish.

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If the wave count is accurate, ZEC could begin a lengthy decline, similar to the one that led to the 2020 bear market low.

During this projected decline, the wave count method leads to targets of $96 and $57 for the end of 2026 and 2027, respectively.

ZEC Long-Term
ZEC/USDT Weekly Chart | Credit: Valdrin Tahiri/TradingView

As a result, the price of ZEC may have already reached its top for the current cycle and could crash soon.

Finally, we will use the rate of increase for the past five years to make a ZEC price prediction for the end of 2030. ZEC has rallied by 800% since November 2020, and projecting this rate of increase forward leads to a prediction of $4,000.

Zcash Price Prediction 2026

The wave count method gives a ZEC price prediction range between $80 and $400 for the end of 2026.

Zcash Price Prediction 2027

The wave count method gives a ZEC price prediction range between $33 and $100 for the end of 2027.

Zcash Price Prediction 2030

The daily rate of decrease over the past five years suggests a ZEC price prediction range of between $3,000 and $5,000 for the end of 2030.

ZEC Price Analysis

The daily time frame price action gives a bearish ZEC prediction.

According to the chart, ZEC has been trading within an ascending parallel channel since October.

Today, the ZEC price trades right at the channel’s midline (red icon), which could provide resistance.

These channels often contain corrective movements, so an eventual breakdown from them is the most likely outcome.

ZEC Daily
ZEC/USDT Daily Chart | Credit: Valdrin Tahiri/TradingView

Adding to this possibility, the RSI and MACD have created bearish divergences (orange).

If the divergences play out as expected, they will confirm the bearish wave count and lead to a ZEC breakdown from the parallel channel.

If that happens, it will confirm that the ZEC upward movement has finally ended.

Short-Term ZEC Price Prediction

The ZEC price prediction for the next 24 hours is bearish. The price will likely continue falling until it breaks down from the parallel channel.

Zcash Relative Strength Index (RSI): Is ZEC Overbought or Oversold?

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a momentum indicator that traders use to determine whether an asset is overbought or oversold. Movements above and below the 50 line also indicate if the trend is bullish or bearish.

ZEC RSI
ZEC Weekly RSI | Credit: Valdrin Tahiri/TradingView

On Nov. 18, 2025, Zcash’s RSI was 81, indicating overbought conditions.

Zcash Average True Range (ATR): ZEC Volatility

The Average True Range (ATR) measures market volatility by averaging the largest of three values: the current high minus the current low, the absolute value of the current high minus the previous close, and the absolute value of the current low minus the previous close over a period, typically 14 days.

A rising ATR indicates increasing volatility, while a falling ATR indicates decreasing volatility. Since ATR values can be higher for higher-priced assets, normalize ATR by dividing it by the asset price to compare volatility across different price levels.

ZEC ATR
ZEC Weekly ATR | Credit: Valdrin Tahiri/TradingView

On Nov. 18, 2025, ZCash’s ATR was 93, suggesting high volatility.

Zcash Price Performance Comparisons

Current Price One Year Ago Price Change
Zcash $602.39 $44.82 +1,173%
Monero $405.44 $156.43 +158.0%
Oasis $0.018 $0.082 -79%
Worldcoin $0.67 $2.41 -71.4%

Best Days and Months to Buy Zcash

We examined Zcash’s price history and identified the lowest points on specific days, months, quarters, and weeks of the year, indicating the optimal times to purchase ZEC.

Day of the Week Sunday
Week 12
Month May
Quarter Second

ZEC Price History

Next, let’s examine some key dates in the Zcash price history. While past performance should never be taken as an indicator of future results, knowing what the coin has done can give us some very useful context when making or interpreting a Zcash price prediction.

ZEC Price History
ZEC Price History | Credit: CoinGecko
Time period Zcash Price
Last week (Nov. 11, 2025) $488.75
Last month (Oct. 18, 2025) $217.48
Three months ago (Aug. 18, 2024) $38.18
One year ago (Nov. 18, 2024) $44.48
Five years ago (Nov. 18, 2020) $60.53
Launch price (Oct. 29, 2016) $5,941.80
All-time high (Oct. 29, 2016) $5,941.80
All-time low (July 5, 2024) $15.97

Zcash Market Cap

The market capitalization, or market cap, is the total number of ZEC in circulation multiplied by its price.

ZEC Market Cap
ZEC Market Cap | Credit: CoinGecko

On Nov. 18, 2025, Zcash’s market cap was $9.86 billion, making it the 18th-largest crypto by that metric.

Who owns the most Zcash (ZEC)?

On Nov. 18, 2025, one wallet held nearly 6.75% of the supply of ZEC.

