ZEC Price Up 1.66% Amid Privacy-Focused Crypto Gains

On JAN 14 2026, Zcash (ZEC) rose by 1.66% within 24 hours to reach $410.14, reflecting growing interest in privacy-centric cryptocurrencies. Despite a broader 1.82% decline over the past week and a 19.8% drop over the past month and year, ZEC’s short-term price movement suggests renewed investor attention.

Privacy Tools in the Spotlight

The rise in ZEC’s price coincides with a significant policy shift in the United Kingdom, where the government abandoned its plan to mandate centralized digital ID for employment verification. The decision, driven by widespread public concern over privacy and data centralization, aligns with broader global discussions on digital identity and surveillance.

The UK’s revised approach will make the digital ID system optional by 2029, allowing alternative verification methods to coexist. This shift reflects heightened public awareness of how digital identities can be misused or compromised, especially in the wake of data breaches and cybersecurity threats.

Privacy Coins Gaining Relevance

In this evolving regulatory landscape, privacy-focused technologies are gaining traction. Zcash (ZEC), known for its zk-SNARKs-based anonymity, is being closely watched by investors and developers alike. Similarly, Monero (XMR) and other privacy coins are attracting attention as tools that enable users to protect financial data and transaction privacy.

The UK’s retreat from mandatory digital ID mirrors similar debates in the European Union and United States. Policymakers are increasingly exploring privacy-preserving designs, such as zero-knowledge proofs and decentralized identity systems, to balance compliance with user privacy.

Strategic Tech Shifts and Market Sentiment

In the broader tech sector, firms like zSpace and Zenvia have reported mixed earnings, while companies such as Environmental Tectonics Corporation and Worksport Ltd continue to secure new contracts and funding, respectively. However, none of these developments directly affect ZEC’s price movement, which is primarily driven by its position in the privacy-focused crypto niche.

Analysts project increased adoption of privacy-centric tools as regulatory scrutiny of on-chain activities intensifies. With governments globally exploring ways to embed identity verification into decentralized finance (DeFi) and self-hosted wallets, the demand for anonymity-enhancing cryptocurrencies is likely to persist.

As the UK’s policy reversal underscores the importance of user privacy, ZEC and similar assets are well-positioned to benefit from this trend. While the 24-hour price increase does not necessarily signal a reversal in its longer-term downtrend, it highlights the ongoing relevance of privacy in the digital economy and the growing role of Zcash in that space.