hodler

10 Jun 2026, 03:18

Privacy coins gain 4.5% in a day, but the sector’s monthly losses signal deeper market unease

On Monday (June 8), privacy coins rose by 4.5%, where Monero increased by 7.6% and Zcash saw an increase of about 7%. However, the sector still trades at over 12% below its price from the beginning of the month amid concerns of a recent hack of the Zcash network. Despite one day of gains, there still seems to be some doubt about the market. Privacy coins serve as an indication of market sentiment regarding risk-on and risk-off sentiments since privacy coins always come under the scanner of regulators in the crypto community. But the price movement differential with respect to positioning highlights the fact that the crypto market is not sure of its current position. Zcash Orchard vulnerability triggers market selloff despite successful patch The monthly loss was a result of a vulnerability discovered on May 29 in the shielded pool of the Orchard protocol used by Zcash. A bug was detected in the zero-knowledge proof circuit that might allow malicious actors to perform invalid state transitions and create counterfeit tokens, as indicated by a notice on the Zcash Community Forum . The Zcash Open Development Lab initiated several steps to address the issue, including a soft fork on June 1 in order to temporarily disable Orchard transactions; and a hard fork on June 3 to fix the circuit and restore full functionality. There was no evidence of any exploitation taking place at the time. Zcash’s turnstile algorithm, which was designed to detect any illegal transactions of values between shielded and transparent pools, had not detected any violations. As a result, there had been no interruption in trading ZEC coins by exchanges. Nevertheless, the consequences were primarily psychological. Zcash’s sentiment rating dropped from 163.9 on June 5 to virtually zero within several days, according to Santiment . Likewise, Monero’s sentiment dropped dramatically from 35 to 1.72 after XMR was reported to be queued for audits along with ZEC. According to ForkLog , ZEC plummeted by almost 50%, hitting a low of about $300, but eventually bounced back to around $470 as the software patch took effect. Privacy coin network activity remains resilient despite price weakness These bearish figures don’t tell the whole story, however. Network activity across the major privacy coins held up considerably better than token prices during the selloff. Firstly, Monero’s daily transactions rose from 23,867 on June 7, to 28,558 on June 8, and 29,623 on June 9, while the mining hash rate was stable at 5.9 GH/s after a slight decline, according to BitInfoCharts statistics . Meanwhile, Decred provided an even greater discrepancy. Its token value dropped 54% within 90 days, but the transaction number decreased only by 12%. Dash, however, showed a different network activity. While the number of active addresses declined from nearly 66,000 late May down to roughly 34,000 now, exchange activity was growing and the volume of transactions within the last 30 days was about $2.96 billion, including one day of $210 million. So, for those who view privacy coins as indicators of the altcoin sector in general, the network stats provide a complicated picture. Usage is holding; conviction among miners and transacting users has not broken. Whales and smart money remain net short on Zcash and Monero The positions held by whales and the institutions indicate that the rebound might be facing obstacles. The “smart money” group (whales with the best track record historically) has positions short by approximately $9.6 million and $1 million in Zcash and Monero, respectively. Positions taken by whales for ZEC were below $410, and they currently show a return of 15-37% with total unrealized gains amounting to $8.5 million. For Monero, all the major whale positions are underwater with an entry range between $337-$407, though none have closed. However, there is one special case here, which involves an increase in Zcash exchange inflows. In the past seven days, inflows reached $42.5 million – three and a half times higher than average levels. Exchange inflow spikes often precede selling waves, and this signal seems to contradict the positive network activity metrics. Ironwood upgrade seeks to verify Zcash supply and rebuild investor confidence The Zcash ecosystem is preparing to implement the Ironwood upgrade in July 2026. The upgrade was designed to create the next shielded pool with the use of the Orchard circuit patch, backed by formal verification and independent audits. Under Ironwood’s rules, new outputs in the old Orchard pool would be rejected after activation. Funds could exit only through Zcash’s turnstile, which enforces that no more ZEC leaves a pool than legitimately entered it. The result: users running a node would be able to independently verify that the total circulating supply is correct, without trusting anyone’s assessment of whether the bug was exploited. Zcash developer Sean Bowe revealed to Forklog that the ecosystem has reached consensus on the upgrade’s design. Wallets supporting Orchard will migrate funds to the new pool, a process that will require a single action from users. The unresolved issue is whether Ironwood will manage to restore sentiment fast enough for the Monday rally to last. The next challenge faced by the privacy coin niche will be how global markets perceive the short covering and exchange flow signals in the days to come. Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free .

