Dash traded at $32.20, with a 24-hour trading volume of $54.22 million and a market capitalization of $411.6 million. In the past 24 hours, Dash lost 2.51%, yet some analysts see potential for a bullish reversal as interest in the network grows.
Analyst forecasts and technical outlookCrypto analyst Javon Marks noted that Dash is showing signs of gathering positive momentum after achieving a breakout from a significant wedge or flag pattern. He emphasized that such technical patterns can signal a major upward move, attracting attention from both traders and investors.
The prevailing question among market participants is whether buyers can sustain control and guide Dash toward higher resistance zones. Technical indicators suggest a target around $1,010 may be possible if the bullish momentum continues and substantial buying pressure emerges.
Javon Marks pointed out that Dash has the potential to reach a target near $1,010 if buyers maintain the breakout and strong demand persists in the coming sessions.
Despite these forecasts, traders remain cautious, noting that any sustained upward movement requires confirmation of key support and resistance levels before entering new positions.
Network progress and market environmentDash is a digital currency focused on fast, low-cost transactions with a built-in privacy option, designed to improve user experience and compete in the evolving blockchain industry. Its ongoing upgrades and adoption efforts reflect ambitions to remain competitive among privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.
The recent downward trend in $DASH mirrors the broader market movement as Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency, also declined. This wider correction has dampened short-term sentiment despite optimistic technical setups for Dash.
AssetPrice24h ChangeVolumeMarket CapDash$32.20-2.51%$54.22M$411.6MBitcoin(Reference asset)Downtrend(Not specified)(Not specified)Analysts believe Dash’s future price action will depend on whether bulls can maintain the current momentum and defend critical support levels. Any signs of recovery or further breakdown will likely guide the next major moves.
Factors influencing investor confidenceSome market participants say broader ecosystem adoption is helping build confidence, especially as other privacy-focused projects like Zcash have implemented upgrades such as Orchard. These improvements in peer projects may make Dash more appealing to traders seeking privacy and efficiency.
Observers are closely monitoring Dash’s performance for any indications of trend continuation or reversal. The general consensus remains that further technical confirmation is needed before a full-scale rally can be expected.
Mini dictionary: Orchard, a privacy technology introduced in Zcash that enhances transaction confidentiality by using zero-knowledge proofs and shielded addresses. These improvements make Zcash transactions more secure and private, offering a benchmark for similar privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.
The coming days are expected to provide further clarity on whether bullish or bearish forces will dominate in the $DASH market.
If key support and trend confirmation do not materialize soon, traders may remain hesitant, waiting for stronger signals before increasing exposure to Dash.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Twelve Years of Coin Mixing, Now Replaced@Dashpay has activated Orchard-based shielded pools on its Evolution chain, marking what the project describes as the biggest privacy upgrade in its history. The new system hides the sender, receiver, and transaction amount on every transfer, with one-second confirmations and wallet sync completing in roughly 20 seconds.
The move ends more than a decade of reliance on PrivateSend, Dash's CoinJoin-based coin-mixing mechanism. Orchard marks a technical shift from the project's long-standing CoinJoin system, adding zero-knowledge cryptography originating from the Zcash ecosystem. Orchard replaces mixing-based privacy with modern zero-knowledge cryptography. It is Zcash's most advanced privacy system to date, removing the need for a trusted setup, modernizing shielded pools, and making private transactions far more practical across real-world use cases.
Dash CTO Samuel Westrich said the open source code integrated more smoothly than the team anticipated. In Zcash, transaction validity is proven using zero-knowledge proofs, which allow the network to verify transactions without revealing the sender, receiver, or transaction amount. That same guarantee now extends to Dash's Evolution chain.
What Comes Next for Dash Dash announced the integration of the Orchard shielded pool into its Evolution chain, the second blockchain the project introduced in 2024, bringing expanded shielded transaction capabilities to standard transfers, with privacy-preserving token support planned shortly after launch. Shielded stablecoins and other assets are next on the roadmap.
Launched in 2014, Dash is one of the longest-running networks with built-in privacy at the protocol level. The Evolution chain expands Dash's architecture to support applications, tokens, and now zero-knowledge privacy primitives, without breaking compatibility with the broader network.
Despite the scale of the technical milestone, $DASH moved roughly 1% on the day of the announcement, suggesting markets had largely priced in the upgrade ahead of activation.
Sources:
Metaverse Post: Dash Advances Privacy Roadmap With Orchard Integration
Blockster: Dash Brings Zcash's Orchard Privacy to Its Evolution Chain
Zcash: What Are zk-SNARKs?
Venice AI updates its token economics: introduces a buyback mechanism and raises the supply cap for DIEM.
Venice AI has issued an announcement updating its token economics, with two primary changes: First, a new programmed burn mechanism: For every $100 worth of API credits purchased, $5 will be allocated to buy VVV on the open market and permanently burn the tokens. Second, DIEM’s supply target has been raised for the first time, from 38,000 to 40,000 (an increase of 2,000 units). The adjustment will be rolled out in phases, with the full target expected to be achieved by September 14.
2 hours ago
Trump Media Company prices exclusive early access to Trump’s posts at $100,000 per month.
According to the Financial Times, Trump Media & Technology Group is pitching a $100,000 monthly service to clients that delivers fast access to former President Donald Trump’s posts. Earlier reports noted that Trump Media would sell premium, faster access to posts on its Truth Social platform; the new service allows traders and investors to pay for real-time pushes of Truth Social content. This data feed service will launch next month for institutional clients, including high-frequency algorithmic trading firms.
2 hours ago
Cardano will hand over control of its core software to an external team starting in August.
Cardano developer Input Output will transfer control of key blockchain components—including Haskell nodes, the Plutus platform, and the Daedalus wallet—to external professional teams starting in August, as part of its multi-year decentralization initiative. Independent firms such as Se7en Labs and Teragone will oversee portions of the core infrastructure. At least three Cardano implementations will be maintained in Haskell, Rust, and Go, under community oversight and formal specification management. Cardano is currently grappling with weak network activity and a sharp drop in the ADA token’s price. Founder Charles Hoskinson framed the restructuring and ecosystem-related setbacks as necessary "growing pains" on the path to full decentralization.
2 hours ago
France blocks prediction market Polymarket.
French gambling regulator ANJ announced on July 17 that Polymarket’s website will be blocked in France, following its November 2024 ban on financial transactions with the platform. The ANJ stated that the site’s ongoing operation—with real-time updated odds for various events—qualifies as advertising. Even after banning French accounts from conducting trades on Polymarket, accesses to the platform from French internet addresses have continued to rise, reaching 578,751 visits in June.
2 hours ago
Meta is in talks with Anthropic over a computing power leasing agreement, with the potential deal valued at up to $10 billion.
According to The New York Times, Meta Platforms is in talks with Anthropic over a computing power leasing agreement, with the potential deal size reaching up to $10 billion for a two-year term. The negotiations remain in the early stages. Additionally, market data from BIT (bit.com) shows Meta's share decline has narrowed to 3%.
2 hours ago
Serenity: Its investment portfolio has posted a nearly 50% drawdown this month, and it firmly believes that the current round of adjustment is merely leverage-driven volatility, with its growth logic remaining intact.
Serenity posted a statement noting that their portfolio suffered a 49.4% drawdown this month, with main holdings concentrated in AI bottleneck sectors including memory, photonics, robotics, and upstream semiconductors. Serenity acknowledged pressure from the short-term market crash, but maintained that the volatility stems from liquidity and leverage rather than a breakdown in the structural growth logic of these fields.
Dash, a digital payments-focused cryptocurrency launched in 2014, has rolled out a new privacy system called Orchard designed to strengthen user anonymity and transaction confidentiality. The system leverages Zcash’s zero-knowledge proof technology, enabling users to send Dash while shielding the sender, recipient, and amount from public view.
Mainnet launch and transaction improvementsThe Dash Core team announced on X that Orchard pools were activated immediately, emphasizing faster confirmation speeds. According to the developers, transactions on Orchard can be confirmed in approximately one second, while wallet synchronization now takes roughly 20 seconds.
Previously, Dash depended on its PrivateSend feature, which mixed user coins through CoinJoin to obscure transaction trails. PrivateSend provided a degree of fungibility, but required pooling multiple user transactions to make tracing more difficult.
With Orchard, Dash transitions to a cryptographically advanced approach. The system implements zero-knowledge proofs, allowing the network to confirm transaction validity without revealing any participant details or transaction amounts. This represents a significant privacy upgrade compared to the older, mixing-based model.
Dash’s mainnet activation marks the beginning of a new era for privacy on its network, with the team reporting that users can now send funds with the details fully hidden from the public ledger.
Samuel Westrich, chief technology officer of Dash Core Group, described Orchard’s open-source code as mature and relatively straightforward to integrate. The upgrade has been deployed on Dash Evolution, the project’s updated chain introduced in 2024 to deliver faster transaction times and support for token-based applications.
Currently, Orchard covers standard Dash transfers. The team has announced plans to extend privacy features to stablecoins and other digital assets in the future.
Mini dictionary: Zero-knowledge proof — A cryptographic method allowing one party to prove to another that a statement is true without revealing any information beyond the validity of the statement itself. This is often used in privacy coins to keep sensitive transaction data confidential.
Zcash bug and market responseOrchard’s implementation on Dash arrives at a turbulent time for Zcash, the privacy-focused cryptocurrency that originally developed the Orchard system. On May 29, 2026, security researcher Taylor Hornby discovered a flaw in Zcash’s Orchard circuit. The bug had existed since Orchard’s activation in May 2022, raising concerns about Zcash’s total supply integrity.
This vulnerability could have allowed the creation of counterfeit Zcash tokens in complete secrecy due to Orchard’s privacy features. Following disclosure on June 4, Zcash (ZEC) experienced a steep price decline, falling from about $602 to around $299, marking a drop of more than 50%.
Zcash developers rapidly addressed the bug through an emergency update and have stated they found no evidence of the flaw being exploited.
The upcoming Ironwood update, scheduled for July 28 at block height 3,428,143, introduces a “turnstile” accounting system to cap total supply and enable verification in case counterfeit coins were created.
Dash’s new privacy system uses Orchard technology but operates independently from Zcash’s network. Despite technical similarities, no part of the bug discovered in Zcash affects Dash directly. However, the timing of Dash’s adoption of Orchard comes only weeks after Zcash’s critical incident.
CoinOrchard ActivationRecent Security BugMarket ImpactDashJune 2026No+0.2% daily increaseZcashMay 2022Yes, May 2026-50% after bug disclosureThe Dash market showed little reaction to the Orchard integration. On the day of the announcement, Dash edged up by just 0.2%, maintaining a market capitalization near $431 million and ranking 84th among cryptocurrencies by market value.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
RaveDAO jumps over 200% while Polkadot, Zcash and Dash slide, underscoring how idiosyncratic token stories now dominate a crypto market still digesting macro shocks and regulatory risk.
Summary
RaveDAO leads today’s large‑cap crypto movers with a gain of more than 200%, while several majors, including Polkadot and Zcash, trade lower. Aave and XDC Network post solid single‑digit gains, but Polkadot, Zcash and Dash sit among the day’s worst performers in the top 100 by market capitalization. The dispersion underlines a market still driven by idiosyncratic narratives, even as macro risks from oil shocks and regulation hang over the asset class. RaveDAO (RAVE) is the standout mover in today’s crypto session, jumping 207.51% over the past 24 hours to about $9.94, according to CoinMarketCap’s latest gainers and losers dashboard for the top 100 coins by market capitalization. Venice Token (VVV) followed at a distance, rising 6.37% to roughly $8.47 as traders rotated into smaller caps with strong momentum.
Among more established DeFi names, Aave (AAVE) gained 5.46% to trade near $94.02, while XDC Network (XDC) added 4.59% to around $0.03129 and Canton (CC) climbed 3.95% to roughly $0.1511. The moves come against a backdrop of broader market consolidation after bitcoin’s recent pullback, with liquidity and leverage increasingly concentrated around a handful of narrative‑driven tokens, as highlighted in a recent crypto.news story on stablecoin‑led rotation in DeFi.
Polkadot and Zcash among top 100 laggards On the downside, Polkadot (DOT) led the day’s large‑cap decliners, falling 4.57% to about $1.17 as the network continued to digest the fallout from recent cross‑chain exploit headlines and shifting investor focus toward other base‑layer ecosystems. Privacy coin Zcash (ZEC) slid 4.09% to roughly $346.48, giving back part of the rally that followed news that U.S. mining giant Foundry had launched an institutional‑grade ZEC pool that quickly captured around a third of new issuance, a development previously covered by crypto.news as both a bullish validation and a centralisation risk.
