Overview
- ZEC has reclaimed and held the $500 level, with recent quotes around $536–$537 after a sharp late‑December rebound.
- On-chain data show intensified whale accumulation, with the top 100 addresses now controlling about 66% of supply following a reported 47% jump in large-holder balances.
- Exchange inventories have thinned further, including withdrawals highlighted by Lookonchain of over 26,000 ZEC from Binance and about 7,700 ZEC from Kraken.
- Derivatives activity has climbed, as CoinGlass reports rising open interest and a long-skewed positioning profile.
- Roughly 27–30% of circulating ZEC sits in shielded addresses as institutional interest grows and Arthur Hayes floats a $1,000 target, while analysts caution on regulatory, liquidity and leverage risks.