Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies are continuing to stay in the spotlight, and momentum across the sector is rising higher. After a strong move from Zcash (ZEC), Monero (XMR) has now taken center stage by soaring 58% over the past week and 78% over the last 30 days, reflecting a sharp shift in sentiment toward privacy-preserving networks.
Hyperliquid Lists Monero (XMR) for Perpetual Trading
On January 15, 2026, decentralized perpetual exchange Hyperliquid announced the listing of Monero for perpetual futures trading through its XMR/USDC contract, offering traders up to 5x leverage. The listing comes at a time when concerns around data privacy, government surveillance, and tightening regulation are pushing more investors toward assets designed to preserve anonymity.
Hyperliquid has emerged as a dominant force in decentralized perpetual futures. Built on its own Layer 1 blockchain with fully on-chain order books, the platform has captured more than 69% of daily active users in the perpetual DEX segment in recent months.
Dash Joins the Privacy-Focused Rally
Monero isn’t alone in attracting attention. Dash (DASH)—a long-standing project with optional privacy features via PrivateSend—has also posted impressive gains. DASH has risen approximately 105% over the past week and 94% over the last month.
While Dash has increasingly positioned itself as a fast payments and governance-focused network, its recent price action suggests it is benefiting from the same broader narrative driving Monero. DASH has climbed from around $40 at the start of the year to over $85, signaling renewed interest in alternatives to fully traceable blockchains.
A Growing Market for Privacy Assets
Zooming out, the privacy coin sector is showing clear signs of expansion. The combined market capitalization for leading privacy-focused assets is approaching $23 billion, up about 3.16%, while trading volumes have surged more than 18% to over $3 billion.
As Bitcoin and Ethereum continue to dominate headlines with institutional inflows and ETF activity, privacy coins are quietly carving out their own narrative—one rooted less in speculation and more in concerns over digital freedom and financial sovereignty.
Looking Ahead
As the crypto market grows, the privacy narrative shows little sign of fading. With Monero and Dash posting strong gains and decentralized platforms like Hyperliquid expanding access to privacy-focused trading, investors appear to be positioning for a future where anonymity and censorship resistance regain importance.
Whether this rally proves sustainable or encounters regulatory headwinds remains an open question. For now, however, privacy coins are firmly back in focus—and the market is paying attention.