Dash (DASH) dropped 3.6% to about $40.86, while fan‑token protocol Chiliz (CHZ) slipped 2.44% to roughly $0.0364 and Pi (PI) eased 2.25% to around $0.1647, rounding out the day’s top five losers in the top‑100 cohort. The mixed tape underscores how far today’s market sits from the broad, beta‑driven rallies of prior cycles; even as bitcoin and ether trade near historically elevated ranges, individual tokens are swinging on protocol‑specific news, liquidity quirks and, in some cases, outright speculation.
For traders and portfolio managers, that fragmentation cuts both ways. On one hand, dispersion creates room for relative‑value strategies and active positioning across sectors like DeFi, privacy and infrastructure, particularly as institutional capital flows into tokenized treasuries and stablecoin markets documented in recent crypto.news reporting. On the other, it is a reminder that headline‑driven bursts like RaveDAO’s 200%-plus intraday surge can unwind just as quickly in thin order books, leaving leveraged latecomers exposed if liquidity dries up or narrative momentum shifts.
Cryptoinsightuk analyst Will Taylor says Monero’s multi-year structure could support a move toward the $1,000 area and potentially as high as $1,160 if the current weekly trend holds.
Taylor shared a weekly XMR chart on X and tied the setup to a broader thesis around privacy coins, arguing that Monero’s market structure has continued to improve despite the regulatory and exchange pressure facing privacy-focused assets.
“Looking to see if this trend continues or not. Structural higher lows and higher highs, with volatility of the upside moves increasing. I’m thinking a TP below / around the psychological level of $1,000,” Taylor wrote.
He added that the more aggressive target sits above that level. “We still have today to confirm on the weekly of course, but just an idea. There is also an argument for the $1,160 region that would align with the 2.618 fib level.”
Monero price analysis | Source: X @Cryptoinsightuk The Thesis Behind Monero The chart shows Monero trading near $388 against USDT on KuCoin. The projected move toward the $1,160 area would imply a gain of around 200% from the highlighted region, according to the chart’s measurement. Taylor’s market-cap chart also shows XMR around $7.15 billion, with Fibonacci extension levels mapped above the current range.
Taylor’s thesis is not based only on near-term price structure. In a longer note from The Weekly Insight, he framed Monero as a bet on the persistence of crypto privacy demand, even as regulators and exchanges have moved against privacy tokens.
“The next token I want to look at is XMR (Monero). There’s been an international push to essentially halt privacy tokens like Monero, Dash, and others, due to their ability to make transactions difficult, if not impossible, to trace. I’d like to remind everyone that this was the original vision for crypto—an anonymous, decentralized financial system.”
That framing is central to his argument. For Taylor, delistings and regulatory scrutiny do not eliminate the market for privacy assets; they may instead sharpen the divide between assets optimized for compliance visibility and assets built around transaction confidentiality.
“Although privacy tokens are being delisted from exchanges, there is still a valid market for them, regardless of how large that market may be. Many people, myself included, value privacy and believe that it will continue to play a significant role in the future of crypto.”
Taylor also focused on market capitalization rather than price alone, noting that Monero’s current market cap is around $6 billion in his analysis. He said Fibonacci extensions suggest the asset’s valuation could rise materially if the setup develops as expected.
“Using Fibonacci extensions, we could see its market cap rise to $35 billion,” he wrote. “Since it has been delisted from many exchanges recently, it’s important to consider market cap as a key factor.”
Taylor described Monero’s history as a major expansion from early lows followed by years of consolidation or accumulation, which he sees as a possible base for a larger upside move.
“This, to me, suggests that we could see explosive price action to the upside in the future. I believe the narrative for privacy tokens is strong and growing, especially as mainstream adoption increases and surveillance in the crypto space tightens. Privacy is likely to become a critical part of the market in the years to come.”
At press time, XMR traded at $387.97.
XRP faces the 0.786 Fib, 1-week chart | Source: XMRUSDT on TradingView.com Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
More Than a Milestone In an industry that moves fast and talks loud, it takes genuine conviction to pause and ask a harder question: not what we are building, but why. ChangeNOW’s first-ever feature documentary, “Beyond the Hype,” is that pause and the answer that follows it. It arrives at a pivotal moment in our journey, marking our evolution from a simple exchange tool into a global infrastructure supporting over 8+ million users, 1,500 assets, and 110 networks.
This release does not follow the usual script. There is no product to announce, no partnership to trumpet. What ChangeNOW has released instead is something rarer: a film that looks honestly at the purpose behind the platform and invites the wider crypto community to look at them.
Why We Do What We Do: The Human Core of Web3 At its heart, every financial system is a social contract, a promise that value can move from one person to another reliably and fairly. But for millions of people in places like Manila, those promises have been broken for decades. In the traditional world, sending money home is a gauntlet of “remittance taxes,” where intermediaries extract their share at every turn and a family’s support is delayed by days.
ChangeNOW exists because the status quo is no longer acceptable. We don’t just build code; we build the infrastructure for a new kind of trust. Our mission is to ensure that a woman in Manila receives her funds securely, in full, and in an instant, without a gatekeeper deciding how much of her own money she is allowed to keep. We do what we do to turn the abstract promise of Web3 into a life-changing reality for the people the old system left behind. This documentary is the story of that mission.
The Voices that Shape the Conversation The strength of any documentary lies in who it gives the floor to. “The Future of Web3” is built around a set of conversations that span the full landscape of the decentralized economy, from infrastructure builders to community advocates, from exchange operators to those who cover the space critically and carefully.
Appearing in order, the film features:
ChangeNOW: Pauline Shangett & Tim Strategic Partners: WanKyu Kim (D’Cent Wallet), KG (Internet Money), Tadeas Kmenta (Zelcore), Joel Valenzuela (Dash), Dorian Vincileoni (Kraken), Martin Masser (TON Foundation), Jye Sandiford (WalletConnect), Thomas D’Eletto (Arculus) Ambassadors & Media: Ornella Hernandez, Albert Quehenberger (AQForensics), Oihyun Kim (BeInCrypto), Ramia Farrage (Forbes Middle East). Each participant brings something distinct. Taken together, they map out a space that is more serious, more self-aware, and more committed to the long game than its critics often allow.
A Note of Gratitude to the BeInCrypto Team ChangeNOW would like to extend particular thanks to the BeInCrypto team for their contribution to this project. Their presence in the documentary reflects something the ChangeNOW team genuinely values: media that approaches the crypto industry with intellectual rigour, independence, and a commitment to accuracy.
The ChangeNOW team is grateful for that partnership and looks forward to continuing to work alongside a publication that takes its responsibilities as seriously as we take ours.
The Right Moment to Tell This Story The crypto industry has spent years in explanation mode: publishing whitepapers, launching testnets, refining tokenomics. That work has its place. But there comes a point where explanation alone is not enough, and what is needed instead is meaning.
ChangeNOW has reached that point. The platform has grown in size and now has users across different geographic locations and use cases. Since its founding, it has accumulated a genuine understanding of what decentralized finance should do for its users.
That view doesn’t fit easily into a product update or blog post. It fits in a film. And that film is now available for anyone to watch, not just the existing community, but the people the community is still trying to reach.
About ChangeNOW ChangeNOW is a leading non-custodial crypto exchange platform built for maximum safety, speed, and simplicity. The platform is committed to making the digital economy transparent and accessible to everyone, everywhere. It serves millions of users across the globe. ChangeNOW is designed for the future of finance, offering a truly borderless experience with support for over 1,500 cryptocurrencies, 70+ fiat currencies, and 110+ networks.
@THORChain x @Dashpay Podcast #197 ft. @TheDesertLynx, @KentonC137 & @patriotsounds | May 9, 2026
By @Raynalytics
TL;DRDash is coming to THORChain, bringing one of the most battle-tested cypherpunk chains in crypto onto the apex permissionless DEX.Dash's next release ships Zcash Orchard-level shielded privacy on its Evolution chain in the coming weeks, putting it alongside Zcash and Monero on the top tier of privacy tech.Dash has had deterministic 1-second instant finality since 2014, a feature uniquely suited to cross-chain swaps where speed and irreversibility actually matter.DashCon (Sept 3) and Common S3nse (Sept 4-5) are co-located in Amsterdam for Cypherpunk Week. Joel wants to use the moment to assemble THORChain, Maya, Dash, Zcash, Monero, Quai, and other freedom-aligned projects under one banner.Kenton called for a culture shift at THORChain: stop gating integrations on market cap. Smaller engaged communities bring marketing, network effects, and integrations that outweigh the dev cost.1. IntroductionJoel Valenzuela hasn't had a fiat bank account in ten years. He's spent a decade living almost entirely on crypto, currently runs business development and marketing for Dash, and in his own words "cyber-bullies Saylor on X for sport." He came on Podcast #197 to talk about Dash finally landing on THORChain, the Orchard-level privacy upgrade shipping in weeks, and a bigger pitch: it's time for the freedom-aligned corner of crypto to assemble at the same conferences, behind the same banner.
2. Meet Joel ValenzuelaFor those who don't know Joel (@TheDesertLynx): about 13 years in crypto, came in via sound money advocacy and his Mexican family's experience with the 1990s peso crash. He moved to New Hampshire for the Free State Project, then at the end of 2015 decided to go all-in: only get paid in crypto, eventually close the fiat bank account.
The bank actually closed it for him. After a fraud incident drained his account, the bank wanted to set him up with a replacement. He thought about it and never went back.
"The bank actually closed me out, but they wanted me back. And I just was like, let me think about it. And I just never went back."He's now spent about a decade living almost entirely on crypto. He runs business development and marketing for Dash, and is, in his own words, "the worst maxi shill in the world." He uses Dash because it works, but his framing is sovereignty first, ticker second.
3. Living on Crypto: Instant Finality and the Sovereign StackThe technical case for Dash that matters most for THORChain is 1-second deterministic finality. Dash transactions get locked by the master node network within about a second, and if a block ever shows up trying to conflict with that lock, the network rejects the block. There are no probabilistic confirmations, no waiting for reorgs to become statistically unlikely.
"As soon as you see a Dash transaction, it's permanent and you don't have to worry about that."This is the foundation of Dash's payments stack. The @Dashpay wallet has usernames, encrypted on-chain metadata (so transaction history isn't an Excel spreadsheet of addresses), and a contact list. The Dash Spend feature uses that instant finality to do something most chains can't: buy a gift card for the exact amount of your purchase, in real time, at checkout. Walk up to Home Depot, scan your items, see $68.49, open Dash Spend, get a barcode, scan it, done. No padding the gift card with dust, no waiting 10 minutes for confirmations.
Joel says Dash Spend reaches roughly 150,000 US merchants, plus a recent Eon Pay integration extending coverage across Southeast Asia.
His broader sovereignty stack: self-custody, no KYC, not denominated in dollars or stablecoins. He uses a private reloadable card for the edge cases where Visa/Mastercard rails are unavoidable. The goal, in his words, is to not need cards within three years.
4. The Privacy Catch-Up: Dash's Next ReleaseDash's history in privacy is unusual. It was the first crypto with explicitly built-in privacy features (the original 2014 "Darkcoin"), predating @monero by a few months. But Dash's integrated CoinJoin model hides the transaction graph while leaving amounts visible. Monero and @Zcash pulled ahead on amount-hiding with confidential transactions (2017) and zero-knowledge proofs respectively.
That gap is about to close. Dash's lead developer Quantum Explorer has been porting Zcash's Orchard shielded-pool technology to the Dash Evolution chain. The code is in the next release, expected in the coming weeks. When it lands, Dash will have Zcash-level shielded transactions with 1-second finality.
There's a second angle: Zcash has long promised shielded assets (ZSAs, fully private tokens), but that roadmap has effectively paused at Zcash.
"Dash is getting Zcash shielded assets before Zcash. Dash might act as a test net for, is there demand for a fully private stable coin."5. Why Dash on THORChain MattersTHORChain already has @Maya_Protocol deeply integrated with Dash, and Maya has shipped instant-transaction support in the past few months. The case for THORChain catching up is straightforward: with the privacy market clearly back in force, and with recent centralized-DEX incidents making the cost of cutting corners on decentralization visible again, this is the moment for THORChain to be the natural home for sovereign assets.
Once Dash lands, the list of coins available across all three major cross-chain DEXes (THORChain, Maya, Near Intents) becomes very short: $BTC, $ETH, Zcash, and Dash. That's the rock-solid tier where centralized exchange delisting risk no longer matters because the on-chain volume can carry it. Joel noted Dash has been affected by delistings more than any other coin in crypto, so a permanent home on a permissionless DEX is more than a nice-to-have for the project.
The Free State Project lifer who closed his bank account in 2016 is now spending political capital making sure his coin's volume can survive any centralized delisting on the planet. That's the alignment, and that's why this integration matters.
@KentonC137 used the segment to make a broader call: stop gating THORChain integrations on market cap. A 20-million-dollar project with an engaged community brings free marketing, network effects, and access to audiences THORChain doesn't otherwise reach. The cost is dev work and the node operator overhead of running another daemon. The upside is months of unpaid pitching from a passionate team.
