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Zcash co-founder has unveiled an ambitious price target for the private cryptocurrency by the end of the current calendar year. Eli Ben-Sasson, the crypto pioneer, said he expected ZEC to reach as high as $5,000 within the remaining three months of 2026. The valuation target is big, considering the cryptocurrency is currently trading around $1,500-$1,600 at press time.
However, Ben-Sasson has hit the bullseye with several recent predictions. For example, he correctly predicted ZEC would be above $1,200 by September 25, 2026. The privacy-focused cryptocurrency is trading at a much higher level than even his own price target. That is why his prophecies are being taken much more seriously this time around.
ZEC recorded an all-time high (ATH) of $1680 in recent days, entering the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Its market capitalization peaked at $27 billion.
On-Chain Data Favors Strong Performance
The latest big-money prediction comes amid strong on-chain activity favoring the bulls. Large players, aka whales, have been swiftly buying up the digital asset from major exchanges like Binance, OKX, Kraken, and Gate and transferring it into their private wallets.
Tens of millions of dollars’ worth of tokens are leaving exchanges regularly, triggering a supply shock that has sent the price soaring.
 
However, big price moves also bring higher market volatility. ZEC has seen wild market movements over the last month or so, and traders are advised to invest with caution.
Privacy coins have historically struggled because of state-level bans. Monero (XMR) is another major private cryptocurrency that has resurged despite state action. The recent failure of the CLARITY ACT in the US Senate was sold as bearish news, but privacy coins have actually rocketed after the bill was blocked. They tend to thrive in unregulated markets.
Ben-Sasson, who currently heads StarkWare, has also highlighted the adoption of quantum-proofing standards by the Zcash core team. The team is positioning the privacy coin alongside BTC for a world where privacy is non-existent, and technology is rapidly encroaching on it.
The Future
Despite its strong recent performance, many question marks surround the ZEC boom. It has a history of violent upward price movements followed by significant price dumps that have wiped billions from the market. It has a particular long-term appeal, but privacy alone cannot propel it to extreme highs, especially in a long-term bearish setup.