Zcash News Today: Privacy-First Zcash Rises as Crypto Market Splits on Institutional Pressures

Zcash (ZEC) surged 10.72% to $683.14 on November 18, 2025, driven by a $50 million treasury initiative from Cypherpunk Technologies Inc. (CYPH) and a $58.88 million private investment from Winklevoss Capital. The biotech-turned-crypto firm, now holding 1.43% of Zcash's network supply, added $18 million in ZEC, bringing its total holdings to 233,644.56 ZEC at an average cost of $291.04. CEO Douglas Onsi emphasized the move as part of a broader strategy to hold at least 5% of ZEC's total supply, positioning the asset as a "privacy-first alternative to Bitcoin".

The Zcash rally followed high-stakes trading activity. A trader liquidated $48.47 million in ZEC short positions at 10x leverage, securing a $3.36 million unrealized gain. However, the same trader later shorted 31,698 ZEC at 10x leverage, risking a repeat of a previous $3 million loss during a market rebound. Analysts at Bitget noted ZEC's historical outperformance, with a 22.6% average excess return post-large price jumps.

Meanwhile, BlockDAG (BDAG) captured market attention with a $436 million presale, accumulating 4.1 billion tokens and 312,000 holders. The project's hybrid Proof-of-Work and DAG architecture, coupled with audits from CertiK and Halborn, has drawn institutional interest. BlockDAG's Value Era roadmap, including 20 confirmed exchange listings, suggests a potential $0.30–$0.40 listing price, a stark contrast to its $0.0078 presale rate.

Ethereum (ETH) faced pressure as FG Nexus, a major ETH treasury firm, sold nearly 11,000 ETH ($33 million) to fund a stock buyback, pushing ETH below $2,850 support. The move exacerbated market jitters, with $170 million in ETH liquidations over 24 hours. Similarly, a Cardano (ADA) whale lost $6.2 million in a botched USDA stablecoin swap, exposing liquidity challenges in the network's DeFi layer. Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson dismissed compensation, calling it a "teachable moment" for scaling DeFi infrastructure.

The Ethereum-Cardano rivalry intensified as both grappled with institutional and retail headwinds. While Cardano's USDA depegged temporarily, due to low liquidity, Ethereum's treasury firms faced stock prices trading below net asset value, prompting further crypto sales. Market analysts remain cautious, with ZEC/USD's Stochastic Momentum Index (SMI) in bullish territory but warning of risks like shielded address leaks.

As Zcash's privacy-centric narrative gains traction, BlockDAG's presale success and Ethereum-Cardano turbulence highlight a market split between innovation and institutional pressures. With ZEC testing $750 resistance and BlockDAG eyeing a $0.30+ debut, the coming months will test whether privacy-focused assets can sustain momentum amid broader crypto volatility. BlockDAG's Value Era roadmap suggests a potential $0.30–$0.40 listing price, a stark contrast to its $0.0078 presale rate.

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