9 Jun 2026, 23:04

Privacy Coins Rebound 4.5% as Yen Shorts Hit $11B and DeFi Exploits Reach $36.7M

Crypto News Privacy altcoins rebounded 4.5% on Monday, led by Zcash and Monero, even as the category remains down roughly 12% over the past month. Zcash climbed about 7% on the day while Monero adv...

9 Jun 2026, 17:05

Monero (XMR) Price Prediction 2026-2030: Can Privacy Coins Drive the Next Crypto Bull Run?

BitcoinWorld Monero (XMR) Price Prediction 2026-2030: Can Privacy Coins Drive the Next Crypto Bull Run? Monero (XMR), the leading privacy-focused cryptocurrency, has long held a distinct position in the digital asset market. Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, which operate on transparent public ledgers, Monero obscures transaction details—sender, receiver, and amount—through advanced cryptographic techniques like ring signatures and stealth addresses. As the broader crypto market anticipates a potential bull run in the coming years, a key question emerges: will privacy coins like Monero lead the charge, or will regulatory headwinds keep them on the sidelines? Understanding Monero’s Unique Value Proposition Monero’s core appeal lies in its uncompromising privacy. In an era where data breaches and financial surveillance are growing concerns, XMR offers a fungible and untraceable digital cash system. This has made it a preferred tool for users seeking financial autonomy, but it has also drawn scrutiny from regulators concerned about illicit activities. The ongoing tension between privacy and compliance forms the central narrative for any long-term price forecast. Monero Price Prediction for 2026 Looking ahead to 2026, several factors could influence XMR’s price trajectory. The next Bitcoin halving, expected in early 2024, typically sparks a market-wide rally that peaks 12-18 months later. If historical patterns hold, the crypto market could be in a bullish phase by 2026. Monero, with its established network and loyal user base, could benefit from this rising tide. However, its price performance will also depend on regulatory developments, particularly in the United States and the European Union, where privacy coins face increasing restrictions. Analysts project a potential price range for XMR in 2026 between $250 and $400, assuming a favorable market environment and no major regulatory bans. This represents a significant increase from its 2023-2024 levels but remains conservative compared to more speculative forecasts. The actual outcome will hinge on whether Monero can maintain its technological edge and user adoption amid competition from other privacy solutions. Long-Term Outlook: 2027-2030 The period from 2027 to 2030 presents both opportunities and risks for Monero. On the positive side, growing awareness of digital privacy could drive mainstream demand for privacy-preserving financial tools. Monero’s proven track record and continuous development make it a strong candidate to capture this demand. Additionally, if institutional adoption of crypto expands, some investors may seek privacy coins as a hedge against surveillance. On the downside, regulatory pressure is likely to intensify. Governments may impose stricter know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) requirements on exchanges that list XMR, potentially reducing liquidity and accessibility. Some exchanges have already delisted Monero in certain jurisdictions. If this trend accelerates, it could cap price growth and limit market participation. Can Privacy Coins Lead the Next Bull Run? The notion that privacy coins could lead a bull run is compelling but faces practical hurdles. Historically, bull runs have been driven by narratives around scalability (e.g., Ethereum’s smart contracts) or store-of-value (e.g., Bitcoin’s digital gold narrative). Privacy, while important, has not yet been the primary catalyst for a major market rally. For Monero to lead, there would need to be a significant shift in market sentiment—perhaps triggered by a major data privacy scandal or a regulatory crackdown on transparent blockchains—that elevates privacy as a top priority for investors. More likely, Monero will follow the broader market trends rather than set them. Its price will rise during bull phases but may underperform compared to more speculative assets like meme coins or AI-related tokens. That said, Monero’s resilience and dedicated community provide a floor that many other projects lack. Conclusion Monero’s price prediction for 2026-2030 is a story of competing forces: strong technological fundamentals and a clear use case versus growing regulatory scrutiny. While XMR is unlikely to lead the next bull run in the same way Bitcoin or Ethereum have in the past, it remains a vital part of the crypto ecosystem. For investors, Monero offers a hedge against transparency risks and a bet on the enduring value of financial privacy. However, anyone considering an investment should carefully weigh the regulatory landscape and the potential for reduced exchange support. As always, price predictions are inherently uncertain, and readers should approach them with caution. FAQs Q1: Is Monero legal to buy and hold? Yes, Monero is legal to buy and hold in most countries, though some jurisdictions (like Japan and South Korea) have banned or restricted its use. Always check local regulations before purchasing. Q2: Why do some exchanges delist Monero? Exchanges delist Monero primarily due to regulatory pressure regarding anti-money laundering (AML) compliance. Privacy coins make it difficult for exchanges to track transactions, which can lead to legal risks in certain regions. Q3: What is the maximum supply of Monero? Monero has a tail emission system rather than a hard cap. After the initial 18.4 million coins are mined, a small, constant block reward of 0.6 XMR per block will continue indefinitely, ensuring a steady inflation rate that approaches zero over time. This post Monero (XMR) Price Prediction 2026-2030: Can Privacy Coins Drive the Next Crypto Bull Run? first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