"Market cap should not be a barrier entry when it comes to THORChain."Kenton flagged projects worth watching as integration candidates: @QuaiNetwork (PoW Layer 1 with hybrid privacy and strong recent momentum), Nym (decentralized VPN with Edward Snowden's endorsement), and Firo on the smaller end. He also raised decentralized storage like Filecoin and Arweave as future integration targets so cross-chain rails can settle storage payments without centralized fiat onramps.
6. Quick PSA: Free SamouraiKenton is using free Twitter ad credits on the THORChain account to amplify the Free Samourai movement, supporting @SamouraiWallet co-founder @KeonneRodriguez and his co-defendant Bill, both currently serving federal sentences after pleading guilty in July 2025. Twitter doesn't allow promoting exchange interfaces, but it does allow awareness campaigns. Kenton has framed this as the new Free Ross movement and Keonne's wife will be coming on the podcast soon. Every dollar counts, and the THORChain community can move the needle here.
7. Cypherpunk Week in AmsterdamBlock your calendar. Amsterdam, September 3-5, three back-to-back events at the same venue (De Hallen Studios):
DashCon, September 3. The first major Dash conference since the 2019 Zurich event, organized by Joel. THORChain is invited and there will be a cross-chain DEX panel.Common S3nse, September 4-5. Organized by @CryptoCanal; formerly known as ETHDam. Last year's keynote was Alexey Pertsev of @TornadoCash, delivered while wearing an ankle monitor.Hackathon runs alongside. Builders welcome.Sponsorship and ticket packages are bundled across all three. Confirmed freedom-aligned sponsors include @EdgeWallet, @Zcash, and @zano_project. Conference URLs: commons3nse.cryptocanal.org and dash-con.com.
8. Assemble the Avengers: The Cypherpunk CornerThe bigger pitch from Joel: at the major industry conferences (Consensus, Bitcoin Vegas, Token2049), there is no home for hardcore decentralized projects. The booths are dominated by stablecoin slop, custodial wallets, and Hoskinson-grade marketing budgets. Meanwhile the cypherpunk contingent has nowhere to congregate.
Joel's proposal: club together. THORChain, Maya, Dash, Zcash, Monero, Quai, Edge, Bitcoin Cash, and any other freedom-aligned project pitches in to share one "Cypherpunk Corner" at the big conferences. Color-coded shirts. Real product demos. Live swaps on-stage. Branding spicy enough to actually stand out against the corpo-AI booths.
"We can have this anchor, this shining beacon on a hill of all the actual hardcore people."The economics work: a single booth at one of these conferences can run $35K-$100K, but typically comes with 10-20 unused tickets per sponsor. Pool the sponsorship, pool the tickets, and you have a 50-100 person on-site presence showing up to one conference together, with one coordinated narrative.
@patriotsounds called this the most exciting idea of the episode. Kenton's in. The plan is to start with Common S3nse and DashCon in September, then scale to Consensus 2027.
9. Takeaways / What to WatchDash integration on THORChain. The roadmap is now official. Watch for development pace and pool launch.Dash's next release. Shielded transactions with Orchard tech at 1-second finality, shipping in weeks. This closes the privacy gap with Zcash and Monero.Cypherpunk Week, Sept 3-5 Amsterdam. DashCon and Common S3nse back-to-back at the same venue. Speaker slots and sponsorship are open.The open door policy. Kenton's call to lower the integration bar is worth tracking. If THORChain culture shifts here, the next 12 months could see a wave of smaller but engaged communities onboarded.Free Samourai movement. Twitter ad credits supporting the defense fund. Keonne's wife on the podcast soon.The Avengers thesis. Watch for a coordinated cypherpunk presence at the next round of major conferences."Taxation is theft. Your phone is spying on you. Fiat is a scam. Live on crypto before it's too late."More @THORChain data, check out Raynalytics
Follow @Raynalytics for more Weekly Analytics and Podcast recaps.
Key TakeawaysMonero: Mandatory Anonymity with Maximum Regulatory ExposureZcash: Zero-Knowledge Technology with Growing Institutional BackingDash: Payment Functionality with Secondary Privacy FeaturesConcluding Analysis Increasing worries about blockchain transparency and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements are driving renewed interest in privacy-focused cryptocurrencies Monero enforces complete transaction anonymity by default, establishing it as the leading privacy cryptocurrency while attracting the most regulatory scrutiny Zcash surged past $585 in 2026 following Multicoin Capital’s disclosure of a significant investment on May 6 Dash functions primarily as a payment-focused cryptocurrency with optional privacy capabilities rather than a dedicated privacy solution Regulatory challenges pose the greatest threat to all three cryptocurrencies, with multiple jurisdictions already implementing delisting measures Privacy-oriented cryptocurrencies are experiencing a resurgence in investor attention throughout May. Escalating anxieties surrounding financial monitoring, increasingly stringent exchange regulations, and sophisticated blockchain analysis tools are driving crypto enthusiasts toward digital assets offering enhanced transactional confidentiality.
Contrasting with Bitcoin or Ethereum, where every transaction remains permanently visible on public ledgers, privacy coins employ specialized cryptographic techniques to obscure transaction information. These technologies can mask the sending party, receiving party, and transferred amounts.
This cryptocurrency category remains divisive. Financial regulators and trading platforms have approached privacy coins cautiously, contending that they complicate compliance obligations. Advocates counter with a fundamental question: if physical currency transactions enjoy privacy, shouldn’t digital alternatives offer the same?
Three cryptocurrencies deserve particular attention this month: Monero, Zcash, and Dash. Each implements distinct privacy methodologies and presents unique risk considerations.
Monero: Mandatory Anonymity with Maximum Regulatory Exposure Monero stands as the most recognized privacy cryptocurrency. Anonymity functions as a fundamental network characteristic — every transaction maintains privacy automatically, with no mechanism for public visibility.
Monero (XMR) Price The protocol employs ring signatures, stealth addresses, and confidential transaction technology to conceal senders, recipients, and transaction values. This architecture represents the most comprehensive implementation of compulsory transaction privacy in cryptocurrency.
Monero doesn’t attempt to compete as a smart contract platform or comprehensive payment network. Its purpose remains straightforward: functioning as untraceable digital currency.
This singular focus has cultivated one of cryptocurrency’s most dedicated communities. User demand for private transactions may intensify as surveillance concerns escalate.
The primary vulnerability involves regulatory intervention. Nations including Japan, South Korea, India, and various European jurisdictions have already imposed restrictions on privacy coins through regulated exchanges. Monero consistently faces the earliest regulatory action.
Zcash: Zero-Knowledge Technology with Growing Institutional Backing Zcash implements an alternative methodology. The protocol permits both public and private transactions, offering user choice rather than mandating universal privacy.
Zcash (ZEC) Price Its privacy infrastructure relies on zero-knowledge proof cryptography, enabling transaction verification without exposing underlying transaction details.
Throughout 2026, Zcash has emerged as a closely monitored privacy asset following Multicoin Capital’s announcement of a substantial holding on May 6. The cryptocurrency reached a 2026 peak exceeding $585 immediately afterward.
This development carries significance because privacy cryptocurrencies have traditionally attracted primarily retail investment. Institutional participation transforms the market narrative and indicates some professional investors view privacy as a broader digital rights or infrastructure investment theme.
Zcash may also attract investors seeking privacy sector exposure while preferring an asset with optional transparency features, facilitating discussions in regulated environments.
The principal concern involves actual usage patterns. If most participants continue using transparent transactions, the practical privacy advantage diminishes considerably.
Dash: Payment Functionality with Secondary Privacy Features Dash originated as a privacy-centered Bitcoin derivative but subsequently pivoted toward rapid digital payment processing. Its PrivateSend functionality employs CoinJoin-style transaction mixing, which provides limited privacy but differs fundamentally from Monero’s comprehensive default model or Zcash’s zero-knowledge proof architecture.
This characterization positions Dash less as a dedicated privacy cryptocurrency and more as a payment-focused asset with supplementary privacy capabilities.
This strategic positioning can prove advantageous in certain markets. Its payment-centric identity resonates more clearly with investors, and it has historically attracted users prioritizing transaction speed and reduced fees.
Dash appeared among the sector’s strongest performers when privacy tokens outpaced the broader market earlier this year, according to CoinDesk.
The vulnerability lies in Dash’s ambiguous positioning. It may lack sufficient privacy features for strict anonymity advocates, yet its privacy associations can still trigger challenges on regulated trading platforms.
Concluding Analysis Monero represents the most uncompromising privacy implementation. Zcash delivers advanced zero-knowledge proof technology alongside increasing institutional validation. Dash provides payment utility with moderate privacy functionality.
The opportunity remains consistent across all three: if concerns regarding surveillance and exchange restrictions intensify, privacy-focused cryptocurrencies could experience renewed demand.
The risk appears equally apparent: regulatory intervention. Exchange availability for privacy coins can shift rapidly, and this sector remains among cryptocurrency’s most politically sensitive categories.
BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes has suggested that Zcash (ZEC) could eventually reach 10% of Bitcoin’s market capitalization, a long-term bullish thesis on privacy coins rather than a near-term price forecast. Based on ZEC’s circulating supply of around 16 million tokens, that scenario would imply a price in the high four-figure range, roughly $8,000–$10,000, depending on Bitcoin’s valuation.
A Chart Pattern Worth Watching On the technical side, traders point to a possible cup-and-handle pattern, but this is a subjective chart formation with no guarantee of outcome. Resistance is often cited around $625–$650, with some speculative projections suggesting a move toward $1,000, though this depends heavily on broader market conditions and is not a confirmed target.
The target also lines up with ZEC’s 1.618 Fibonacci extension, drawn from a $745 swing high down to a $185 swing low.
Privacy Coins Pull Ahead ZEC is not moving alone. Monero and Dash, both privacy-focused tokens, have also posted gains over the past month. But Zcash leads the pack. Reports indicate the coin climbed more than 80% in 30 days while the total crypto market cap barely moved — up just 0.2% over the same stretch.
ZEC market cap currently at $9.6 billion. Chart: TradingView $ZEC update
This thing is running its own bull market rn… gg
I closed my short. Especially with $BTC sitting on support around $76k
Even a small pump in Bitcoin makes ZEC go absolutely stupid right now https://t.co/xLs6ficv7l pic.twitter.com/obAhbnXqfp
— SnorlaX お金 (@SnorlaxOnChain) May 18, 2026
In the past three days alone, ZEC added 18% as the broader market slipped 3%. That split has prompted some traders to say Zcash is running its own bull market. Growing demand for financial privacy appears to be the main force behind the move, pulling fresh interest into a coin that had been largely overlooked for years.
Institutional Interest Adds Fuel Earlier in May, hedge fund Multicoin Capital disclosed it holds a position in ZEC. Around the same time, Robinhood added the token to its platform, opening it up to a wider pool of retail investors.
Both developments landed at a time when the privacy narrative was already building. Hayes’s comment added another layer. His estimate was speculative — based on a market cap comparison to Bitcoin — but it drew attention and, according to data, ZEC’s value in Bitcoin terms has risen about 20.5% since he made the remark.
Whether the cup-and-handle plays out or not, the coin has already proven it can move on its own terms.
Featured image from Quicknode, chart from TradingView
Dash (DASH) is up 12% on Wednesday, extending Monday’s 5% gain toward the $50 milestone. Retail interest is growing, driven by regulatory concerns over the upcoming Digital Assets Market Clarity Act (CLARITY) and the Zcash Orchard Shielded Pool integration, which enhances infrastructure flexibility.
Dash integrates the Zcash shielded pool to clear the CLARITY Act barrierDash announced the integration of Zcash Orchard Shielded Pool on February 19, which, according to its official roadmap, will be completed in May. The roadmap lacks an official date, but the retail anticipation is surging as the month comes to an end. The integration will rebrand Dash's infrastructure from the CoinJoin (mixing) method to the zk-SNARKs (shielded) method to potentially achieve compliance with the CLARITY Act, which fueled the recent Zcash rally earlier this month.
Dash official roadmap. On the derivatives side, DASH futures Open Interest (OI) is up nearly 19% over the last 24 hours to $72.95 million, indicating a positional buildup driven by retail interest for leveraged exposure. The total liquidations of $185,120 in the same period were led by $64,100 in DASH long positions, indicating a bearish wipeout.
Typically, such decisive liquidations led to an imbalance in more active long positions, but the long-to-short ratio of 1.0016 reaffirms almost equal positions on both sides.
DASH derivatives data. Source: CoinGlassWill DASH cross above $50?Dash trades around $47.10 at press time on Wednesday, extending a bullish bias as price holds above the 50-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA) on the 4-hour chart near $43.56 and the 200-period EMA around $41.85. The climb through the 23.6% and 38.2% Fibonacci Retracements at roughly $43.54 and $46.01, measured over the downswing from $58.09 to $39.84, reinforces a constructive structure.
