--- title: Zcash Surges as Bitcoin and Ethereum Stagnate: Can ZEC Reach $641? canonical: https://mining-provider.com/zcash-surges-as-bitcoin-and-ethereum-stagnate-can-zec-reach-641/ author: Mining Provider Editorial Staff published: 2026-05-20 updated: 2026-05-20 language: en category: News description: Zcash (ZEC) is outperforming Bitcoin and Ethereum, currently priced at $588 with potential to reach $641 due to positive developments, while Ethereum faces significant investor withdrawals. The market shows a divide between ZEC's growth prospects and Ethereum's declining confidence amid reduced DeFi volume and institutional sell-offs. source: Provimedia GmbH --- # Zcash Surges as Bitcoin and Ethereum Stagnate: Can ZEC Reach $641? > **Autor:** Mining Provider Editorial Staff | **Veröffentlicht:** 2026-05-20 **Zusammenfassung:** Zcash (ZEC) is outperforming Bitcoin and Ethereum, currently priced at $588 with potential to reach $641 due to positive developments, while Ethereum faces significant investor withdrawals. The market shows a divide between ZEC's growth prospects and Ethereum's declining confidence amid reduced DeFi volume and institutional sell-offs. --- ## Zcash Surpasses Bitcoin and Ethereum: ZEC Could Reach $641! The cryptocurrency Zcash (ZEC) has emerged as a surprising winner in the current market environment, while Bitcoin and Ethereum remain stagnant. With a 3% increase and a current price of $588, ZEC could be on its way to its recent high of $641. Supported by positive developments from the Zcash Foundation and upcoming technical upgrades, the question arises: Can Zcash actually surpass Bitcoin and Ethereum? The cryptocurrency market has consolidated in recent hours, with Bitcoin trading around $77,100 and Ethereum struggling to overcome the $2,200 mark. In contrast, ZEC, the native coin of the Zcash blockchain, has recorded a 3% increase, making it the best performer among the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Currently, ZEC is priced at $588 and may attract further interest towards its recent swing high. > "The Zcash Foundation reported net liquid assets of approximately $36.7 million and plans to continue work on Network Upgrade 7," indicating a strong foundation for ZEC's growth. **Summary:** ZEC shows strong performance compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum, supported by positive developments from the Zcash Foundation and technical upgrades. ## Ethereum Price Drops to $2,100: Why Harvard is Selling All ETH Holdings Harvard has liquidated its entire Ethereum ETF position worth $86.8 million within a quarter, while the Ethereum price hovers around $2,100. Goldman Sachs has also reduced its ETH ETF holdings by 70% to just $114 million, marking a significant withdrawal from two of the most influential financial institutions. The ETH price is now more than 57% below its all-time high of nearly $5,000 in August 2025. In the last 24 hours, over $563 million in long positions have been liquidated, further increasing the pressure on Ethereum. **Summary:** The withdrawal of Harvard and Goldman Sachs from Ethereum ETFs has pushed the price down to $2,100, amplifying market uncertainty. ## Ethereum Plummets – Major Investor Buys Billions! Despite the downturn in the cryptocurrency market, BitMine Immersion Technologies has increased its Ethereum holdings by 71,672 ETH to a total of 5.278 million ETH, valued at around $11.05 billion. BitMine views the drop of ETH below $2,200 as an attractive buying opportunity. The company plans to acquire 5% of the circulating ETH supply and has already staked 4.71 million ETH through its validator network, generating annual staking revenues of $289 million. **Summary:** BitMine is leveraging the current market situation to significantly expand its Ethereum holdings while the price remains under pressure. ## Ethereum Price Falls 10% Behind Bitcoin, DeFi Volume Drops by $43 Billion The Ethereum price stagnates at $2,140, while DeFi volume has decreased by 41% since January. The lag behind Bitcoin and the declining investor base suggest that the current weakness may be more than just a short-term correction. The DeFi TVL has fallen from $106.687 billion on January 15 to $62.957 billion, representing a nearly 41% decline. This development could further exacerbate the weakness of the Ethereum price. **Summary:** The Ethereum price shows significant weakness compared to Bitcoin, while DeFi volume has sharply declined. ## Bitcoin Without Momentum, Ethereum Also Impulse-Less Bitcoin continues to trade around $77,000 on Wednesday morning, while Ethereum remains stagnant at just over $2,100. Ethereum ETFs experienced a capital outflow of $62 million on Tuesday. Vitalik Buterin, the founder of Ethereum, is addressing the security of blockchain systems in his latest blog post, emphasizing the need for formal verification to enhance the safety of smart contracts. **Summary:** Ethereum shows little movement currently, while the founder reflects on blockchain security aspects. ## Ethereum: Passive Income Through Staking Ethereum allows for passive income through staking, presenting an interesting opportunity for holders to earn alongside the network. Those who stake ETH in the network take on the task of validating transactions and receive rewards in the form of additional ETH. The ability to generate passive income through staking makes Ethereum more attractive to institutional investors, as it significantly reduces energy consumption compared to energy-intensive mining. **Summary:** Staking offers Ethereum investors a way to earn passive income while contributing to network security. ## Editorial Assessment The developments in the cryptocurrency market, particularly ZEC's performance compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum, reveal an interesting dynamic. ZEC's rise and the positive news from the Zcash Foundation may indicate that investors are increasingly seeking alternatives to established cryptocurrencies. This could position ZEC more strongly, especially if the technical upgrades are successfully implemented. In contrast, the situation for Ethereum is concerning. The withdrawal of significant institutional investors like Harvard and Goldman Sachs could further undermine confidence in Ethereum and put additional pressure on the price. The significant liquidation of long positions and the decline in DeFi volume suggest that market uncertainty is increasing, making a recovery in the near future questionable. BitMine's strategy to invest heavily in Ethereum during this phase could be seen as a bold move, but it also carries the risk of further market declines. While the staking option presents an attractive perspective for investors, the current market situation could negatively impact overall sentiment. Overall, the market shows a clear divide between performers and losers, with ZEC potentially benefiting from the uncertainty surrounding Ethereum. The coming weeks will be crucial to observe whether ZEC can maintain its positive trajectory and whether Ethereum can stabilize or continue to fall. **Sources:** Coin Kurier Sources: - [Zcash überholt Bitcoin und Ethereum: ZEC könnte 641 Dollar erreichen!](https://www.coinkurier.de/zcash-uebertrifft-bitcoin-und-ethereum-zec-auf-dem-weg-zu-641-dollar/) --- *Dieser Artikel wurde ursprünglich veröffentlicht auf [mining-provider.com](https://mining-provider.com/zcash-surges-as-bitcoin-and-ethereum-stagnate-can-zec-reach-641/)* *© 2026 Provimedia GmbH*