9 Jun 2026, 13:10

Monero (XMR) price forecast: Can the Cake Wallet integration spur a rebound?

Monero (XMR) price is down 21.5% over the past 30 days and sits nearly 60% below its all-time high of $797.73, which it reached on January 14, 2026. In the past 24 hours, the coin has pushed back up to around $326, gaining more than 2% on the day. The question now is whether this is the beginning of a genuine recovery or just a short-lived bounce in an otherwise weak trend. Two developments are driving the current price action: Cake Wallet's integration of XMR support into FOUNDATION's Passport Prime hardware wallet , and security engineer Taylor Hornby's announcement that he is adding Monero to his audit queue. Cake Wallet’s integration of XMR into Passport Prime Cake Wallet's move to integrate Monero support into FOUNDATION's Passport Prime hardware wallet is a meaningful step for XMR holders who prioritise self-custody. Hardware wallets represent one of the most secure ways to store cryptocurrency, and for a privacy coin like Monero, whose entire value proposition depends on users being able to hold and transact without exposure, this kind of integration matters. The timing of the announcement is also relevant. Binance recently delisted XMR due to compliance concerns, which directly reduced the coin's accessibility on one of the world's largest exchanges. When a major centralised platform removes a token, it typically forces holders to explore alternative custody and trading options. The Cake Wallet and Passport Prime integration steps directly into that gap, giving holders a credible off-exchange option for securing their XMR. The Taylor Hornby audit: a double-edged catalyst Taylor Hornby is the security engineer who used Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.8 AI model to uncover a critical vulnerability inside Zcash's Orchard privacy pool on May 29. The bug had gone undetected since May 2022 and, in theory, could have allowed an attacker to mint an unlimited supply of counterfeit ZEC without leaving any detectable trace. Shielded Labs, the nonprofit developer behind Zcash, pushed through an emergency fix before June 1 and publicly disclosed the flaw shortly after. ZEC fell 36% in the next 24 hours . Hornby was hired by Shielded Labs in April specifically to find protocol vulnerabilities before attackers could. When asked on X whether he would look into Monero and other privacy coins, his response was direct: "Absolutely! I'll add Monero to my queue of things to audit." https://twitter.com/DefuseSec/status/2062930571479929272?s=20 He also stated that other privacy-focused cryptocurrencies are on his list, meaning this is not a one-off review but a broader sweep of the privacy coin sector. For Monero, this creates a binary outcome. If Hornby's audit returns clean results, it would give XMR a meaningful credibility boost at a time when the market is already paying attention. Monero hides transaction details by default. Unlike Zcash, where users choose between transparent and shielded addresses, which means its privacy architecture operates under different technical assumptions. A clean bill of health from a researcher of Hornby's calibre would carry genuine weight. On the other hand, if a vulnerability is found, the Zcash precedent is hard to ignore. Monero (XMR) price technical analysis The overall crypto market sentiment is sitting at Extreme Fear, and Bitcoin dominance is running at 58.08%, which is historically high. When BTC dominance is this elevated, capital tends to stay concentrated in Bitcoin rather than rotating into altcoins. XMR is not immune to that pressure, and a further drop in Bitcoin below $62,000 would likely pull the broader altcoin market, including Monero (XMR), lower with it. From a technical standpoint, XMR is trading above its EMA-20 and EMA-50 on the one-hour chart but remains below the EMA-20, EMA-50, and EMA-200 on the daily chart. Monero price analysis The Ichimoku Kijun level at $310.34 is the immediate support to watch. MACD is signalling a strong buy, while the RSI sits at 62.36; elevated but not yet extreme. Stochastic RSI and CCI are both in overbought territory, which points to the possibility of a short-term pullback before any continuation higher. In case of the pullback, a break below $320, particularly if Bitcoin weakens further, could bring Monero (XMR) back to test the $300 area quickly. The post Monero (XMR) price forecast: Can the Cake Wallet integration spur a rebound? appeared first on Invezz