In October, Zcash (ZEC) rallied to multi-year highs even as the broader market struggled. This surge has reignited attention on the privacy coin sector as investors look for the next potential movers. 

Among the coins showing early signs of benefiting from this ‘Zcash effect’ are Syscoin (SYS), Celo (CELO), and iExec RLC (RLC) — all displaying growing momentum and positioning for possible expansion.

1. Syscoin (SYS)

Syscoin (SYS) is a blockchain that combines Bitcoin’s security with Ethereum’s smart contract capabilities. Merge-mined with Bitcoin, it combines a UTXO chain for security and an EVM chain for decentralized apps, enabling fast, secure, and scalable transactions.

The network’s native token, SYS, has a 24-hour trading volume of over $50 million. This represented an increase of over 1,200%, while the market cap stayed near $26 million. This has resulted in a Vol/Mkt Cap ratio of 1.92 (or 192%), suggesting strong market activity and potential growth if momentum lasts.

However, such elevated trading activity could also lead to heightened volatility, as rapid movements in buying and selling may cause significant price fluctuations in the short term. At press time, the altcoin was trading at $0.031, up 8.1% over the past day.

Syscoin (SYS) Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto Markets

Besides the heightened investor activity, the network’s on-chain metrics further support growth potential. According to the Syscoin explorer, the number of accounts has steadily increased over recent years, indicating expanding adoption.

2. Celo (CELO)

Celo is an Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain designed to make digital payments fast, affordable, and accessible to everyone. It is also the first payments-focused blockchain to integrate Nightfall, an open-source zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) privacy layer. This layer enhances transaction privacy while maintaining Celo’s speed and low costs.

CELO is also rallying on growing privacy coin trends. The altcoin has spiked to $0.30, marking a 7.08% daily increase.

Celo (CELO) Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto Markets

Its 24-hour volume reached $56 million, up 115.7%. With a market cap just under $200 million, CELO is capturing attention from South Korean investors.

KRW-denominated trading volume on South Korea’s Upbit exchange has reached its highest since 2022. Furthermore, Upbit now accounts for about 15% of Celo’s global trading volume, a pattern known to signal momentum when Korean retail participation rises.

3. iExec RLC (RLC)

iExec (RLC) is a decentralized platform that simplifies building and integrating privacy-first applications. It lets users maintain full control over their data—choosing whether to share, rent, or keep it private—while setting clear rules on how it can be used.

With modular tools, developers can easily embed privacy, data ownership, and governance into their apps without managing complex infrastructure. iExec is a long-standing project that has been pursuing the privacy narrative since 2017, surviving through multiple market downturns.

BeInCrypto Markets data showed that its RLC coin, with a market cap of $68.3 million, has attracted substantial trader interest recently. The token’s daily trading volume has surged nearly 400% to reach $38 million.

Furthermore, over the past day, RLC’s value has appreciated by 8.41%. At press time, it traded at $0.94.

iExec RLC (RLC) Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto Markets

On October 13, iExec announced the completion of a smart contract security audit by Halborn, covering its Ethereum-Arbitrum bridge and RLC contracts, enhancing trust amid rising demand.

“iExec is the builders’ home for privacy tools, now live on@arbitrum. Add privacy to existing apps, or build new ones with privacy at the core!” Halborn posted.

This development addresses a key gap in the Arbitrum ecosystem, which boasts over $3.15 billion in total value locked (TVL) but previously lacked secure computation tools. iExec’s integration enables encrypted data processing for DeFi and AI applications, positioning RLC for utility-driven demand as builders deploy privacy-enhanced dApps.

As privacy becomes mainstream, iExec’s decentralized confidential computing tools are positioned to meet developer and enterprise needs, supporting RLC’s lasting potential.