Privacy-focused cryptocurrency Zcash (ZEC) was the standout performer among major digital assets in the latest session, climbing roughly 10% while bitcoin held near the $87,000 level, according to CoinDesk's market coverage.
CoinDesk attributed part of the broader tone to macro conditions, noting that falling oil prices eased inflation worries through the Asian trading session. Lower energy prices are often read by markets as a disinflationary signal, which can shift expectations around central bank policy. Alongside that, CoinDesk reported that a bill to make the U.S. government's bitcoin stockpile permanent moved further through Congress than any previous such measure. CoinDesk did not, in the material reviewed, specify the final disposition of that legislation, and it is worth stressing that advancing a step in the legislative process is not the same as becoming law.
The move in Zcash follows a pattern of strength in privacy-oriented assets. In the prior session, CoinDesk reported that crypto majors climbed alongside equity futures on Monday, with Monero's XMR up 13%, as Brent crude fell for a fourth straight session and traders positioned for a Trump-Xi summit later in the week. Zcash and Monero are both designed to obscure transaction details — Zcash through optional shielded transactions built on zero-knowledge cryptography, Monero through privacy features applied by default — and the two are frequently grouped together by traders when the privacy sector moves.
Broader market data pointed to a generally firmer backdrop rather than an isolated rally in one token. CoinMarketCap's market coverage noted that the total crypto market capitalization increased 4.76% to $2.92 trillion, with Bitcoin Cash rising 4.77% and Pendle up 3.54% in the same stretch, describing the advance as driven by bitcoin's move higher and macro tailwinds. Other outlets tracking the same week highlighted differing bitcoin levels at different points, a reminder that quoted prices are snapshots that change quickly and vary by exchange and timestamp.
On the corporate side, CoinDesk reported that Strategy returned to bitcoin purchases, adding $75 million of BTC over a week — its first week of buying in roughly three weeks. Corporate treasury purchases have become a closely watched indicator for market participants, though a single week's activity is a narrow data point and the company's buying cadence has varied.
Policy remains an active variable. CoinDesk's regulation coverage noted that the years-long effort to establish U.S. crypto market rules failed to clear the Senate's 60-vote threshold, leaving the legislative picture unsettled even as individual bills, such as the measure concerning the federal bitcoin stockpile, continue to move. Internationally, crypto.news reported that the Bank of Russia has proposed capping banks' total exposure to cryptocurrencies and foreign digital instruments at 1%, and that Vietnam expects its first licensed crypto asset service providers to begin operating in 2026.
Taken together, the session reflects a market responding to several simultaneous inputs: softer oil prices, movement on U.S. crypto-related legislation, anticipation around high-level U.S.-China talks, and rotation into specific sectors such as privacy coins. None of these factors individually explains the size of Zcash's move, and CoinDesk's report does not assign a single cause to it.
Prices and figures cited here reflect what the named sources reported at the time of publication and may have changed since. Nothing in this article is financial, investment, or tax advice, and no market or policy development guarantees any future price outcome.
This is a news summary for general information only — not financial advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any asset. Always verify against the original source and do your own research before making a financial decision.
Source: CoinDesk · 2026-09-23
