Monero vs 
Zcash
Crypto's two serious privacy coins solve the same problem differently: Monero makes every transaction private by default; Zcash makes privacy optional through zero-knowledge proofs, and most of its transactions historically haven't used it. Monero's consistency is why regulators treat it hardest — both coins face delisting pressure on regulated exchanges, including most Australian platforms.
12 months, both starting at 100 (AUD)
XMR → 150 · ZEC → 1204| Measure | XMR | ZEC |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | A$11.0B | A$12.1B |
| Rank | #16 | #15 |
| Price | A$583.88 | A$717.21 |
| 90-day change (AUD) | +7.9% | −7.4% |
| 12-month change (AUD) | +48.4% | +1178.5% |
| From all-time high | −51.1% | −82.8% |
| Supply model | No fixed maximum | Capped: 21.0M max |
| AU exchanges we verify it on | check on-platform | check on-platform |
About Monero
Monero is the best-known privacy coin: transactions hide sender, receiver and amount by default. That design has real users and real controversy — many regulated exchanges, including most Australian platforms, no longer list it.
About Zcash
Zcash is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency launched in 2016 from Bitcoin's codebase, using zero-knowledge proofs to let users shield transaction details. Privacy coins face delisting pressure on some regulated exchanges, which affects where it can be traded.
FAQ
Which is bigger, Monero or Zcash?
By market value today: Zcash (A$12.1B vs A$11.0B). Size measures money invested, not quality — but it does measure liquidity, which affects how easily you can buy and sell.
Which performed better this year?
Over the past 12 months in AUD terms: XMR +48.4%, ZEC +1178.5% — the chart above shows the whole path, which matters more than the endpoints. Past performance is no indicator of future results, in either direction.
Can I buy both in Australia?
Availability differs — check the where-to-buy section on each coin's page. Compare costs first on the fee calculator, and remember every crypto-to-crypto swap between them is a CGT event.
Should I hold XMR or ZEC?
That's a personal decision we don't make for you — this page exists to make the structural differences clear so the choice is yours. What we'd say to anyone: understand what job each coin is designed for, size positions like the risk is real, and check the honest failure statistics before going further down the market-cap list.
Data from our market records (powered by CoinGecko), refreshed with the daily rebuild. General information only, not financial advice — we compare structure and history, we don't pick winners.