Explosive Zcash and Dash Rebound: The Surprising Rise of ‘Dino Coins’ in Crypto
A remarkable phenomenon is currently unfolding in the cryptocurrency market. Older digital assets, once considered dormant, are staging an unexpected comeback. This includes prominent names like Zcash and Dash. Many traders now call this period the ‘dinosaur coin season.’ These privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, after years of underperformance, are demonstrating significant strength. Their recent price surges have caught the attention of investors worldwide. This surprising altcoin rebound suggests a potential shift in market dynamics.
Decoding the Zcash and Dash Crypto Rebound
The cryptocurrency market recently experienced a significant rout on October 9–10. This event liquidated over $20 billion in positions. However, some assets quickly bounced back. Zcash (ZEC) and Dash crypto (DASH) emerged as leading gainers. These privacy-focused tokens have shown remarkable resilience. They are spearheading a ‘privacy revival’ narrative.
As of a recent Thursday, ZEC had surged by over 66% from its October 9 low. Its price reached $246. Furthermore, Zcash boasted an impressive almost 350% year-to-date (YTD) gain. Notably, 230% of these gains occurred in October alone. This rapid appreciation highlights a strong bullish momentum for ZEC.
Similarly, Dash crypto also witnessed a substantial rebound. DASH recovered over 65% since the October 9 crash. Its price approached $50 on Thursday. Over the past month, Dash’s returns were close to 150%. These figures underscore a robust recovery for DASH.
Even Litecoin (LTC) showed some upward movement. It incorporates a privacy upgrade called ‘Mimblewimble’ since 2021. LTC jumped over 80% from its local lows. However, Litecoin has generally lagged behind other privacy coins this year. It remains down about 7.50% in 2025. This contrasts with the strong performance of Zcash and Dash. Traders are now discussing a ‘dinosaur coin season.’ This term refers to older coins, predating 2017, that are now seeing a significant bullish revival after years of underperforming. Understanding the forces behind this rally is crucial for investors.
Privacy Coins Take Center Stage: Naval Ravikant’s Influence
The overall market capitalization of privacy coins has grown significantly. It increased by 36.70% since October 1. This brought the total to over $7 billion, according to Messari data. A key catalyst for this rally was renowned investor Naval Ravikant. He publicly endorsed Zcash in an October 1 post. Ravikant called Zcash ‘an insurance against Bitcoin.’ Following his statement, ZEC jumped by more than 60% on that day alone. This endorsement provided a crucial psychological boost to the privacy coin sector.
The October 9 crash also played a role. It wiped out billions in leveraged positions. This event pushed the altcoin market to its most oversold levels since April. Such conditions often create attractive entry points for dip buyers. Consequently, when Zcash rebounded sharply, fueled by oversold conditions and Ravikant’s endorsement, it signaled a broader rebound for the privacy coin market. This initiated a classic relief rally across many privacy tokens.
However, not all privacy coins participated equally. Monero (XMR), a leading privacy coin by market cap, missed out on these sharp rebounds. Major exchanges like Binance and OKX, along with several European platforms, have delisted or restricted XMR. This is due to its opaque design. These delistings drastically reduced Monero’s liquidity and visibility. This limited its upside potential during broad market rebounds. Therefore, liquidity and exchange support remain critical factors for altcoin performance.
Technical Breakouts Fuel Altcoin Rebound
The recent surge in ‘dino coins’ stems from significant technical reversals. These assets are breaking out of multi-year downtrends. This marks a long-awaited shift in momentum. This pattern is reminiscent of XRP’s breakout. XRP exited its seven-year consolidation trend in November 2024. It subsequently rallied by over 630%. Such technical shifts often precede substantial price movements.
Both Zcash and Dash crypto have broken from multi-year falling wedge patterns. This is a bullish reversal setup. It frequently precedes strong upside continuation. Zcash confirmed its breakout this month. It surged past the $200–$220 resistance zone. ZEC has now flipped this zone into new short-term support. This move signifies the end of a seven-year downtrend. It potentially opens the door to a rally towards $490 in the coming months.
Dash crypto has also entered its own breakout phase. It reclaimed the $50 mark for the first time since early 2024. A sustained close above this zone is crucial. Further confirmation comes from DASH’s 50-month EMA (the red wave). This could validate the wedge breakout. It sets sights on $760 or higher in the coming months or years. However, a pullback from the 50-month EMA resistance could invalidate or delay this multimonth breakout setup.
Litecoin, conversely, remains inside an ascending triangle pattern. This pattern is defined by a series of higher lows since 2022. LTC has repeatedly failed to break above the $100-$150 range. A decisive breakout above this ceiling could trigger a measured move. This could lead towards the 1.0 Fibonacci retracement level near $375. This would mark a full recovery of its previous cycle losses. Collectively, these technical structures reinforce the ‘privacy revival’ narrative. ZEC and DASH are currently leading this significant altcoin rebound. Investors should closely monitor these developments through diligent crypto market analysis.
What Lies Ahead for Privacy Coins?
The recent surges in Zcash and Dash highlight a powerful confluence of factors. These include strategic endorsements, favorable market conditions, and significant technical breakouts. This ‘dinosaur coin’ season showcases the potential for older, established cryptocurrencies to regain prominence. Especially those with strong underlying narratives like privacy. While Monero faces unique challenges due to regulatory pressures, Zcash and Dash demonstrate robust market performance. Their ability to break multi-year downtrends signals renewed investor confidence. This suggests a potential for continued growth. Therefore, comprehensive crypto market analysis remains vital for understanding these evolving trends. Investors should conduct thorough research before making any decisions. Every investment and trading move involves risk. This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations.
