The privacy-centric cryptocurrency Monero reached a record peak on Tuesday, driven by increasing regulatory pressures on digital assets that have amplified investor interest in privacy-focused tokens.
Monero (XMR) climbed above $687, marking an approximate 14% increase within the last 24 hours, according to data from TradingView.
Over the past week, Monero’s value surged by nearly 45%, elevating it to the position of the 12th largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. Concurrently, the overall market cap for privacy coins grew by 3.5%, while trading volumes jumped by 32%, as reported by CoinMarketCap.
In recent months following a significant $19 billion crypto market downturn in early October, cryptocurrencies emphasizing user privacy have outperformed broader market trends.
XMR/USD one-year price chart provided courtesy of Cointelegraph and TradingView
Related: Standard Chartered plans entry into crypto brokerage and revises down Ethereum forecasts
Experts attribute this surge primarily to stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations fueling demand among investors seeking enhanced financial confidentiality.
Narek Gevorgyan, CEO of CoinStats—a platform specializing in crypto portfolio management—explained to Cointelegraph that heightened surveillance within digital economies and intensified governmental oversight of cryptocurrency transactions are key factors boosting interest in privacy coins.
The European Union is poised to implement a ban on anonymous cryptocurrencies and accounts starting in 2027 under new AML directives. This legislation will restrict crypto service providers from facilitating transactions involving coins like Monero (XMR) and Zcash (ZEC).
Related: The Solana Policy Institute calls for SEC exemptions for DeFi developers regarding exchange regulations
Caution Advised Amidst Elevated Investor Enthusiasm for XMR
Despite strong price momentum, analysts at Santiment—a crypto analytics firm—warn potential buyers about excessive social media-driven hype surrounding XMR. In a recent post on platform X (formerly Twitter), they advised:
“If you are considering entering the market, it may be prudent to wait until social excitement and fear-of-missing-out subside.”
Santiment’s data reveals declining development activity for Monero since early January alongside peaking social media attention just this past Sunday.
Image source: Santiment
Zcash—the nearest competitor focusing on privacy features—has also seen notable volatility. After plummeting during last year’s crash with lows near $48 per coin, ZEC soared approximately twelvefold reaching $744 as recently as November 7th, 2025.
This past week saw Zcash decline roughly 21%, impacted partly due to reduced developer engagement coupled with internal governance conflicts between its main development entity Electric Coin Company and Bootstrap Foundation supporting protocol maintenance efforts.
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