Zano (ZANO/USDT) is demonstrating renewed strength on the weekly chart, experiencing a climb of over 21% in the past week to trade near $16.50. This marks its highest level since June. Following months of sideways consolidation, the privacy-focused blockchain project appears to be on the cusp of a significant breakout, a development that could reshape its mid-term market structure as it heads into 2026.
Technical Setup: Ascending Triangle Indicates Breakout Potential
The current chart analysis reveals Zano maintaining a well-defined ascending triangle pattern. This pattern is characterized by a series of higher lows that are converging towards a long-term resistance level at $17.77. Such a setup is frequently associated with a period of accumulation preceding a continuation of an upward trend, reflecting a growing bullish pressure in the market.
A decisive weekly close above the $17.80 mark would serve as confirmation of this pattern. This confirmation would signal the commencement of a new uptrend phase, with immediate price targets projected around $22.50 and potentially reaching $24.80, which represent the next key resistance zones based on Fibonacci levels.
However, if Zano is unable to maintain its position above $16, short-term traders should monitor for a potential retest of the $12.50–$13 support zone. This range has historically served as a robust accumulation area since August. The upward-sloping white trendline visible on the chart further emphasizes the strength of this level as structural support.
Momentum indicators are currently aligning with this bullish structure. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is positioned at 63.5, showing an upward trend but remaining comfortably below the overbought territory. This suggests continued upside potential without an immediate risk of exhaustion.
Concurrently, the On-Balance Volume (OBV) indicator continues to exhibit a steady upward climb. This indicates sustained buying interest, even during periods of consolidation. Historically, such OBV divergences observed in projects like Zano have often preceded significant impulsive price movements.
Should the bullish momentum persist and trading volume expand above the $17.80 resistance level, Zano could enter a new phase of price discovery. A confirmed breakout would represent the first weekly close above this resistance since April 2025, effectively transforming this zone into strong support.
Until such confirmation is observed, traders will be closely watching for the appearance of confirmation candles and sustained growth in trading volume. The $13–$14 range remains a critical line of defense for bullish sentiment.
What Makes Zano Different?
Zano is a layer-1 blockchain specifically engineered for confidential assets. Unlike conventional privacy coins that primarily obscure wallet addresses or transaction amounts, Zano's protocol empowers users to issue tokens and develop decentralized applications (dApps) with privacy integrated at the foundational layer.
The co-founder of Zano, Andrey Sabelnikov, was the lead developer of CryptoNote, the protocol that forms the basis for Monero and other prominent privacy coins.
Technically, Zano employs a combination of ring signatures, stealth addresses, and Bulletproofs+ to conceal the identities of senders, receivers, and transaction values. It also incorporates a unique mechanism known as "Zarcanum," which ensures the privacy of staking amounts, a feature not commonly found even in most privacy-focused networks.
Beyond facilitating simple transfers, Zano allows users to interact through aliases, escrow contracts, and a decentralized marketplace API. This infrastructure lays the groundwork for an ecosystem where privacy is an inherent feature, rather than an optional add-on.
Privacy Coins Reclaim the Spotlight as Traders Rotate Toward Anonymity
Following a year largely characterized by Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) inflows, institutional arbitrage, and the steady financialization of cryptocurrency markets, the privacy coin sector is quietly experiencing a resurgence. Tokens such as Zano, Monero, and Zcash are attracting renewed attention as traders and developers seek out market segments that remain true to the original principles of cryptocurrency: self-custody, sovereignty, and discretion.
This market rotation is not solely driven by speculation. On-chain data indicates an increase in transaction counts across shielded networks and a recovery in liquidity within decentralized exchanges that support privacy-enabled swaps.
These trends suggest that the privacy narrative, which has long been overshadowed by regulatory scrutiny and delistings, is evolving from a niche activist movement into a legitimate market segment. As mainstream cryptocurrency converges with traditional finance, investors appear increasingly willing to view anonymity as a valuable feature, rather than a deficiency.
This shift reflects more than just a nostalgic return to crypto's cypherpunk roots. It also represents a practical response to the mounting compliance requirements and surveillance infrastructure surrounding centralized platforms. For many, holding or transacting in privacy assets serves as a hedge against excessive regulation, offering a means to preserve optionality in an industry that once promised freedom by design. With increasing network usage and returning liquidity to previously subdued markets, privacy coins are beginning to be perceived less as relics of an earlier era and more as essential infrastructure for the next phase of decentralized finance.