According to market data from Bitfinex, the leading privacy coin by market cap, monero ( XMR) has rocketed to a lifetime high of $545 per coin, sailing past its 2021 peak near $518. For many observers, the move appears tied to a selective altcoin pop and a noticeable rotation of capital away from zcash (ZEC) holdings.

Electric Coin Company (ECC) said it was stepping away after a governance dispute, knocking ZEC down 25% over the past seven days and fueling concern about the project’s future development. That disruption prompted investors to rotate capital into monero, lifting XMR past ZEC’s former market lead. At the same time, charts point to solid technical momentum, with XMR reclaiming key resistance zones between $420 and $470 as support and carving out classic formations.

XMR against the U.S. dollar climbed to $545 per coin, with monero gaining 15.2% over the past day. Over the last week, monero added 26.5%, keeping momentum firmly on its side. Twelve-month figures point to a steep 168% rise, a move that managed to outpace coins such as BTC and ETH. Moreover, XMR is inching toward a spot in the top ten crypto rankings, sitting in 12th place as of this weekend. At current prices, monero is flirting with a $10 billion market cap, with roughly $9.9 billion already on the books.

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For now, bitcoin cash ( BCH) and cardano ( ADA) are the market cap roadblocks standing in XMR’s path. XMR is riding a broader wave of attention toward privacy coins and has clearly caught the upside. As global regulations tighten — from increased surveillance to tougher digital-asset rules — demand for genuinely privacy-focused cryptocurrencies has jumped sharply.

Whether that interest and demand translate into long-term staying power is anyone’s guess, but for now, privacy coins are enjoying a rare moment in the spotlight. For now, monero looks content playing the role of the quiet winner — climbing rankings and possibly absorbing ZEC capital. Whether this privacy-powered run has real staying power or fades once regulators blink is still an open question.

• Why is monero ( XMR) rising in January 2026?
  Monero is gaining traction as investors rotate into privacy-focused cryptocurrencies amid tightening global regulations and capital exiting zcash (ZEC).
• How high did monero ( XMR) climb this week?
  XMR reached a new all-time high of $545 per coin on Jan. 11, 2026, according to Bitfinex market data.
• Why are investors moving away from zcash (ZEC)?
  ZEC lost momentum after Electric Coin Company announced its exit following a governance dispute, raising concerns about future development.
• Could monero enter the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap?
  At roughly $9.9 billion in market capitalization, XMR is approaching the top 10, with only bitcoin cash ( BCH) and cardano ( ADA) ahead.

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