A new ranking published this week reveals which privacy-focused cryptocurrencies are seeing the most active development right now. According to the data, the leading projects are:
“NYM, Dash, HOPR, Zcash, Decred, Monero, Dusk, Conceal, Beldex and Firo”
Here is how the top 10 stack up:
| Rank | Project (Ticker) |
| 1 | NYM (NYM) |
| 2 | Dash (DASH) |
| 3 | HOPR (HOPR) |
| 4 | Zcash (ZEC) |
| 5 | Decred (DCR) |
| 6 | Monero (XMR) |
| 7 | Dusk (DUSK) |
| 8 | Conceal (CCX) |
| 9 | Beldex (BDX) |
| 10 | Firo (FIRO) |
Why This Matters
Developer activity — often measured by code commits, repository updates, and other open-source contributions — is widely regarded as a key indicator of a project’s long-term health. Active development signals ongoing innovation, maintenance efforts, and potentially upcoming improvements or upgrades.
In this latest snapshot, NYM emerged as the frontrunner, followed by Dash and HOPR.
It’s worth noting that some legacy favorites, such as Monero and Zcash, remain in the top tier — Monero at #6 and Zcash at #4 — though they no longer dominate the very top.
What It Suggests for the Privacy Coin Sector
- Shifting momentum: With NYM, Dash, and HOPR leading development activity, the landscape for privacy coins appears to be evolving. Newer or less widely known projects are gaining traction among developers.
- Sustained relevance for incumbents: Despite the shifting momentum, established privacy coins like Zcash, Monero, and Decred remain actively maintained — which may reassure investors and users who value long-term stability and community support.
- Diverse approaches to privacy: The variety of projects in the ranking underscores that “privacy coins” are not all the same. Some emphasize metadata-level anonymity (e.g., NYM’s mix-network approach), others offer optional or default transaction privacy (e.g., Zcash, Monero), and yet others may focus on network-level or protocol-level privacy enhancements.
Keep in Mind
Being high on a development-activity ranking does not guarantee rising prices, adoption, or regulatory acceptance. As highlighted by recent market analyses, coins such as Zcash and Monero — while still under active development — have recently declined in value, with some analysts noting that their “safe-haven” appeal has weakened.
Still, for anyone tracking privacy-focused cryptocurrencies — whether investor, developer, or user — this ranking provides a useful snapshot of where technical work is happening right now.
For those following privacy coins closely, this update is a strong reason to revisit some of the lesser-known names and reassess their potential.