The 50% retracement level at $48.10 serves as the immediate resistance, guarding the higher barriers at the 61.8% and 78.6% retracement levels at $50.29 and $53.58, respectively.
Momentum is growing bullish on the 4-hour chart, as the Relative Strength Index (RSI) above 71 suggests early overbought conditions, even as the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) extends a steady positive trend above its signal line, hinting that upside momentum could be stretched in the near term.
DASH/USDT daily price chart.On the downside, initial support emerges at the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement around $46.01, ahead of the 23.6% level near $43.54, close to the EMA 50 at $43.56.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
Bitcoin (BTC) is trading above $77,000 at press time on Thursday, easing downside pressure amid the wipeout of $180 million in crypto shorts over the last 24 hours. In the same period, Hyperliquid (HYPE), Dash (DASH), and Zcash (ZEC) led the broader market rally on intense Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) inflows and renewed demand for privacy coins.
Mild recovery in Bitcoin eases broader market stressBitcoin trades above $77,000 on Thursday, extending gains from the previous day. The near-term recovery with a rebound from its 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) suggests a reversal to its 200-day EMA around $82,000. Typically, altcoins mimic Bitcoin's recovery following a pullback.
CoinGlass data shows $262 million in total liquidations over the last 24 hours across the market, led by $182 million in short liquidations, pointing to a forced bearish positional wipeout.
Crypto liquidation data. Source: CoinGlassHyperliquid and privacy coins eye further gainsHyperliquid is extending a strong bullish phase that has reached a seven-month high, driven by recent $22 million in ETF inflows. The everything exchange token holds well above the 50-day EMA at $42.40 and the 200-day EMA at $36.95, which together suggest a firmly established uptrend. The underlying upward-sloping trendline breakout around $53.00 further reinforces the constructive structure.
Momentum remains robust, with the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator in positive territory and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovering in overbought territory near 76, hinting that while buyers are in control, conditions are becoming stretched.
Looking up, the all-time high of $59.45 remains a key resistance level, and a breakout above it would signal a shift into price discovery mode.
HYPE/USD daily price chart.On the downside, initial support is seen at the broken trendline around $53.00, followed by R2 and R1 Pivot Points at $51.30 and $45.52, respectively.
DASH hovers around $50 on Thursday after a 20% surge the previous day, maintaining a bullish near-term bias. The privacy coin trades well above the 50-period EMA at $44.48 on the 4-hour chart and the 200-period EMA at $42.05, driven by the hopes of Zcash Orchard Shielded Pool integration.
Bullish momentum is rising, as indicated by a positive MACD and an RSI near 72, which hints at firm buying pressure but signals concerns about overbought conditions.
A sustained break above the 61.8% retracement at about $51.11, measured over the downswing from $58.09 to $39.84, would open the way toward the 78.6% level near $54.18.
DASH/USDT daily price chart.Initial support is seen well lower at the 50% retracement level at $48.96, followed by the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level at $46.81.
Zcash maintains a clear bullish bias as price trades above $665 on Thursday, well above both the 50-day and 200-day EMAs, clustered around $445 and $335. The privacy coin has also pushed decisively through the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement at $628, measured from $750 to $104, suggesting a steady recovery.
The RSI is around 72, hinting at overbought conditions but still constructive momentum, while the MACD remains in positive territory, suggesting that upside pressure persists despite increasingly stretched conditions.
Looking up, the next meaningful resistance is the recent swing high, aligned with the 100% Fibonacci retracement at $750, where buyers could begin taking profits.
ZEC/USDT daily price chart.On the downside, initial support lies at the 78.6% retracement at $629, followed by deeper Fibonacci cushions at $534 and $467.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
We’re introducing a new fund to receive and distribute funds to further Dash ecosystem adoption, the Dash Ecosystem Fund (DEF). This will supplement existing funds in our greater DAO and serve new use cases.
Breaking Down Dash’s Different Funds First, let’s go over the existing funds and how they work, and where the new DEF fits in.
The DAO/Treasury The main source of funding in the Dash ecosystem, the Treasury, is Dash’s pioneering self-funding mechanism, live since 2015.
The Treasury comes directly from Dash’s block reward. Every month when new coins are created, 20% is available to be distributed to contractors for purposes such as development, marketing, etc. These funds are allocated monthly by masternode vote. Funds that are not spent every month are not created or otherwise retained.
The Treasury is the only funding method that’s fully decentralized and baked into the protocol itself. This is what makes Dash the oldest DAO.
The Dash Investment Foundation The Dash Investment Foundation is a Cayman Islands foundation built for the purposes of investing in companies and receiving equity on behalf of the Dash network.
The DIF is governed by supervisors who are elected by DAO vote. They then make decisions on investments in companies which support Dash and align with its strategic goals. The DIF then strategically divests and reinvests into new companies.
Historically, all of the DIF’s funding has come from the Treasury, though in the future it may be able to reinvest some of its previously successful investments. Unlike the Treasury, the DIF can receive funding from sources external to the Dash block reward.
The Dash Ecosystem Fund The Dash Ecosystem Fund is a newly formed fund. It is managed by long-standing members of the community from several major DAO-funded organizations including Dash Core Group, Dash Growth, the DIF, and CrowdNode.
The DEF was created to fund development and integrations in the Dash ecosystem. Smaller funding distributions are decided internally by the managing members, with larger distributions being subject to a DAO vote.
The DEF can receive funding from any source: community donations, DApp revenue, leftover Treasury funds, external grants, etc.
Donate to the DEF To donate to the DEF, please use the addresses below:
Dash has renewed its focus on digital cash, arguing that peer-to-peer payments remain one of crypto’s most useful goals even as stablecoins, DeFi and decentralized applications take more attention.
Summary
Dash says digital cash remains crypto’s strongest use case as stablecoins and DeFi gain ground. The project says stablecoins carry issuer, peg and freeze risks that digital cash avoids directly. Dash links payments, savings, DeFi and DApps to one scarce base money model for users. Dash said its strategy still follows the early idea behind Bitcoin: a peer-to-peer electronic cash system. The project said that use case has lost attention in parts of the crypto market, but it remains central to its roadmap.
In a post on X, Dash described digital cash as the “killer app” for blockchain because it can support direct payments, savings, finance and digital services. The project said digital cash should be fungible, private, fast, low-cost and permissionless.
Dash also argued that digital cash differs from tokenized versions of fiat money. In its view, a true digital cash asset should not only represent money held elsewhere. It should act as the base money itself.
The statement places Dash back inside a long-running debate over whether crypto should focus on payments, trading, stablecoins, yield products or application networks.
Stablecoin risks remain part of the argument Dash said stablecoins have grown because they move familiar fiat value onto digital rails. However, it argued that stablecoins still depend on outside assets, issuers or algorithms to keep their peg.
The project said this creates risks around depegging, technical failures and centralized control. It also argued that fiat-backed stablecoins keep users tied to currencies that can lose purchasing power over time.
As previously reported by crypto.news, U.S. enforcement actions have also placed stablecoin controls under sharper review. Recent cases included Iran-linked USDT freezes and wider debate over issuer power after Circle-related asset freeze disputes.
Dash used that backdrop to argue that digital cash offers a different model. It said a scarce crypto asset can grow more useful with adoption while reducing reliance on centralized issuers.
DeFi and DApps need usable base money Dash also linked digital cash to decentralized finance. The project said DeFi markets need a strong unit of value for lending, trading and collateral.
It argued that stablecoins often become the default base asset because many crypto tokens lack daily payment use. Dash said a widely used digital cash asset could serve both DeFi and real-world commerce.
The project made a similar point about decentralized applications. Dash said app networks often rely on gas tokens that users do not spend outside the digital economy.
Dash said its Evolution network aims to support decentralized data and applications while keeping payments at the center. The project framed this as one system for money, data and digital services.
Payments remain Dash’s core pitch Dash’s wider message is simple. It wants digital cash to serve as money for both online and offline use.
The project said a payment asset should be fast, low-cost and useful beyond speculation. Its public site says Dash payments can settle in about one second and cost less than one cent.
Dash did not reject stablecoins, DeFi or DApps. It said those tools can serve targeted use cases. However, it argued that they work better when built around scarce, usable base money.
That position keeps Dash focused on one of crypto’s oldest goals. While much of the market now chases tokenized dollars, yield products and app platforms, Dash says digital cash remains the foundation for a decentralized financial system.
When Satoshi Nakamoto penned the Bitcoin whitepaper and established a peer-to-peer electronic cash system, this sparked the entire blockchain revolution. But increasingly, this original use case is falling out of favor in the space.
So why, in 2026 and beyond, are we still primarily focused on digital cash?
In short, because we believe that it’s still the killer app that has the potential to do the most good in the world. And, we see it as the critical underpinning of the decentralized financial system of the future that enables everything else to be built right.
What Is Digital Cash? To easily break it down, digital cash is a digital form of cash.
Cash is fungible, with any piece interchangeable with any other piece. It’s private, as a transferable token that’s not associated to any account, identity, or entity’s ownership; from a technological perspective, whoever possesses it is the rightful owner, without an inherent transfer of ownership record. Cash is also instant and inexpensive (or free) to transact with. Above all, it’s fully permissionless: anyone can use or transfer it, for whichever purpose, without the explicit knowledge or permission of any centralized intermediary.
Where digital cash diverges from simply digitizing paper cash as we know it today is in the base money. Modern cash is issued by a central bank, and its supply and value are entirely dictated by centralized actors. Historically, however, cash has represented redemption certificates for real money: gold and silver. Digital cash’s key innovation is creating an electronic version of cash that doesn’t just represent a base sound money: it IS the money.
Digital Cash vs. Stablecoins Stablecoins are quickly overtaking every other means of digital payment and collateral, and with good reason: on their surface, they allow the current global financial system to be neatly migrated to modern, efficient, digital rails.
Under the surface, however, stablecoins introduce a series of dependencies. To begin with, their value must be pegged to exogenous assets, re-introducing the vulnerability in legacy cash that digital cash solved. Either a complex algorithm must maintain its value, increasing the technical attack surface and risking a catastrophic depeg, or a central issuer must guarantee the value of the tokens. Additionally, the key value proposition, to peg the value to a central bank currency such as the dollar, ensures that the value, while stable, will largely go down over time.
As issuers become more prone to censorship, technological risks abound, and central bank currencies continue their devaluation, the appeal of stablecoins will begin to wane. Digital cash, on the other hand, grows more valuable the more scarce it is, and volatility diminishes over time with use, leaving a more reliable store of value than a central bank currency.
Dash will of course explore stablecoins as tools for targeted use cases, but our greater mission is to provide something inherently better.
Digital Cash vs. DeFi Decentralized finance has in many ways trended ahead of digital cash in value capture. However, it isn’t inherently incompatible, or fully in competition with, digital cash, and in many ways is deeply complementary.
First, in order to create a DeFi ecosystem, the various financial products must be built on units of value. In the absence of better solutions, this immediately defaults to stablecoins. The drawbacks associated with basing a money and payments system on stablecoins are compounded when these dependencies affect complex interdependent financial ecosystems. We have seen depegging incidents cause chaos (the Terra Luna incident, for example), What we haven’t seen yet is a DeFi protocol that becomes insolvent because a regulator or a centralized issuer freezes the funds in a pool, either creating bad debt or requiring the protocol to introduce permissioned elements.
Second, basing the value of an ecosystem on a unit of value that has few outside use cases provides inherent friction and volatility. A token that’s mainly good for collateralizing DeFi won’t be as valuable as one which has use in everyday commerce outside of that ecosystem as well. A widely-adopted digital cash system collateralizing a decentralized financial system just makes sense.
Digital Cash vs. DApps Finally, an emerging use case for blockchain networks is to build decentralized applications. Dash has forayed into this domain as well with the launch of the Evolution network, which provides a robust metadata system for building applications with on demand access to decentralized data without needing to trust a node or indexer. Rather than a side quest, however, this makes sense as a core digital cash value proposition.
Using, and paying for, applications, data, and digital goods is a large part of the global economy of the future, and these systems run on their network’s gas token. If the gas token has few other exogenous uses, however, the friction in using that tech stack to build and use applications will make it less attractive. Developers earning from the tools they build, and paying to build them, will be bridging in and out of the money they use for daily life outside of the digital world, introducing more friction and points of failure.
By contrast, imagine if the gas token you use to power your digital life is also the money that you use to power your physical life. Imagine that, instead of having to purchase and store different kinds of fuel for your car, lawnmower, leaf blower, chainsaw, and various other tools, if you could insert cash directly into these tools to fuel them up. Strange to imagine maybe, but it would cut down on so much friction and waste associated with obtaining the various kinds of fuels for these tools.