Richest ZEC Wallet Addresses

As of Nov. 18, 2025, the five wallets with the most ZEC were

  • t1RyCw14wRXrh3mp21uxgr9ynjem7cNUkMH. This wallet held 1,414,573 ZEC, or 6.74% of the supply.
  • t1YAJRckmR8mLCyoMarwRdQSUJ2RUz79m2F. This wallet held 325,149 ZEC, or 1.55% of the supply.
  • t1ZCWxRy9WWF2paG95cN9rkEe9NZjE4EXdB. This wallet held 247,080 ZEC, or 1.18% of the supply.
  • t1cJh3UHcFw6hhP5mSDBQz5UL1WAFdshu9L. This wallet held 207,830 ZEC, or 0.99% of the supply.
  • t1MrSHYvVUu4LEoXGSzRxtmB6YP96hDknqT. This wallet held 160,010 ZEC, or 0.76% of the supply.

Zcash Supply and Distribution

Supply and distribution Figures
Maximum Supply 21,000,000
Circulating supply (as of Nov. 18, 2025) 16,383,821 (78% of maximum supply)
Holder distribution Top 10 holders own 14.81% of the supply (as of Nov. 18, 2025)

From the Zcash Whitepaper

According to its technical documentation or whitepaper, Zcash is designed to enhance blockchain finance privacy. It says: “Zcash is an implementation of the Decentralized Anonymous Payment scheme Zerocash, with security fixes and improvements to performance and functionality. It bridges the existing transparent payment scheme used by Bitcoin with a shielded payment scheme, secured by zero-knowledge succinct arguments of knowledge (zk-SNARKs).”

Zcash (ZEC) Explained

Zcash is a privacy coin, ultimately based on Bitcoin (BTC). The idea is that people who hold the coin can have their transactions encrypted, which offers a level of privacy that many other blockchains do not provide.

Computer scientist Matthew Green led the team that founded the platform in 2013. Computer security specialist Zooko Wilcox helped turn the theory into a reality, and ZEC was introduced in 2016.

ZCash is supported by its eponymous coin, known by the ticker handle ZEC. 

How Zcash Works

ZCash uses a Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus mechanism. This means that people add blocks to the blockchain and verify transactions by solving a series of increasingly complex mathematical equations.

However, plans are in place to transition to a Proof-of-Stake mechanism. This means that people will be selected to add blocks based on the amount of ZEC they hold.

Zcash utilizes a technology known as Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge, or zk-SNARKs, to safeguard individuals’ privacy. Zk-SNARKs demonstrate that a transaction is valid without revealing anyone’s addresses or the amount sent.

In terms of ZEC itself, it is used to pay for transactions on the network. People can also buy, sell, and trade Zcash on exchanges.

Is Zcash a Good Investment?

It is hard to say. Although the platform will eventually move to a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism, we still don’t know when.

Remember, too, that when Ethereum (ETH) changed from PoW to PoS in 2022, its price barely moved. One might think that if a giant such as Ethereum did not benefit too much from a change, there is little hope for a smaller coin.

On the other hand, Zcash has an active community base and comparatively transparent management, which means it has some growth potential. 

As with crypto, you should conduct your own research before deciding whether or not to invest in ZEC.

Will Zcash go up or down?

No one can tell for certain right now. While the Zcash crypto price predictions are largely positive, price predictions have a well-earned reputation for being wrong. Keep in mind that prices can fluctuate and change.

Should I invest in Zcash?

Before you decide whether or not to invest in Zcash, you will have to research ZEC and other related coins and tokens, such as Monero (XMR).

Either way, you must also ensure you never invest more money than you can afford to lose.

FAQs 

How Many Zcash are there?

On Feb. 21, 2025, 15.88 million ZEC were in circulation out of a total supply of 15.9 million.

Will Zcash reach $100?

It probably won’t, at least not at any time soon, according to our Zcash price predictions based on technical analysis.

Keep in mind that ZEC has not traded at $100 since May 2022. 

What is Zcash used for?

The ZEC coin pays for transactions on the Zcash blockchain. People can also buy, sell, and trade ZEC on exchanges. 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, financial advice. We do not make any warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of this information. All investments involve risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. We recommend consulting a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
Valdrin Tahiri

Valdrin Tahiri is a cryptocurrency analyst and reporter at CCN, specializing in technical analysis with a focus on Elliott Wave theory, on-chain metrics, and fundamental research. He brings over seven years of experience in the crypto space as both a trader and writer.

He discovered cryptocurrencies in 2017 while earning his MSc in Financial Markets at the Barcelona School of Economics, which sparked a deep interest in blockchain and market dynamics. Since then, he’s contributed to top crypto outlets like BeInCrypto and CoinGape.

Valdrin also served as Community Manager of BeInCrypto’s Telegram group for three years, helping grow it into one of the largest crypto communities worldwide. His expertise in market structure and price patterns allows him to break down complex trends into clear, actionable insights.

He’s published thousands of articles covering altcoins, Bitcoin cycles, and macro trends.

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