GTA delay shocks fans, ZEC and other privacy coins surge, Kazakhstan fund stirs curiosity: Santiment
Blockchain analytics firm Santiment has identified five major topics generating the highest social interest on Friday. Privacy coins led discussions after Zcash surged past $730 to reach a seven-year high.
- Zcash soared to $730, reaching a seven-year high and a $10B market cap this week.
- Bitcoin dropped 7% as privacy coins like Zcash, Dash, and Monero outperformed.
- GTA 6’s 2026 delay hit Take-Two stock, adding to market volatility.
At the same time, Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI delay caused a 10% drop in Take-Two Interactive shares.
Bitcoin (BTC) fell 7% this week while altcoins rallied. Santiment reported that momentum is “clearly shifting away from Bitcoin dominance.”
Privacy coins hit multi-year highs
ZEC climbed past $730, reaching a $10 billion market cap after a 15x rally since September. The token has gained over 200% in the last 30 days and 25% in the last seven days.
Dash (DASH) also hit a three-year high during the same period. Santiment noted that investors see privacy as a growing crypto theme, driven by projects like Zcash (ZEC) and Monero (XMR).
Bitwise’s Spot DOGE ETF filing caused optimism for Dogecoin (DOGE). Other altcoins posting strong gains include SOON, ICP, and FIL.
Privacy coins are showing signs of a potential altcoin season driven by privacy concerns and institutional interest, according to Santiment’s analysis.
GTA delay dampens market sentiment
Rockstar Games pushed Grand Theft Auto VI’s release to November 19, 2026. The delay disappointed investors and caused selling pressure in Take-Two Interactive shares.
Polymarket traders price a nearly 48% chance that Bitcoin hits $1 million before GTA 6’s release. The prediction shows speculative optimism amid market uncertainty.
Bitcoin remains volatile around the $102,000 mark. Institutional selling and options expirations have added pressure to the leading cryptocurrency.
Kazakhstan plans to launch a $1 billion national crypto reserve fund by early 2026. The fund will use seized and repatriated assets along with state mining revenues. It will invest in crypto ETFs and related companies while avoiding direct Bitcoin holdings.
The Base ecosystem continues to dominate with new dApps, AI agents, and DeFi tools. USDC has also surpassed USDT in on-chain volume. Santiment stated that this was driven by major payment integrations.