Where we win is where we have a base, stable, scarce, and valuable money powering everything: our payments and savings, our finance, and our digital economy.
Digital cash is the underpinning of all of this, and we’re committed to seeing it through to the end.
After dropping below $30, buyers moved quickly to defend Dash’s [DASH] key level. The coin rebounded to a local high of $35 before settling at $34.3, up 11.02% on the daily chart at press time.
However, trading volume fell 42% during the same period, signaling weaker market participation and warning that the rally may be unsustainable.
DASH rebounds amid renewed risk appetite After Dash signaled recovery from the recent slip, traders jumped into the market to speculate. As a result, the altcoin’s Open Interest (OI) rose 19% to $46 million as of writing.
Such a jump in OI suggested significant capital flowed into opening new positions in the derivatives market. Thus, traders opened either long or short positions.
Source: CoinGlass Capital flows into the futures market show a sharp shift in behavior. Over the past five days, DASH recorded sustained exits, with sellers dominating the futures side. However, this trend reversed in the last 24 hours, as $23.4 million flowed in while $22.9 million flowed out. As a result, Futures Netflow surged 140% to $508k.
Such a jump suggested that most traders had begun opening new positions, either shorts or longs. While increased speculative activity raises the risk of another price crash, it could also strengthen upside momentum, albeit only for a short period.
Profit taking on the spot, as skepticism remains Unsurprisingly, as DASH rebounded, traders who had fallen underwater rushed to cash out. CoinGlass data showed that on the spot market, traders have consistently taken profits at every opportunity.
As such, the spot Netflow has remained positive over the past three days. At press time, Netflow was $208k, reflecting a higher exchange deposit.
Source: CoinGlass Sellers’ dominance of the market during this period suggests skepticism, as they expect the recovery to falter. Usually, such market behavior has weakened the market and effectively undermined the chances of recovery.
What do momentum indicators say? As DASH reclaimed $30, upside momentum strengthened slightly, with the Stochastic Momentum Index (SMI) rising above its signal to ‑55 at press time. However, the indicator remained negative, keeping the overall outlook bearish. At the same time, DASH traded below the MACD‑SMA, further confirming the prevailing bearish trend.
Source: TradingView Taken together, these momentum indicators suggested that the recent speculative activity has proven insufficient, and weakness could extend. Therefore, for the uptrend on the daily charts to continue, DASH must close above the MACD-SMA at $41.
However, if the speculation witnessed fades, DASH will breach the $30 support again and fall to $29.
Final Summary Dash rose 11% after successfully defending $30, touching a local high of $35. DASH saw renewed risk appetite, driving the uptick, although the market structure remains bearish.
DashPay Maya swaps are now live thanks to our long partnership with the Maya Protocol. Dash has been working with the Maya team for many years as one of the very first chains added after the protocol launched in 2023. This Maya Protocol Dash integration brings fully decentralized cross-chain swaps directly into the DashPay wallet — letting users swap Dash to Bitcoin, Ethereum, SOL, stablecoins, and many other cryptocurrencies without leaving their Dash-only wallet.
Our Long Partnership With Maya Dash has been working with our friends at the Maya Protocol for many years. One of the very first cross-chain DEX protocols, Maya is a friendly fork of THORChain, launched to create redundancy, explore new features and chains, and complement the budding cross-chain ecosystem. Today, there is significant overlap in developers and communities of the two projects.
We were the first new chain added after the protocol launched in 2023, and have worked with the team since its pioneering days to where it is today.
Now, it’s only fitting to add Maya as the first DEX integration into our flagship wallets.
Why We Chose Maya Protocol for Dash Integration This new integration helps bring Dash to a whole new set of users and use cases.
Let’s be honest: Dash just works. Nothing in the space is as easy to use, as reliable, as useful as money, and so on. But we live in an increasingly cross-chain world, and much of the space uses other cryptocurrency ecosystems, from Bitcoin to stablecoins and more.
Instead of expanding complexity for the end user by exposing them to countless cryptocurrencies, tokens, and networks, and forcing them to manage multiple assets in the same wallet, we’re keeping DashPay Dash-only, but letting them send and receive as many other assets as they want. All without centralized, custodial rails. Digital cash, upgraded.
What’s Next for DashPay Maya Swaps Integration of this feature into the iOS wallet is coming very soon. After that, we will be integrating additional DEX swap options (and some other surprises), including for receiving transactions as well as sending. And, of course, we will keep polishing the user experience of this feature so that it’s as smooth as possible.
Stay tuned for a full breakdown of this new Dash-to-Anything feature and how it will evolve!
Dash is exploring the Philippines as a potential market for crypto payments, citing demand for lower-cost transactions and the country's openness to digital finance tools.
In an interview with Cointelegraph at the Philippine Blockchain Week 2026, Daria Chernozub, global adoption lead at Dash Blockchain, said the project focuses on emerging markets where users face high fees and need simpler payment options.
“We believe that Dash brings the technology and the payment solutions for people who are suffering from high commissions [and] who need something easy to use,” Chernozub said, adding that the Philippines fits that profile because consumers are open to learning about new technologies.
She said Dash is still assessing the local market and prioritizing legal compliance before any launch. She said Dash had begun communicating with major market participants and had prepared a legal opinion letter for discussions with regulatory and financial industry bodies.
Dash’s assessment comes as the Philippines seeks to attract foreign technology companies, though industry participants say the regulatory process for crypto firms remains significantly more demanding than basic corporate registration.
Daria Chernozub (left) with Cointelegraph’s Ezra Reguerra (right) at the Philippine Blockchain Week. Source: Daria Chernozub
Corporate registration takes minutes, crypto compliance can take years Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission Commissioner (SEC) Rogelio Quevedo told Cointelegraph during an interview at Philippine Blockchain Week 2026 that foreign investors can register a corporation online from anywhere in the world in about 20 to 30 minutes.
Quevedo said the government is ready to assist foreign investors and described the SEC’s online registration system as part of the agency’s broader push toward digitization and innovation. His comments suggest that formally setting up a local entity has become easier, though crypto companies may still face additional licensing and compliance requirements before operating.
Marie Antonette Quiogue, BlockShoals’ head of legal and CEO of Arden Consult, told Cointelegraph in a separate interview at the event that the SEC has created a framework for foreign crypto exchanges willing to enter a regulated environment.
Quiogue said the regulated path comes with significant obligations and pointed to the roughly two years BlockShoals spent developing its arrangement with Binance.
Beyond regulation, Quiogue said the Philippines’ young population, high mobile usage and widespread English proficiency could help attract overseas crypto companies.
Magazine: China’s 107 Bitcoin memory thief, Bithumb CEO booked: Asia Express
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
Dash has begun evaluating the Philippines as a possible destination for its crypto payments business, while placing regulatory compliance at the center of any potential expansion plans.
Summary
Dash is evaluating the Philippines for a potential crypto payments expansion and has begun talks with regulators and industry participants. Dash said it is prioritizing legal compliance before any launch as Philippine authorities tighten oversight of crypto firms. The company cited demand for lower cost payments and growing interest in digital finance tools as reasons for studying the local market. Daria Chernozub, global adoption lead at Dash Blockchain, told attendees at Philippine Blockchain Week 2026 that the project is studying the local market and has already started discussions with major industry participants. She said Dash has also prepared a legal opinion letter to support talks with regulators and financial sector stakeholders.
Chernozub said the project targets countries where consumers face expensive payment services and are willing to adopt new financial technologies.
“We believe that Dash brings the technology and the payment solutions for people who are suffering from high commissions [and] who need something easy to use,” Chernozub said during the event.
She said the Philippines fits that description because many consumers are open to exploring digital financial tools. However, she added that Dash has not made any launch commitments and is still conducting market assessments.
Compliance remains a priority Chernozub said Dash intends to address legal and regulatory requirements before introducing any services in the country. She said the project has already opened communication channels with key market participants as part of that process.
The comments come as Philippine regulators continue tightening oversight of cryptocurrency businesses.
On June 17, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas introduced new requirements for virtual asset service providers. The central bank directed licensed firms to conduct extensive reviews before listing digital assets and required continuous monitoring of tokens after approval.
The BSP also instructed VASPs to evaluate issuer information, market maturity, use cases, security measures, liquidity conditions, and legal compliance before offering assets to customers. Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies remain prohibited under the framework.
Crypto firms face licensing requirements Recent regulatory actions have reinforced the BSP’s position that cryptocurrency companies must obtain the appropriate licenses before operating in the country.
Earlier this month, the BSP said neither Binance nor BlockShoals Technologies held a virtual asset service provider license despite BlockShoals participating in the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission’s StratBox regulatory sandbox program.
The central bank said SEC sandbox participation does not replace BSP licensing requirements for crypto payment and transaction services. Regulators also required BlockShoals to connect with a licensed domestic VASP before Binance-backed user onboarding could proceed.
The Philippines has sought to attract foreign technology companies, but crypto firms continue to face licensing, compliance, and regulatory review processes beyond standard corporate registration requirements.
Dash has not announced a timeline for entering the market. Chernozub said the company will continue its assessment of the Philippines while engaging with regulators and industry participants.
As the cryptocurrency market experiences downturns, traders focus on reliable and innovative platforms. FXGuys, a leading PropFi project, is emerging as a preferred choice over competitors like Dash and Steem. Backed by its innovative features, such as the Trader Funding Program, staking opportunities, and the $FXG token, The FX Guys are becoming a beacon for traders seeking stability and profitability.
>>>JOIN FXGUYS HERE<<<
FXGuys: A Market Leader in Challenging Times During market dips, traders look for projects that offer real-world utility and consistent rewards. FXGuys provides tools and programs catering to novice and seasoned traders. With its ongoing Stage 2 presale, the $FXG token is priced at $0.04, having already raised over $2.6 million.
Key Benefits of FXGuys: Trader Funding Program: FXGuys offers a robust trader development ecosystem. Traders can access up to $500,000 in funding upon passing trading challenges. Profits are split 80/20 in favor of traders, making it one of the best proprietary trading firms. Staking Rewards: By staking $FXG tokens, users can earn a 20% share of profits and revenue from broker trading volume. This feature positions the FXguys among the top defi coins for generating passive income. Tax-Free Trading: Unlike many competitors, FX Guys ensures that $FXG transactions are free from buy or sell taxes. Additionally, the platform supports decentralized trading without needing KYC, ensuring user privacy and convenience. Why Traders Prefer FXGuys Over Dash and Steem Dash and Steem have their merits, but FXGuys’ comprehensive ecosystem and innovative approach provide unique advantages:
Trade2Earn Program: Every trade on the FXGuys platform earns $FXG tokens, encouraging trading activity and boosting liquidity. This feature enhances the platform’s value, making it a smart prop trader solution. Instant Funding and Withdrawal: FXGuys offers same-day fiat or crypto deposits and withdrawals in over 100 local currencies. This level of accessibility is unmatched by many altcoins. Custom Trading Platforms: Traders have access to the FX Guys’ proprietary platform, along with options like MT5, Match-Trader, cTrader, and DXtrade. This flexibility ensures that traders across different regions can operate seamlessly. $FXG: Driving the PropFi Revolution The $FXG token is at the core of FXGuys’ ecosystem. Its utility extends beyond staking and trading rewards, including features like no-tax transactions and integration with the Trade2Earn program. As one of the high-potential altcoins, $FXG has attracted significant attention during its presale, raising millions and setting a strong foundation for future growth.
Features Setting FXGuys Apart: Best Defi Token: With its staking rewards and decentralised trading, $FXG stands out as a reliable investment during market fluctuations. Instant Funding Prop Firm: Traders can quickly access capital and profit opportunities through FXGuys’ funding programs. No KYC Requirements: By prioritising user privacy, FXGuys ensures a seamless and secure trading experience. >>>JOIN FXGUYS HERE<<<
Conclusion FXGuys’ innovative offerings have positioned it as a top choice for traders amid market dips. Its combination of staking opportunities, the Trader Funding Program, and the $FXG token sets it apart from competitors like Dash and Steem. With $FXG priced at just $0.04 during the Stage 2 presale, this Top PropFi Project has already raised over $2.6 million, solidifying its place as a leading platform in the PropFi space.
To find out more about FXGuys follow the links below: Presale | Website | Whitepaper | Socials | Audit
The end of the week brings the market back to a familiar situation. Bitcoin remains largely uneventful, gaining only $100 on yesterday’s price. Top altcoins appear to be on the same boat with the exception of ATOM and DASH, which gained 23.67% and 10.67% respectively.
Binance Coin has recovered from yesterday’s hiccup, while MaidSafeCoin has now posted a new ATH since July.
Cryptocurrency market dynamics since September 12. Source: Coin360 As the world focuses on Venezuela, Bitcoin is making inroads in another Latin American country: Cuba.
