- Zcash has now surged past $800 for the first time since 2018 this week.
- Grayscale has filed to convert its Zcash Trust into a spot ETF on NYSE Arca now.
- XRP active addresses jumped 654.71 percent, according to onchain data shared.
Bitcoin’s rally past $80,000, up 2.7% over the past day and 24% over the past week, has helped lift the broader crypto market, but three altcoins outpaced it by a wide margin. ZEC, XRP and AAVE each posted double-digit weekly gains driven by distinct, asset-specific catalysts rather than momentum alone.
Zcash Surges on ETF Speculation
Zcash led the pack, climbing past $800 for the first time since 2018 and briefly touching $851, a 38% weekly move. The rally was driven largely by Grayscale’s fourth amendment to its filing to convert the Zcash Trust into a spot ETF on NYSE Arca under the ticker ZCSH, a filing that remains subject to SEC review.
Coinholders also opened a governance vote this week on the scope of the upcoming NU7 protocol upgrade. Futures activity has been unusually heavy, with ZEC futures volume reaching $4.55 billion on Friday against just $553 million in spot trading, and open interest near $1.35 billion, a ratio that suggests much of the move is being driven by leveraged derivatives positioning rather than spot demand alone.
XRP Breaks Out
XRP rose to $1.52, up nearly 51% over the week. Onchain data shared on social media showed active addresses jumping 654.71%, from 47,180 to 356,070, a spike typically associated with a surge in network participation and higher volatility.
Experts have flagged $1.50 as a level where buyers have failed multiple times this year, with $1.80 seen as the next confirmation point if the current breakout holds. Order books were described as relatively clear heading into the move, suggesting limited resistance if buying pressure continues.
Related: Zcash Developers Say Users Can Verify ZEC Supply Locally
AAVE Rides Organic DeFi Growth
AAVE climbed to $133.67, up over 50% for the week. Unlike ZEC’s derivatives-heavy setup, AAVE’s rally has been tied to underlying protocol usage. Founder Stani Kulechov confirmed total protocol deposits surpassed $30 billion, while the platform logged its strongest wallet creation numbers in years, growth attributed to genuine credit demand and fee-generating activity rather than token emissions.
Which Rally Looks Most Durable?
Each token’s gains rest on a different foundation. ZEC’s move is tied to an unconfirmed regulatory outcome and heavy futures leverage, both of which introduce volatility risk. XRP’s rally is supported by real usage growth but faces a proven resistance level. AAVE’s gains appear most directly tied to organic protocol activity, though all three remain sensitive to a broader pullback if Bitcoin’s momentum fades.
Related: XRP Price Prediction: Can $39M in ETF Inflows Push XRP to $1.70?
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