Dash leads privacy coin rally with weekly gains of over 100%

DASH (DASH) skyrocketed to become the weekly top performer among the top 300 cryptocurrencies, rising over 100% and even outperforming Monero (XMR).

This momentum shows the growing demand for privacy coins and highlights the potential for DASH to rival Monero. Accelerated merchant adoption and increased access are further driving this trend.

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DASH becomes the most traded privacy coin with weekly gains over 100%

According to data from BeInCrypto Markets, the value of DASH has increased by 102.5% in the past week. Yesterday, the altcoin hit a nearly two-month high of $88.5.

In the past day alone, DASH is up 33.2%. At the time of writing, it was trading at $82.27. Moreover, the daily trading volume exceeded $1.3 billion, making it the most traded asset in the privacy coin space, according to CoinGecko.

DASH’s rally is part of a broader sector-wide rally. According to CryptoRank, 14 out of 18 privacy tokens with a market capitalization above $100 million have delivered positive returns since January 1st.

“80% of privacy tokens will rise in 2026. Many tokens are reaching new highs as the privacy meta continues to shine,” the post reads.

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Due to stricter customer recognition and anti-money laundering regulations, there is renewed interest in financial privacy, and privacy-oriented cryptocurrencies are once again attracting attention. Zcash was a standout performer in the sector in 2025, but recent concerns related to its development team have weighed on the market.

This may have caused a rotation of capital away from ZEC and within the privacy space. DASH has also benefited from broader changes, with increased adoption boosting sentiment and supporting its recent outperformance relative to Monero.

On January 13th, Alchemy Pay announced that it began supporting DASH statutory on-ramp access. This partnership will enable users in 173 countries to purchase DASH using local fiat payments. This broad geographic reach improves accessibility and solves one of the long-standing barriers facing privacy coins.

“By integrating DASH into the fiat adoption ramp, Alchemy Pay expands access to Dash’s digital cash ecosystem and supports use in payments, savings, and Web3 applications,” the team wrote.

Meanwhile, long-term adoption data gives DASH an edge over its privacy competitors. Cryptwerk’s analysis reveals that 1,682 merchants currently accept DASH. The altcoin ranks 7th in overall merchant adoption, with a popularity rating of 23.12%. Monero ranks 10th and is accepted by 1,225 merchants, with an adoption rate of 16.84%.

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This gap in merchant acceptance highlights the practical advantages of DASH. There are 457 more merchants accepting DASH than Monero, and the adoption rate is approximately 37% higher for the former.

DASH price outlook

As the bullish momentum continues to strengthen, analysts are divided on whether there is further room for upside or whether there is a possibility of a correctional move. Analyst Aldi said the privacy coin is showing “extraordinary strength.”

“If this momentum continues, ~$77 will be the first liquidity support for a pullback. If not, $71-73 is likely territory for a retest. If it holds that level, the next pocket is $98-103. Privacy protection,” he wrote.

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Analyst Jens is also positive about the overall trend, believing that the drop in prices is a buying opportunity and that there is room for the stock to move towards $100.

“After a long benchmark around $36-$40, buyers stepped in and reversed the momentum bullishly. Price is now testing the $85-$90 resistance zone. If we can hold here cleanly, we could open above $100. Even a pullback to $60-$65 would be healthy,” the analyst said.

Nevertheless, some parts of the market remain cautious, suggesting the correction could continue.