According to a report by Reuters, Cubans are appreciating crypto’s borderless nature. The country has been subjected to a decades-long embargo from the U.S., which completely disconnected it from international finance and made it impossible to obtain a simple debit or credit card.
Cryptocurrency’s potential is exemplified by Jason Sanchez, who is reported to have used bitcoin to purchase spare parts for his cellphone repair shop from an online store in China. Alex Sobrino, the founder of Telegram channel CubaCripto, provided more details on crypto adoption in the country. “We are using cryptocurrencies to top up our cellphones, to make purchases online, and there are even people reserving hotel rooms with (it),” he explained, estimating that there are 10,000 users active users in Cuba.
Still, crypto operates in an opaque grey field in Cuba. The central bank of the country has stated in July that it would explore the potential of crypto payments. But just like Iran, it might decide that a centrally-controlled digital currency could make for a better option – even though the pioneering Petro has failed to achieve its goals.
Cosmos recovers amid continuous software releases The ATOM token has had a strong performance this week. After posting its ATL on September 5, it has rebounded by 58% in the past seven days – most of it due to today’s 23% gain.
Excitement is building for the upcoming release of IBC, the Inter Blockchain Communication protocol. The third Release Candidate version of its Interchain Standards was published a few days ago. This will be an important resource for developers on IBC, paving the way for additional attention by the community. The project has also announced Game Of Zones, a gamified network test for the system.
What Games of Stakes was for Cosmos Hub, Game of Zones is for IBC 🤺
Are you ready for 3 weeks of back-to-back gaming? 🛠️
📌 Week 1: Test connections between zones
📌 Week 2: Test token transfers
📌 Week 3: Adversarial zones
🔜 Stay tuned for updates!
— Cosmos – The Interchain ⚛️ (@cosmos) September 12, 2019
Excitement around the fundamental drivers, in addition to a fertile technical picture, are likely to have contributed to ATOM’s cosmic performance this week.
Advertisement
Coinbase Pro Announces DASH listing The markets have reacted to yet another Coinbase announcement. Trading is set to start on Monday, after a 12 hour period in which only deposits will be open. The coin will only be available on Coinbase Pro, previously called GDAX.
The announcement is responsible for almost the entirety of DASH gains this week, which are currently set at 12%. It’s worth noting that Dash will not be available for New York and UK-based traders, likely due to concerns about its privacy features, which led to Zcash trading restrictions last month.
MaidSafe price sees steady rise MaidSafeCoin, the token of the decentralized internet project Safe Network, has seen a steady rise in the last few weeks.
MaidSafeCoin price chart by CoinMarketCap What’s noteworthy about the project is that it had its ICO back in 2014. While the development journey was expected to be quite long, the fact that it is active after all these years is giving hope to its traders. Many other project tokens have simply flatlined since 2018.
The excitement is likely coming from MaidSafe reaching its Phase 1 milestone at the beginning of the month. Timely development updates and meaningful activity have also compounded the initial effect.
Last week we were beyond delighted to announce that we released real Vaults and therefore, we've landed at the Phase 1 milestone!
But what are Vaults, what's Phase 1, and why is this such big news? https://t.co/ja1tW8mmxk
— Autonomi (@WithAutonomi) September 6, 2019
Bitcoin Commentary By Nathan Batchelor Bitcoin is starting to push lower as we head into the U.S trading session, after the cryptocurrency ran into a wall of technical selling above the $10,400 level. Yesterday I highlighted this key technical area as the likely short-term bullish target.
The $10,000 level is now a possible short-term bearish target if we continue to see the BTC / USD pair losing upside momentum over the weekend.
The one-hour time chart clearly shows that a bullish falling wedge breakout occurred yesterday, once price moved above the $10,150 level. We are likely to see a re-test of the triangle breakout if we continue to hold below the $10,400 level; technical analysis shows that key trendline resistance from the triangle pattern is now located at the $10,000 level.
The $10,600 level still remains the overall short-term bullish target, should a more bullish scenario happen today or even over the weekend. A test towards the current monthly trading high is even possible if the BTC / USD pair finds renewed technical buying interest above the $10,600 level.
Via TradingView The Money Flow Index on both the one-hour and daily time frame has turned bullish, while the Relative Strength Indicator on the daily time frame has risen to its highest level since September 6th. The improvement in these indicators is definitely a positive sign Bitcoin.
*The recent bullish wedge breakout on the one-hour time frame remains valid while the BTC/USD pair trades above the $10,000 level.*
SENTIMENT
Intraday bullish sentiment for Bitcoin has notably increased from yesterday, to 60.00%, according to the latest data from TheTIE.io. Long-term sentiment for the cryptocurrency is largely unchanged, at 66.50 % positive.
UPSIDE POTENTIAL
If the recent bullish moves continue, we should then expect the $10,600 level to be a major area of interest for BTC / USD buyers.
The $10,960 level will be the next technical region for bulls to break, with the $11,700 and $12,400 levels then becoming the next targets for further breakouts.
DOWNSIDE POTENTIAL
The $10,120 and $10,000 levels are the main support areas to watch today, with the $9,876 level the most important technical area to watch below.
We should also consider the weekly price close. If BTC / USD bulls fails to close the weekly candle above the $10,600 level we should expect downside pressure to resume next week.
A full version of Nathan Batchelor’s Daily Bitcoin Commentary, together with his calls, is available to SIMETRI Research subscribers earlier in the day.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Andrey Shevchenko. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Crypto wallet and trading platform Abra recently enabled access to 17 Altcoins.Abra which is led by Bill Barhydt added native support to 17 altcoins including Digibyte (DGB), Dogecoin (DOGE), Dash (DASH), Basic Attention Token (BAT), Neo (NEO), 0x (ZEX), OmiseGo (OMG), Qtum (QTUM), Vertcoin (VTC), Zcash (ZEC), Golem (GNT), Stratis (STRAT), Augur (REP), Ethereum Classic (ETC), TRON (TRX), Lisk (LSK) and Status (SNT).
In addition to Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) users will soon be able to deposit and withdraw an additional 17 Crypto assets.
Native withdrawals for the other cryptocurrencies will be turned on in the coming days.
— Abra (@AbraGlobal) May 8, 2019
Abra is a non-custodial wallet meaning the private keys will not be held by the company but within the user’s device instead. The firm has also previously announced that it will enable users to buy synthetic equivalents of stocks and ETFs using Bitcoin smart contracts.
Abra Partners with Plaid to connect to “Thousands of banks”Abra has partnered with San Francisco based Fintech firm Plaid to connect user accounts to thousands of US banks. App users had to use bank transfers to deposit into their wallets, but with the new feature, they will able to connect to their bank accounts directly in-app using their API.
Bill Barhydt, CEO of Abra said:
“The addition of these new liquidity enhancements in our app gives users more ways to move between crypto and fiat. We’re particularly excited about our partnership with Plaid, which brings thousands of additional financial institutions into the Abra ecosystem for US customers.”
Discuss this news on our Telegram Community. Subscribe to us on Google news and do follow us on Twitter @Blockmanity
Did you like the news you just read? Please leave a feedback to help us serve you better
Disclaimer: Blockmanity is a news portal and does not provide any financial advice. Blockmanity's role is to inform the cryptocurrency and blockchain community about what's going on in this space. Please do your own due diligence before making any investment. Blockmanity won't be responsible for any loss of funds.
Author
Shrikar Parashar Shrikar is a Blockchain evangelist. He is a die-hard fan of security tokens. He follows the market closely but does not trade. He believes in Hodling.
Altcoins are back in style. As the price for one bitcoin has increased to trade around the $8,450 level, several top altcoins are posting double-digit gains against a generally-green backdrop, while Ethereum is on a roll – gaining almost 6% over the last 24 hours.
BNB, Maker, Holo and Chainlink are benefiting the most, posting gains of 8%, 9%, 11% and 14% respectively. But privacy and not-so-much privacy coins are seeing moderate losses, with Monero, Dash and Zcash performing at -0.6%, -1.8% and -1.1%.
While today’s woes may derive from coincidental market fluctuations, pressure from the FATF Travel Rule may cause investors to hold off from privacy coins for now.
What’s behind these impressive gains? BNB
… the sudden surge appears to be caused by a rumor that was later confirmed by CZ: Binance will start offering a fiat-to-crypto on-ramp in China through an integration with Alipay and WeChat. The news was falsely reported by numerous media outlets this morning as being a direct partnership.
Together these are the largest digital wallet providers in China, with adoption comparable to that of credit cards in the U.S. The news will have a profound effect on markets, in light of the ban of all native Chinese cryptocurrency exchanges in 2017, which left mainland traders scrambling to find ways of buying crypto.
Maker
…rise can be attributed to the announcement of a release date for Multi Collateral DAI. Due to Maker’s governance structure, the community will still need to vote for the proposal on November 15, with the CEO of Maker Foundation Rune Christensen urging all participants to do so. The first tokens to be evaluated for additional collateral will be ETH and BAT, with a full risk assessment provided to the Maker community for consideration.
Chainlink
…shows no signs of slowing down. After a variety of announcements that fueled its growth recently, the project delivered the final stroke: the Trusted Computation Framework, a collaboration with Intel, Hyperledger and Ethereum Enterprise Alliance.
The framework is designed to solve scalability issues affecting blockchains by moving computational and private data processing off-chain. Chainlink’s oracles will be providing the bridge between the two worlds, allowing the offloading of very resource-intensive operations without compromising on security. While the news was released two days ago, the daily sentiment for LINK remains ‘very high’ at 83%, according to data from thetie.io
Advertisement
Holochain
… the rise may be due to a preview of HoloPort, although it is largely an interface update. Sentiment is also neutral.
VanEck publishes investment case for Bitcoin VanEck, one of the two companies that submitted an ETF proposal due for deliberation this month, before subsequently withdrawing it from consideration, has published a comprehensive investment case for Bitcoin.
The report is prefaced with a definition of Bitcoin’s value. The company distinguishes between two different types of value for traded assets, categorizing stocks, real estate and commodities as ‘Intrinsic Value’ assets.
On the other hand gold, art, precious stones and bitcoin are categorized as having ‘Monetary Value,’ which arises from “Behavioral economics, heard behavior, etc.”
Based on these descriptions and other aspects of monetary theory, the report goes on to make a case that Bitcoin is a store of value and can be considered as digital gold.
Curiously, the report highlights some of the same concerns that the SEC has about Bitcoin ETFs; namely the lack of custodians, prime brokers, settlement entities and others, which are preventing significant institutional exposure.
Nevertheless, VanEck argues that increasing adoption figures, the upcoming halving, and increasing development momentum all make for a convincing reason to allocate a part of investor portfolios to Bitcoin.
Nathan Batchelor On Bitcoin Bitcoin has consolidated in a narrow range over the last twenty-four hours, with bulls maintaining the BTC/USD pair above the $8,000 support level. It is worth reiterating that the SEC is deciding on the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF this week, so trading volumes could remain light up until the decision.
TradingView.com In the near-term, the Choppiness Indicator and the Balance of Power Indicator show that short-term BTC/USD buyers are still in control of the cryptocurrency.
The four-hour time frame shows that Choppiness Index is still pointing to further upside. Interestingly, the Choppiness Index has also reached its most overbought reading since October 2018 on the daily time frame.
A higher reading indicates that the medium-term bearish trend is very weak, and suggests that the next directional move in the BTC/USD pair could be explosive.
In my opinion, I believe that the current bearish trend is weakening, and the chances of a rebound back towards the $9,000 level are very strong if the $8,500 level is broken.
The Balance of Power Indicator is also showing that BTC/USD buyers are gaining back control over the short-term. The Balance of Power Indicator is a simple indicator to use, as it shows the strength of buyers against sellers.
A reading higher than zero shows that buyers are in control, while a reading below zero shows that sellers are in control. The four-hour and daily time frames are currently providing positive Balance of Power readings.
* ‘The bullish short-term case is strengthening while the BTC/USD pair holds steady above the $8,100 support level’. *
SENTIMENT
Intraday bullish sentiment for Bitcoin has remained steady, at 65.50%, according to the latest data from TheTIE.io. Long-term sentiment for the cryptocurrency has stabilized, at 61.50%.
UPSIDE POTENTIAL
The early week advance has helped to form a potential double-bottom formation across the lower time frames. According to the upside projection of the double-bottom pattern, the BTC/USD pair could rise towards the $9,200 level if the $8,500 level is breached.
Bitcoin’s 200-day moving average is rising, which should be taken as a positive sign as it indicates growing upside momentum. The BTC/USD pair’s 200-day moving average is currently located around the $8,580 level.
DOWNSIDE POTENTIAL
The BTC/USD pair’s weekly pivot point is the strongest form of near-term technical support, around the $8,100 level. If sellers breach the $8,100 level we should expect a drop towards at least the $8,000 level.
