The final hours of 2025 are showing a market with a split personality. While
$BTC attempt to erase its yearly losses has stalled once more at the formidable $90,000 resistance wall, another corner of crypto is stealing the spotlight: privacy coins are booming.
On the flagship side, Bitcoin continues its weeks-long battle, swinging around $90,000 during thin holiday trading without the volume needed for a decisive breakout. At the time of reporting, it's trading around $87,465, roughly 3% below its recent high. Analysts point to a sharp drop in open interest after last Friday's record options expiry, signaling many traders have stepped to the sidelines. For bulls to regain control, they need to break through resistance at $91,400 and, more importantly, $94,000.
Meanwhile, a different narrative is gaining immense strength. Zcash (
$ZEC ) a leading privacy asset, is up about 15% over the weekend and has seen a massive surge in interest. Remarkably, its perpetual futures volume recently hit $2.9 billion, even outpacing Solana and placing third globally. This isn't an isolated pump; it's part of a 2025-wide trend where privacy became a hottest investment narrative, with ZEC gaining over 711% in just three months earlier this year. The rally is backed by on-chain conviction, with whale holdings rising significantly and large withdrawals from exchanges signaling strong accumulation.
So, what's the takeaway? The market is presenting a clear contrast. One side is a cautious, consolidating giant; the other is a niche sector exploding with momentum driven by real demand for financial privacy tools. This sets up a critical question for traders: Is capital starting to rotate into these high-momentum narratives while Bitcoin finds its footing?
👇 What's Your Move?
1 – Bullish on a 2026 Bitcoin breakout, this is just consolidation.
2 – Watching the privacy trend closely; it's the real story.
3 – Staying sidelined until the new year brings clearer direction.
Drop your number below and let's discuss! What are you watching as we head into 2026?
#Bitcoin
#PrivacyCoin #MarketUpdate #TradingSignals