“A realistic framing is: ZEC retains the edge unless Monero gets a concrete liquidity or regulatory-access catalyst,” Perplexity said.
Most leading cryptocurrencies are well in negative territory on a weekly basis, yet Monero (XMR) has defied the latest correction, rising about 11% to nearly $600.
However, it remains the second-largest privacy coin, with Zcash (ZEC) ranking first. We asked three of the most widely used AI-powered chatbots whether XMR can keep pumping this year and eventually overtake its rival. Here are the answers.
Yes… But
ChatGPT said XMR could flip ZEC by market capitalization in the remaining months of the year, but treated it as “a plausible scenario rather than the most likely outcome.” The reason is that the gap between them is substantial: more than $8 billion.
The chatbot said XMR’s strongest bullish argument is its mandatory privacy, where every transaction uses privacy features automatically, while Zcash supports both shielded and transparent transactions.
“That distinction could help XMR attract capital if investors increasingly prioritize privacy by default, although it does not guarantee stronger price performance,” it added.
On the other hand, ChatGPT claimed Monero’s biggest obstacle is limited access to crypto exchanges. The very few trading venues that have embraced XMR include KuCoin, MEXC, and Kraken (available in select jurisdictions). Binance and Coinbase don’t allow such services, with the former delisting the coin in 2024.
Perplexity also estimated that XMR could overtake ZEC sometime this year, but said the development has a low probability. It praised Zcash for leading its field after a major rally earlier this year and attracting significant capital into its ecosystem.
At the same time, it claimed that Monero remains the stronger “pure privacy” asset but faces tighter venue access. The chatbot said a listing on a popular exchange, the launch of a spot XMR ETF, or a sharp ZEC correction could help narrow the gap.
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“XMR can flip ZEC in 2026, but ZEC is the more likely leader under the current setup. A realistic framing is: ZEC retains the edge unless Monero gets a concrete liquidity or regulatory-access catalyst; if that happens, the gap could close quickly because XMR’s core privacy demand remains intact,” it concluded.
The ‘Fundamental Clash’
Google’s Gemini said that, despite being in the same category, the two assets differ significantly. It said XMR remains the default choice for pure privacy and network use, while ZEC has seen major institutional inflows, creating a clear split in how the market values the two coins.
“It comes down to a fundamental clash between pure peer-to-peer usage versus institutional adoption and exchange liquidity,” it stated.
The chatbot estimated that a potential flip by New Year’s Eve is possible but faces significant headwinds. It said it could happen only if the crypto market prioritizes real usage, self-custody, and censorship resistance, increasing interest and demand for XMR.
However, as long as the global regulatory regime favors compliance-ready tokens, ZEC retains the upper hand, it concluded.