Bitcoin will have to recover fast if price dips under the $8,000 level or the cryptocurrency will likely face a raft of short-term technical selling back towards the September monthly trading low.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Andrey Shevchenko. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
As seen in the chart below, Dash, Tezos, and Augur have all performed relatively well, with their RoIs over the last 90 days up by 51%, 36, and 11%, respectively. Unlike, most altcoins, however, these three coins have managed to push higher, even after the crash on 13 March.
Source: TradingView
Dash Dash had been in the news recently due to its performance over the last two months, with the altcoin performing consistently better than other coins. Further, Dash also migrated to Hive after the Steemit fiasco. Additionally, the price was forming a bearish descending triangle, with the CMF heading lower, at the time of writing.
The VPVR indicator showed the formation of a PoC at the press time price level of $70. The future for the 20th largest crypto seemed slightly bearish, with there being a possibility that Dash’s market cap [$646 million] would fall following a 9% drop in price.
Augur Augur, the 45th ranked cryptocurrency on CoinMarketCap, was about to face off with both the 200 DMA [purple] and 50 DMA [yellow], levels which will act as resistance, preventing the price from trending higher.
The price level [$10.13] was also a confluence of resistance, with the VPVR also highlighting a major level of resistance. Further, a drop from here would take the price of Augur aka Rep token to its PoC at $7.85.
Tezos Tezos’ price has been trending higher since mid-March, with its price going from a low of $6 to $10 and above. At press time, however, the price stood at $10.05, with the token ranked as the 10th largest crypto on CoinMarketCap.
The 24-hour trading volume for XTZ was recorded to be $134 million, with the token recording a 24-hour price change of 3.28%.
After the price breakout, a bearish trend should be expected and the same was highlighted by the MACD indicator which was heading towards the zero-line. This trend might push the price down by a minimum of 9%.
It’s not uncommon for Non-Profit organizations to accept donations, but it’s not very common for these donations to come in the form of cryptocurrencies. Stellar is one blockchain/crypto project that is now making the big step towards donating to non-profits.
As a matter of fact, the foundation has already announced that it will be giving out a total of 1.9 million Stellar Lumens (XLM) to a select 6 organizations that have had its back for some time. The lucky non-profits include Heifer International (a global organization fighting hunger by helping agricultural producers), Women Who Code (encourages women to take up positions in the tech industry), Watsi (creates new technologies to improve financing models in the healthcare sector), Freedom of the Press, Unicef France, and the Tor Project (the creator of the anonymizing browser called The Onion Router).
Crypto Donations In the case of Tor, the project has been receiving crypto donations (Bitcoin) since 2013. Tor started accepting other cryptos in March 2019. These include Dash (DASH), Litecoin (LTC), Zcash (ZEC), Stellar Lumens (XLM), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum (ETH), Augur (REP), and Monero (XMR). In fact, according to the project’s fundraising director, Sarah Stevenson, about 20% of the donations received by Tor come in form of cryptocurrencies.
Stellar’s new move in giving out crypto donations highlights the increasing exposure of cryptos to possible mass adoption in the future. Also, Stellar wants to support the non-profits as they have been using its technology and supporting its project, and it’s only right for the company to return the favor.
Crypto Against Coronavirus Granted, Stellar isn’t the only crypto-oriented donor in the industry. Various entities have moved to send their donations in cryptos during hard economic times and unrest in countries like Venezuela. Now, even more, entities are stepping up to help in the fight against the current Coronavirus pandemic.
In late March, Binance Exchange made a huge move by starting an initiative dubbed #CryptoAgainstCOVID. The initiative is focused on buying and distributing much-needed medical supplies to the regions hit by the pandemic. For a start, Binance donated $1 million towards the cause and pledged to match any public donation to a tune of another $1 million.
The Komodo platform is many things – a unique blockchain, a coin that pays interest, a decentralized exchange, a development blockchain with many additional features being planned for the future.
The Komodo blockchain is a fork of the ZCash blockchain, which itself was forked from the Bitcoin blockchain, making Komodo a descendent of Bitcoin. It includes the zk-snark technology that Zcash was built upon, and adds a delayed proof of work consensus algorithm to make Komodo more robust and secure.
The ultimate goal of Komodo is to create an entire ecosystem comprised of diverse partnerships that will send the platform forward into the future. Because it was designed to be used by developers of any level and in any industry it is extremely versatile.
In this comprehensive review, I will give you everything that you need to know about the Komodo platform.
How Komodo WorksThose doing development on the Komodo platform are not building onto the blockchain, but are instead building their own standalone blockchains. It’s not a fork or sidechain, and the Komodo platform doesn’t act as a parent to the new blockchain.
Each project is an independent blockchain that becomes connected to the Komodo ecosystem. This is crucial because the fact that each blockchain is independent means that future development won’t be limited by Komodo in any way.
Benefits of the Komodo Platform
Komodo was also designed from the ground up as a modular ecosystem. This allows developers to choose which technologies they wish to use in their own projects.
Perhaps most importantly, Komodo was developed with security as a top priority. In addition to using the Zcash zk-snark protocols for anonymity and privacy, Komodo uses a delayed proof of work (PoW) protocol to provide Bitcoin level security to even the smallest blockchains and projects. As stated on the Komodo website itself:
Komodo’s innovative dPOW (delayed proof of work) provides a security layer that creates backups of your blockchain’s data and notarizes it to Bitcoin’s blockchain, providing even the smallest of blockchains with Bitcoin-level security.
In essence, Komodo is using Bitcoin’s hashrate to ensure immutability for the Komodo blockchain.
Komodo PrivacyKomodo was created as a form of the Zcash blockchain, using their technology known as ‘Zero Knowledge Proofs’. This technology allows each transaction on the blockchain to be 100% anonymous or as transparent as necessary given the requirements of each situation.
Anonymous transactions are important to many users because they hide the amount, sender and recipient of the transaction, but still make it possible for miners to verify that the transaction is valid and without any double-spending. Alternatively transactions can be left transparent, in which case information shows just as it would for a Bitcoin transaction.
Anonymous transactions help protect user privacy, but they provide a more important function, and that is to preserve fungibility, which is a basic requirement for any currency.
Komodo SecurityAfter including privacy by forming from Zcash, the developers of Komodo provided for enhanced security of the blockchain in a unique manner. They created a proof of work token, but modified it to be Delayed Proof of Work, allowing it to recycle Bitcoin’s hashrate to ensure immutability of Komodo’s blockchain.
Komodo does this by using 64 “notary nodes” that work to notarize blocks in the Bitcoin blockchain. This provides protection for Komodo because an attacker would have to alter both the block in the Komodo blockchain and the block in the Bitcoin blockchain.
Steps in the Komodo Delayed Proof of Work
As long as the Bitcoin blockchain is secure, so too will Komodo – and all the other blockchains built using Komodo – remain secure.
This mechanism can now be used by any cryptocurrency that wishes enhanced security. By using Komodo the new blockchains are connected to Bitcoin, benefiting from the security of the Bitcoin blockchain, while also saving on transaction costs.
Komodo TeamThe Komodo project is based on anonymity, so it comes as no surprise that many of the Komodo team members initially chose not to reveal their identity. The founder and one core developer of Komodo went by the moniker JL777, but is now known as James ‘JL777’ Lee.
The CTO of the project was known as CA333, but we now know him as Kadan Stadelmann. This increased transparency has come about as Komodo grows in size and scope and is attracting more investors.
The full team is now nearly 30 members spanning leadership, development, marketing, and community development. And speaking of community, there are numerous contributors from the community, both developers and community outreach ambassadors.
Some of the Komodo Team Members
Currently, the general manager of Komodo is Ben Fairbanks, who is also the founder and CEO of RedFOX Labs, an incubator that is helping to launch Komodo based companies in emerging markets. Prior to joining Komodo and launching RedFOX, he served as COO at the ride-hailing service Grab. He brings extensive business and marketing experience to the project.
The CTO of the Komodo project, almost since the very beginning, has been Kaden Stadelmann. He also serves as CTO of RedFOX Labs. He previously worked as an IT security analyst and software developer, and founded the company satoshihack back in 2011, making him a pioneer in the blockchain space.
Core development is led by founder James Lee, and he is joined by Adam Bullock and Mihailo Milenkovic as well as roughly a dozen full-time developers and another dozen community volunteer developers.
KMD CoinThe Komodo native currency (KMD) was launched in an ICO in February 2017 at a price of $0.10. Since then the price of the coin has risen and fallen with the fortunes of the project and the markets. As of mid-March 2018 it was trading at $2.73 and was ranked the #48 coin by market cap on Coinmarketcap.com.
Even though 2018 saw many coins losing 90% or more of their value, KMD held up fairly well in the face of the bear market. It rallied in April, topping $4 and slowly sank from that level, finally dipping under $1 in November 2018 and hitting a low of $0.492329 on November 25, 2018.
It slowly recovered from that low and by February 2019 had doubled in price as it traded back above $1. It remained above $1 for nearly all of 2019, and nearly hit $2 in July 2019, but the price has recently dropped and as of August 9, 2019 stands at $0.863399.
KMD Price Performance. Image via CMC
The fundamentals for the coin continue to look solid thanks to the 5% annual interest rate paid to KMD holders, and the current low price is more a reflection of broad-based weakness in the cryptocurrency markets.
There are currently 115,389,114KMD in circulation, with a planned total supply of 200 million coins, which is projected to be reached in 2031. Until that time, KMD holders will continue to receive a 5.1% annual interest payment (called Active User Rewards) on their KMD holdings, so long as they keep more than 10 KMD in a wallet where they control the private keys. The KMD had an all-time high of $12.54 on December 21, 2017.
Buying & Storing KMDKMD can be purchased on a good number of exchanges, with the largest volume on CoinBene. There is also good volume at Binance, CoinEx, and HitBTC. Other good choices for buying KMD include CoinEx and Bittrex.
Given that there is strong volume across a number of exhanges, it bodes well for the liquidity of KMD. Improved liquidity means that you can execute large block orders on these books without much slippage in the price of the coin.
Register at Binance and Buy KMD Coin
In order to earn the 5.1% annual interest users must hold their KMD in a supported wallet. The top two based on the Komodo website are the Verus Agama wallet, which is a multi-coin wallet from the Verus Coin project, or the native Komodo OceanQT wallet. Other options include the Guarda Wallet and the ZelCore wallet.
Development & RoadmapWhen it comes to determining the amount of work that has been done by a project, there are a number of metrics one can look at.
However, one of the most effective that I have found is to take a look at the coding activity in the project's public repositories.
Therefore, I decided to jump into the Komodo GitHub to get a better sense of what the developers have been pushing over the past year. Below is the total code commits to two of their development repos.
Commits for Select Repos over past 12 months
As you can see from the above, the team has been quite active pushing code to their core repository over the past year. It is also worth pointing out that there are a further 56 other repositories with varying degrees of activity.
This is more development activity than we have seen at most other projects. In fact, if we were to compare Komodo to its peers, it is ranked 30th in terms of commits and 12th for overall coding activity on coincodecap.
This perhaps makes sense when viewed in the context of the numerous projects being built on the Komodo platform (more below).
In terms of the upcoming roadmap, the two most important remaining milestones for 2019 are the release of the developer portal as well as the GUI for the fully mobile-ready wallet/DEX hybrid.
If you want to keep up to date with development on the project then I suggest you jump into their discord and meet the team. They also encourage community developer contributions to the core.
Komodo Platform ProjectsThere are a number of standalone projects that were developed for the Komodo platform. Those that are farthest along in development and have been released as at least betas include Decentralized ICOs, BarterDEX along with a built-in “tumbler” service called Jumblr.
However, as of July 2019 Komodo has launched its Antara Framework, which is the basis for nearly all current services on Komodo.
Decentralized Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs)The Decentralised ICO concept was meant to be an exciting option for startups as it would mean that they could launch their process much easier. It would also have given them access to the Komodo technology, marketing channels, and consultants.
However, given the regulatory pressure that has been placed on ICOs recently, this initiative seems to have fallen by the wayside. Of course, the lackluster performance of most recent ICOs has not helped the process.
The Komodo team had plans to launch a number of Decentralised ICOs. In May of last year they planned to release their first with the BlocNation dICO. However, this did not seem to materialize and the Blocnation project seems to have gone dead (with the site down).
The dICO that never materialized... Image via Komodo Blog
Despite this though, Komodo will accept pre-existing blockchain projects on other platforms that would like to migrate to Komodo to receive your own fully customizable, high performing independent blockchain.
As of August 2019 there are a number of projects that have launched on Komodo.
JumblrJumblr is a cryptocurrency anonymizer developed by Komodo which is decentralized and open-source. It can be used to increase privacy when using the Komodo platform.
Anonymizing funds is actually a fairly straightforward and simple practice. The Jumblr will take KMD tokens from a non-private address and send them through a number of zk-snark addresses.
