Privacy coins
Leading privacy (anonymous) cryptocurrencies ranked by market capitalisation
Anonymous cryptocurrencies (privacy coins) hide transaction details — the sender, the recipient and the amount — so, unlike Bitcoin, they cannot be traced publicly. The best known are Monero and Zcash. Below you will find a list of the leading privacy coins by market capitalisation, with the current price and the 24-hour and 7-day change.
Anonymous cryptocurrency ranking
The table ranks anonymous (privacy) cryptocurrencies by market capitalisation — large names such as Monero and Zcash at the top, smaller projects below. For each one you will find the price and how it has performed over the day, the week and the year. Expand the rest of the list beneath the table.
Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Understand the risks.
| # | Coin | Price | 24h | 7d | 1 year | Market cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Zcash ZEC | $494.41 | 6.57% | 12.83% | 1,163.30% | $8.26bn |
| 2 |  Monero XMR | $318.18 | 0.66% | 1.10% | 0.30% | $5.97bn |
| 3 |  Decred DCR | $10.97 | 1.28% | 2.35% | 31.23% | $192.11m |
| 4 |  MimbleWimbleCoin MWC | $9.99 | 85.07% | 230.78% | 73.54% | $109.95m |
| 5 |  Pirate Chain ARRR | $0.5082 | 16.39% | 85.51% | 162.75% | $99.71m |
| 6 |  Nockchain NOCK | $0.0450 | 21.19% | 3.80% | — | $99.39m |
| 7 |  Verge XVG | $0.00601050 | 0.04% | 2.22% | 8.74% | $99.36m |
What are anonymous cryptocurrencies (privacy coins)?
Anonymous cryptocurrencies, also known as privacy coins, are designed to conceal who sent what to whom, and how much. Whereas every Bitcoin transaction is publicly traceable on the blockchain, privacy coins use cryptographic techniques such as ring signatures and stealth addresses (Monero), zero-knowledge proofs (Zcash) or the MimbleWimble protocol (Grin) to mask their transactions. The aim is financial privacy and so-called fungibility — every coin is equally "clean".
That very anonymity, however, draws the attention of regulators. Because of anti-money-laundering rules, a number of exchanges have removed privacy coins from their listings (delisting), especially in the EU, where the MiCA regulation also restricts them. As a result the sector faces the risk of poorer availability and liquidity on top of ordinary volatility. The table ranks projects by market capitalisation, so the largest and most liquid names appear at the top.
Before you invest in anonymous cryptocurrencies
Privacy coins are technologically legitimate but carry regulatory risk — they may be delisted from exchanges or restricted in some countries, which worsens their liquidity and availability. On top of that, the usual high volatility of the crypto market applies. This page is an informational overview of market data, not investment advice, and it is not intended to help anyone circumvent the law. Only invest what you can afford to lose.
The best-known anonymous cryptocurrencies
Privacy coins differ in the privacy technology they use and in whether anonymity is mandatory or optional. With Monero, privacy is always on; with Zcash, the user can choose between a transparent and a "shielded" transaction. The following projects currently lead the ranking of anonymous cryptocurrencies by market capitalisation.
Monero (XMR)
The best-known and most widely used privacy coin. It combines ring signatures, stealth addresses and RingCT technology, so the sender, the recipient and the amount stay hidden on every transaction. Privacy is on by default, which makes Monero the benchmark for anonymous currencies.
Zcash (ZEC)
A privacy coin built on zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKs), which make it possible to verify a transaction without revealing its details. The user chooses between a transparent address and a fully private "shielded" transaction.
Dash (DASH)
A cryptocurrency focused on fast payments, with an optional PrivateSend privacy feature (based on CoinJoin). Anonymity is not mandatory here, which is why Dash tends to be classed as a payment coin rather than a pure privacy coin.
Decred (DCR) and Grin (GRIN)
Decred combines a hybrid mining-and-voting system with community governance and privacy features. Grin uses the MimbleWimble protocol, which slims down the blockchain while masking transaction amounts — it is a minimalist, community-run project with no pre-sale.
Firo (FIRO) and PIVX
Smaller but established privacy projects. Firo (formerly Zcoin) is behind the Lelantus protocol for anonymous transactions, while PIVX combines privacy with staking. They show that development in privacy technology continues beyond the two biggest names.
Anonymous cryptocurrencies address a legitimate need for financial privacy, but they carry additional regulatory risk — keep an eye on whether your exchange still offers them and what rules apply in your country. As with any investment: do your own research and be prepared for high volatility.
Frequently asked questions
Which are the best anonymous cryptocurrencies?+
The largest privacy coins by market capitalisation include Monero (XMR) and Zcash (ZEC), followed by the likes of Decred (DCR), Grin (GRIN), Firo (FIRO) and PIVX. You will find the full ranking in the table above.
How do privacy coins work?+
They use cryptographic techniques that hide the sender, the recipient and the amount. Monero combines ring signatures and stealth addresses and is private by default; Zcash uses zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKs) with optional "shielded" transactions. As a result, payments are not publicly traceable the way they are with Bitcoin.
Are anonymous cryptocurrencies legal?+
In most countries they are legal, and privacy itself is not unlawful. Because of anti-money-laundering rules, however, many exchanges have removed them from their listings and some jurisdictions restrict their trading. Always check the current rules in your own country.