Grayscale Highlights Four Cryptocurrencies for Real-World Use

Grayscale has drawn attention to four cryptocurrencies designed for use as digital money in its Currencies sector, highlighting Zcash as the one with the greatest upside potential.

According to Zach Pandl, Grayscale's Head of Research, Zcash may slowly take a portion of Bitcoin's vast market value as the need for private digital payments increases.

Grayscale's Four Digital-Currency Selections

Grayscale includes Bitcoin, Litecoin, XRP and Zcash as key holdings in its Currencies Crypto Sector.

Around 15 cryptocurrencies make up the broader sector, with a total value of approximately $1.6 trillion. Bitcoin accounts for nearly 90% of that valuation.

For years, Litecoin and XRP have positioned themselves as quicker or less costly payment options. However, neither has posed a real threat to Bitcoin's dominance.

XRP's market capitalization, for instance, is still just a small fraction of Bitcoin's, even though it is one of the largest cryptocurrencies.

Assets with digital currency use case: $XRP, $LTC, $BTC, and $ZEC.

Zcash has continued to capture market share, going from ~0.1% of Bitcoin's market cap a year ago ($ZEC price: ~$60) to ~1.5% today ($ZEC price: ~$1,500).

As demand for privacy grows, Grayscale Research… pic.twitter.com/orylfb0XDe

— Grayscale (@Grayscale) September 29, 2026

Zcash presents a different case. Its key advantage is something that Bitcoin, XRP and Litecoin lack by default: private transactions.

Why Grayscale Sees Growth Potential for Zcash

Zcash relies on zero-knowledge proofs called zk-SNARKs, which let users conceal transaction sums and wallet information.

By the middle of 2026, about 90% of Zcash transactions had employed shielded transfers. Grayscale views this uptake as more significant as digital monitoring grows more advanced.

The market has taken note.

Zcash's market capitalization has climbed from around $4 billion in March to about $24.27 billion currently. However, that remains under 1% of Bitcoin's approximate $1.56 trillion valuation.

Other things = Zcash https://t.co/Prhqy9xMs1

— Thor Torrens (@ThorTorrens) September 29, 2026

ZEC is trading around $1,431 and has increased nearly 19 times over the last twelve months.

That surge makes Grayscale's argument more difficult to ignore.

It also prompts an obvious question: following such a big rally, is Zcash still an overlooked competitor, or has the market already factored in the privacy narrative?