Privacy Coins Defy Market Trends, Soar 13% Amid Liquidations

Despite a downturn for Bitcoin and many altcoins, privacy-focused cryptocurrencies experienced a remarkable rally, climbing 13% in value. Major players like Monero, Dash, and DUSK have gained popularity as investors seek to safeguard their assets amid market turbulence. This shift marks a trend toward favoring privacy coins over traditional stablecoins for secure investment options.

Key Takeaways

Privacy coins like Monero, Dash, and DUSK surged 13% this week, contrasting with broader market declines.
Bitcoin fell by about 3%, while many altcoins decreased between 3% and 10%.
The market capitalization of privacy coins has risen to $21.7 billion, driven by strong investor interest.
Regulatory challenges, including new AML restrictions, have not deterred the growth of privacy tokens.
Analysts predict continued upward momentum for these coins, with potential price targets for Monero, Dash, and DUSK.

Privacy Coins Surge

Privacy Coins Surge While Other Cryptos Decline

Privacy-oriented cryptocurrencies have seen significant gains over the past week, contrasting sharply with the drops in Bitcoin and most altcoins. The surge of approximately 13% in the privacy coin sector comes alongside nearly $1 billion in positions liquidated in broader markets, tied to President Trump's tariff threats regarding Europe and Greenland.

Prominent privacy tokens, including Monero, Dash, and DUSK, have become focal points in this rally, signaling a trend of selective capital rotation as opposed to typical risk-off strategies.

Data from CoinGecko illustrates this trend clearly: Bitcoin's value fell nearly 3% in the last 24 hours, while many altcoins dropped between 3% and 10%. In contrast, privacy coins bucked the trend, showcasing their resilience. Dash, for example, traded at $81.61, marking a 1.9% increase for the day and a staggering 119% weekly increase. Monero reached about $644, achieving an 8.9% gain in just 24 hours.

Privacy Coins - CoinGecko Category

DUSK exhibited the most remarkable growth, surging by 110.5% daily and over 354% weekly. This activity has raised the total market capitalization for privacy coins to $21.7 billion, with $2.4 billion in trading volume.

A Shift in Safe Haven Assets

In a recent discussion with Cryptonews, Ray Youssef, CEO of the crypto app NoOnes, noted that the resilience of assets like Monero, Dash, and DUSK illustrates a shift in investor behavior. Rather than exiting the crypto space entirely, investors are looking to maintain their capital while still staying within the market.

Youssef mentioned that privacy coins are becoming a favored alternative to stablecoins, typically seen as safe havens during volatility, especially given trends toward censorship resistance in the crypto landscape.

Rising interest in privacy coins coincides with ongoing discussions regarding stablecoin rewards in U.S. regulatory frameworks and worsening trade disputes. These factors create a volatile environment where investors are actively seeking assets that can remain stable amidst broader market downturns.

Furthermore, tightening Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations around the world are prompting users to lean towards privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.

Significantly, Tether recently froze over $182 million in USDT across five wallets due to alleged illegal activities, which raises concerns about central control over assets that were historically viewed as decentralized.

"Privacy coins are emerging as a means of achieving financial independence from corporate and regulatory frameworks," Youssef added, emphasizing the implications of centralization in a decentralized world.

Even regulatory actions, like Dubai's recent ban on trading privacy tokens due to AML concerns, have not halted this upward trend. Youssef remarked, "Remarkably, even the ban on privacy coin trading announced last week by Dubai authorities hasn’t interrupted their bullish trend."

Technical Momentum Forecasts Continued Growth

Privacy coins have shown significant resistance against large-cap assets during recent market downturns, forming divergence patterns that could solidify their place in investor portfolios.

"Privacy is once again viewed as essential to decentralization," noted Youssef, highlighting the enduring relevance of privacy coins amidst rising concerns about surveillance and peer risk in digital finance.

DUSK’s impressive growth of over 540% in 30 days has captured the attention of market participants, who are now eager to see if it can maintain its momentum alongside established privacy leaders.

DUSK Price Chart

"If the strength of privacy coins persists, we could witness Monero at $650, Dash at $90, and DUSK at $0.28 in the coming days," Youssef projected.

Pavel Nikienkov, founder of Zano, also asserted that privacy is not just a fleeting trend. He pointed to a16z’s 2025 State of Crypto report, which reveals a notable increase in searches for privacy-related topics on platforms like Google.

He argued that major blockchains, such as Ethereum and Solana, are integrating optional privacy layers, showing the sector's evolution. However, he stressed that only systems specifically designed for confidentiality can effectively protect users in today's increasingly monitored digital landscape.