2025 used to be a 12 months of a big crypto drop, particularly towards the tip. Zcash, Monero, and OKB had been some of the cash that outperformed the marketplace and closed 2025 with vital positive factors.
That stated, two privateness cash and an replace token ruled 2025’s leaderboard. We attempted to bring together a concise take a look at how a lot every coin climbed this 12 months, why it moved, and the way investors reacted to it. Then again, should you’re extra into the long run reasonably than the previous, please learn our 2026 crypto predictions.
Zcash (ZEC): over 800% YTD
Fast context: Zcash used to be introduced in 2016 by means of Electrical Coin Corporate. Zk-SNARKs, a core cryptographic generation in the back of the mission, allow not obligatory personal transactions. 2025 momentum mirrored a broader “privateness comeback.”
Consistent with CoinMarketCap,
ZEC
$541.3
24h volatility:
2.0%
Marketplace cap:
$8.91 B
Vol. 24h:
$900.12 M
is up more or less +800% year-to-date after an peculiar September–November repricing. Per 30 days information displays a large spike of over 400% in October by myself. In spite of the early December correction, the positive factors persevered into past due December.
ZEC value in 2025 | Supply: CoinMarketCap
A extensive rotation into privateness tokens, high-profile endorsements, and renewed on-exchange pastime moved the cost. Protection in the course of the fall documented ZEC’s surge previous $500 and its go back to large-cap territory, putting it within the twelfth position on CoinMarketCap’s most sensible 100 cryptos. Along with X endorsements from analysts and crypto influencers, ZCash gained beef up from its early supporter, Naval Ravikant, and BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes.
Bitcoin is insurance coverage towards fiat.
ZCash is insurance coverage towards Bitcoin. https://t.co/rqMrR3bW7O
— Naval (@naval) October 1, 2025
ZEC turned into one in all Coinbase’s most-searched belongings in November. Its derivatives/spot task spiked because the rally speeded up. In a nutshell, a vintage “old-guard (‘dino’) sector” rotation that investors chased throughout privateness cash.
Monero (XMR): over 120% YTD
Fast context: Monero used to be probably the most early cash introduced in 2014. It has default privateness (ring signatures, stealth addresses) and chronic group beef up, which helped it rebound regardless of previous delistings.
Consistent with CMC,
XMR
$442.8
24h volatility:
2.8%
Marketplace cap:
$8.17 B
Vol. 24h:
$92.41 M
received about 129% year-to-date. It recovered from early-year softness to print new-cycle highs in This autumn.
Monero value in 2025 | Supply: CoinMarketCap
There have been two main catalysts for the Monero (XRM) value surge:
On-chain sleuths, together with ZachXBT, helped hint the BTC-to-XMR float that brought about a brief, thin-liquidity squeeze. It ended in a transaction from a social engineering assault held by means of Somalians who operated a decision rip-off centre in the United Kingdom. The sufferer used to be reportedly an aged person in america.
Replace: It’s showed to be a social engineering robbery from an aged person in america.
— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) April 30, 2025
OKB: over 110% YTD
Fast context: The replace software token for OKX, OKB, used to be to begin with used for charges, launches, and ecosystem get right of entry to. Then again, it’s now tied extra carefully to OKX’s X Layer community after 2025’s tokenomics overhaul.
In line with CMC, OKB completed the 12 months with a 115% acquire, regardless of heavy retracements after an August spike. The December correction didn’t wipe out a lot of the cost both.
OKB value in 2025 | Supply: CoinMarketCap
A spike in August used to be led to by means of a promise to burn of 65.26 million OKB (round $7.6 billion), halving the availability and solving the entire at 21 million, along upgrades to OKX’s X Layer (zkEVM) stack. The availability surprise greater than doubled the cost intraday (from $46 to $105) and in short despatched volumes up 13,000% ahead of settling.
The burn produced a textbook supply-side squeeze that spot investors and fast-money budget chased throughout majors and perps. Liquidity and volumes ballooned all through and right away after the announcement window.
Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is dedicated to offering independent and clear reporting. This text targets to ship correct and well timed knowledge however must no longer be taken as monetary or funding recommendation. Since marketplace prerequisites can trade swiftly, we inspire you to ensure knowledge by yourself and visit a certified ahead of making any choices in accordance with this content material.
Yana Khlebnikova joined CoinSpeaker as an editor in January 2025, after earlier stints at Techopedia, crypto.information, Cointelegraph, and CoinMarketCap, the place she honed her experience in cryptocurrency journalism.
