Zcash (ZEC) Market Cap Plummets $2 Billion as ECC Halts Development
Written by Ohris M. Greyoon, Blockchain & Crypto Expert
Source: Coinmarketcap
Updated: Jan 12 2026- Market Cap Drop: Zcash (ZEC) saw its market cap plummet from $8.3 billion to $6.2 billion in just one week, losing over $2 billion, indicating a sharp decline in market confidence in privacy coins.
- Developer Turmoil: The Electric Coin Company (ECC) announced it would cease core protocol development, leading to a mass exodus of developers, which severely undermined market confidence in Zcash's future and directly impacted its price trajectory.
- Divergent Performance: While ZEC and Cardano's Midnight Network (NIGHT) both fell by 26%, Monero (XMR) experienced an 8.3% increase during the same period, highlighting a divided landscape in the privacy coin market.
- Shifting Market Trends: The decline in privacy coins occurs against a backdrop of strong performance from mainstream cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, reflecting a close relationship between investor trust in privacy coins and the stability of their core teams.
About the author
Ohris M. Greyoon
Ohris M. Greyoon holds a Master’s in Computer Science from MIT and has 10 years of experience in blockchain technology and cryptocurrency markets. A pioneer in decentralized finance (DeFi) analysis, he leads Intellectia’s Crypto News, offering cutting-edge insights into digital assets.