Once these untraceable addresses have processed the coins they are sent to a new address where they are completely anonymous. The fee for using the Jumblr service is 0.3%, which is payable in KMD tokens.
BarterDEX Rebranded to AtomicDEXBarterDEX was previously called EasyDEX but was rebranded in July 2017. It is a decentralized exchange utilizing atomic swaps, and more recently etomic swaps, which bridge the gap between Bitcoin and Ethereum based blockchains.
The use of atomic swaps and etomic swaps lower counterparty risk, transaction fees and speeds the transfer of assets. BarterDEX can support trading of any cryptocurrency, and will also support fiat in the future. Already the decentralized exchange is capable of performing swaps for 95% of the cryptocurrencies in existence.
BarterDEX also solves the liquidity problem encountered by most decentralized exchanges by producing Liquidity Nodes that stabilizes prices by buying and selling assets in the order books.
Screenshots from the AtomicDex App. Image via atomicdex.io
In July 2019 the BarterDEX platform got another upgrade and rebrand and has been re-launched as AtomicDEX in a closed public beta. AtomicDEX provides a secure, reliable, and completely decentralized method for trading digital assets.
Trades no longer have to pass through an intermediary but are done from wallet to wallet. AtomicDEX will act as a multi-currency wallet and as a fully decentralized trading platform. At its beta release, AtomicDEX has support for 13 different coins, but can technically support 99% of all existing cryptocurrencies. New coins will be added with each update to the DEX.
The Antara FrameworkThe Antara Framework was launched on the Komodo mainnet on July 15, 2019, completing a rebrand that stretched out for nearly a full year. This relaunch has included several new developments, such as the beta release of the Antara Smart Chain Composer, which allows anyone to launch their own SmartChain blockchain in just minutes, including full seed nodes and mining nodes.
The Antara Framework is an adaptable framework for simple, end-to-end blockchain development. Antara makes it easier than ever before to launch a chain, activate modules, and start building blockchain-based applications.
Antara has maintained the independence and privacy of building with Komodo. Each independent chain has its own consensus rules, hashing algorithm, decentralized network, and coin. Blockchains launched with Komodo’s technology never depend on the KMD chain, network, or platform.
Antara Network Recently Going live. Image via Komodo Blog
It’s an open ecosystem so there is no vendor lock-in. Creating a chain from the CLI is permissionless and free. The Komodo team is not informed when a chain is created so there's no way to track a chain after launch.
The framework also comes with built-in modules, making development speedy and easier. This allows developers to natively support any software, dApp or blockchain-based games.
With 18 different customizable Smart Chain parameters, any blockchain can be built to serve any business need. The Antara Integration Layer also offers several white label products such as a multi-coin wallet, block explorers, full seed nodes, a branded DEX, a crowdfunding app and integration with SPV Electrum servers.
CompetitionBecause Komodo is involved in so many aspects of the blockchain it is facing competition from many different directions.
Decentralized exchanges are becoming increasingly popular, and the AtomicDEX exchange is in competition with BitShares, EtherDelta, and Waves, as well as many other smaller players.
As a privacy coin, KMD competes against the larger Dash and Monero coins, and of course against the Zcash that it was forked from.
Komodo faces stiff competition from Ethereum as it is the leader in the ICO and smart contracts field, but other established blockchains such as NEO, NXT and Waves are also competing for ICO traction.
And now we also have initial exchange offerings (IEOs) from the likes of Binance and other exchanges growing in popularity. Smart contracts have also found their way into most projects. One strength for Komodo is that it is the first to offer a fully decentralized exchange with atomic swap capabilities.
ConclusionThe Komodo project is an extensive and ambitious large-scale project that aims to solve many issues that centralization of cryptocurrencies and blockchains face.
In addition to being its own blockchain and coin, it is also tackling the decentralized exchange, atomic swap, and decentralized ICO space. It includes options for anonymity and has a unique proof of work consensus algorithm that promises enhanced security, even for new blockchains based off Komodo.
Needless to say, that’s a lot to bite off, but the Komodo team has shown itself to be up to the challenge time and again. In a world where deadlines are often missed by months, the Komodo team has not only delivered but also delivered early and with few bugs. The team also takes user feedback into consideration and has been known to pivot quickly based on the needs of the community.
If the Komodo team continues to deliver it could make a long-term lasting impact on the cryptocurrency space, but it is too early to tell if this will be the case. In any event, it is certainly a project worth watching.
In the roughly 18 months since this review was first prepared the Komodo team has continued to deliver an exceptional product, and with the July 2019 release of the Antara Framework, it has advanced to the first composable SmartChain platform in the industry. This first-mover advantage keeps Komodo on the cutting edge of blockchain development.
Disclaimer: These are the writer's opinions and should not be considered investment advice. Readers should do their own research.
With all eyes fixed on Bitcoin’s valuation at the moment, the lesser-known assets with medium-range market caps were seen performing better than the large market cap assets.
According to Arcane Research, the best performing tokens over the past week has been outside the major altcoins with only Monero and Bitcoin SV making the cut from the major assets. Privacy coin Dash and Chainlink also registered impressive recoveries over the last few days, with Dash witnessing over 14.45 percent in the last 24 hours.
The Weiss Crypto’s Mid-Cap Crypto Index (WMC) (a measurement index covering the mid-range market cap on the basis of market performance) registered a sharp rise since the start of January. The index exhibited a growth of 1.05 percent for the collective market movement from the likes of Cardano, Monero, Dash, IOTA, and Ethereum Classic.
In comparison, Weiss Large-Cap Crypto (WLC) Index only pictured a 0.14 percent growth collectively as Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash were responsible for the majority of the positive growth. Ethereum and Litecoin managed to exhibit positive returns as well.
However, the bearish side was rather dominant with other digital assets. According to the chart above, the Weiss Small Cap Crypto Index (WSC) recorded a drop of 0.44 percent over the same period. The likes of Verge, Ziliqa, and BitShares failed to take advantage of the surging market.
As a whole, the above data indicated that mid-level crypto assets were collectively outperforming in the market over the past week, whereas the likes of major assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin were playing the game cautiously.
Prominent angel investor Armando Pantoja recently commented on the popular claim within the crypto community from critics labeling XRP as a “dead coin.”
The market commentator disagrees with this categorization. According to him, the claim is devoid of logic, as XRP remains the fourth-biggest crypto asset in the market. He stressed that a “dead coin” obviously cannot have a $112.8 billion market cap and rank just behind Ethereum and Bitcoin.
XRP Stands Strong Over Ten Years and Counting Drawing from his over a decade of experience in the crypto industry, Pantoja pointed out that the crypto assets making the top ranks today are entirely different from those of the past. In particular, some crypto assets that once ranked in the top 100 by market cap have now faded into oblivion.
Indeed, historical data from CoinMarketCap confirms that tokens like BitShares (BTS), Dash, NXT, Paycoin (XPY), and MAID were among the top ten precisely ten years ago, in March 2015.
However, these coins have now been completely relegated to the back seat. Meanwhile, during this time, XRP was even the second biggest crypto, behind Bitcoin only. Ten years later, XRP continues to defend its position among the most prominent crypto assets.
Top ten crypto ten years ago with XRP Pantoja cited this data to emphasize that the argument labeling XRP as “dead” is wholly misplaced and lacks sincerity. In his words:
“People don’t realize that all these other coins—hundreds, even thousands of coins—that were supposed to be great projects are gone now. XRP has held on, and that shows it’s not a dead coin. This is what we call success bias.”
He argued that supporters of such negative views are driven by a sense of rivalry. Pantoja stressed that commentators often fail to recognize all the failures and focus only on the successful projects. As a result, they’d look at XRP and assert, “Well, these other coins are more successful, so XRP is a failure.”
For Every Few Coins That Outperform XRP, 10,000 Others Failed In terms of price performance, Pantoja argued that out of the three or four coins that may have done better than XRP over the years, there are at least 10,000 coins that have failed completely.
He used this argument to dismiss the critical views concerning XRP’s failure to establish a new all-time high in seven years. At press time, XRP trades at $2.03, down 47.1% from its 2018 peak of $3.83.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
Though Bitcoin is quite heavily misadvertised as an anonymous payment network, it is actually one of the more transparent crypto-networks to transact on. In the early days of cryptocurrency, when KYC and AML regulations weren’t as strict as they are now, it was easier to conduct Bitcoin transactions which couldn’t be traced back to criminal activities or malicious intent. Today, while Bitcoin isn’t used as much for private transactions, multitudes of privacy coins like Monero and Dash have stepped in to fill the void.
Monero, specifically, has regulators worried due to its ability to make transactions almost impossible to trace. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted into the traceability of such privacy coins and so far, no unexacting methods of monitoring their transactions have come to light, with usage only rising.
According to TokenInsight’s annual market report, Monero was the most widely used privacy coin in 2019. Further, Monero’s dominance rose from 35% to 50% over the year and combined with Zcash and Dash, represented 90% of the privacy coin market capitalization.
2019 also saw the launch of two privacy coins utilizing the MimbleWimble protocol — Grin and Beam, both of which saw increases to their market caps over the year. However, classic privacy coins like PIVX and NavCoin continued to decline.
Interestingly, for both Grin and Monero, the top two mining pools represented more than 50% of the networks’ hashrates.
With privacy coins being increasingly looked at as vehicles to launder money, it seems unlikely that restrictions around their use and sale will loosen in the foreseeable future. And while these cryptocurrencies do have other use-cases such as confidential business transactions and financial data protection, it seems unlikely that regulators will relax their stance on anonymous transfers of value.
Last year, Monero was delisted from several cryptocurrency exchanges due to its alleged violation of the FATF’s ‘travel rule.’ With so many restrictions being placed on these coins, their future might be bleaker than previously thought.
However, popular cryptocurrencies are seeing developments being made towards providing optional privacy for transactions on their networks.
Litecoin has already begun the development of an implementation of MimbleWimble extension blocks, while Ethereum is working on using zero-knowledge proofs to include the ability to conduct private transactions on the blockchain.
In this regard, even though privacy coins might continue to receive increased scrutiny from regulators and policymakers, anonymous transactions might become more popular than previously thought.
In a pattern that has been rinsed and repeated countless times this year, crypto markets are crumbling as Bitcoin failed to hold support. The altcoins are still hopelessly tied to their big brother so any pain for it is magnified for them.
Over $20 Billion Exits Crypto Space Over the past 24 hours crypto markets have shrunk to their lowest levels for almost three months. As billions left the space total market capitalization plummeted to $245 billion. All gains since late May have now been wiped out and altcoins are in danger of returning to their crypto winter levels if the rout continues.
total market cap YTD – coinmarketcap.com According to Tradingview.com Bitcoin dominance is still at 71.5% despite a thousand dollar dump. This means that the altcoins have suffered greater losses today, many of them in double digit declines. Bitcoin’s intraday high to low marks a loss of around 9% however the pain is greater elsewhere on crypto markets.
Ethereum, which has seen prices eroding for the past two months, has capitulated below $170 in a 10 percent plunge overnight. A death cross on the four hour chart a few days ago is about to be repeated on the daily chart as the 50 day moving average drops closer to the 200 day MA. This is a major bearish indicator which signals continuation of the down trend.
Development work on the Ethereum network is still ongoing with six new upgrades planned in the Istanbul hard fork slated for mid-October. This has not prevented the bears dumping the asset in panic over big brother’s fall through support however.
There has been little love for XRP either as the Ripple token gets crushed back to a yearly low of $0.25. A lot of bad press and FUD has inspired little confidence in the world’s third largest crypto asset recently.
The rest are faring no better with double digit losses for Litecoin, Binance Coin, EOS, Monero, Cardano, Tron, Dash, Ethereum Classic, Tezos and Chainlink. There are only a handful of low cap altcoins surviving the purge today and they include Golem, SOLVE and HedgeTrade.
The mess has not been missed by industry observers with RT anchor, Max Keiser, commenting;
“#Bitcoin dominance climbs as alt-season fails to materialize and alts resume downward trek to oblivion. BCH and BSV have another 90% drop to go.”
#Bitcoin dominance climbs as alt-season fails to materialize and alts resume downward trek to oblivion. BCH and BSV have another 90% drop to go. pic.twitter.com/muSHYRh6H1
— Max Keiser (@maxkeiser) August 29, 2019
Time to Be Bullish on Altcoins? Some are clinging perilously onto hope however and see opportunity in the misfortune of many crypto assets. ‘WelsonTrader’ tweeted;
“Accumulating some alts within the next 24 hours, as I think we may see a bounce here! Bitcoin may also bounce at support around $9500-$9550! If we break below that, expect a blooody week!”
All eyes are on Bitcoin’s next move as the alts are bound to follow. At the moment it is also clinging perilously onto support around $9,450, but teetering on the edge of a deeper chasm.