#ZEC After the privacy coin sweep, XMR audit is now in the queue $ZEC $XMR
1. ZEC's 'Terrifying 48 Hours' (the source of the privacy coin turbulence)
- Trigger: Security researcher Taylor Hornby audited with Anthropic Claude Opus 4.8AI, finding a critical vulnerability in Zcash (ZEC) Orchard privacy pool on May 29th (lingering since May 2022).
- Vulnerability impact: The potential for infinite minting of untraceable fake ZEC, theoretically destroying the token economy.
- Market reaction: After the disclosure on June 4th, ZEC plummeted 38% in 24 hours ($700→$400), with a market cap evaporation exceeding $3 billion in two days.
- Fix: Emergency patch on June 1st, officials say no exploitation found, but historical transactions in the privacy pool can't be fully verified.
2. XMR (Monero) enters the AI audit queue (official announcement on June 6th)
- Key figure: The same researcher, Taylor Hornby, has clearly stated on platform X: 'Absolutely! I'll add Monero to my queue.'
- Audit subject: XMR (Monero) — the largest privacy coin, with all transactions being private by default (ZEC offers optional privacy), utilizing ring signatures and stealth addresses.
- Immediate market reaction: XMR plummeted 10% in a day, with the privacy coin sector taking a hit (ZEC -6.5%, DASH -8%).
3. Why XMR is getting more attention (key differences with ZEC)
1. Privacy strength: ZEC offers optional shielding (transparent/private dual mode); XMR mandates privacy with no public transaction ledger, making audits much more challenging.
2. Code complexity: XMR is designed for native privacy, iterating for years, with almost no external AI audits; ZEC has been audited multiple times but still harbors high-risk vulnerabilities.
3. Regulatory pressure: XMR has been delisted by many exchanges due to its full anonymity, making it less compliant; if this audit exposes vulnerabilities, the risk of regulatory and fund sell-offs will be even greater.
4. Subsequent impacts (restructuring logic of privacy coins)
- Short-term: AI audits are sweeping through privacy coins, uncertainty premiums are fading, and funds are pulling out for safety, which likely means XMR will continue to face pressure.
- Mid-term: If XMR's audit reveals no major vulnerabilities, it will strengthen its narrative as the 'safest privacy coin' and work towards recovery; if vulnerabilities are exposed, the privacy coin sector may face a collective trust collapse.
- Long-term: AI becomes a safety 'litmus test' for privacy coins, potential risks in complex privacy protocols are being repriced, highlighting the contradiction between 'privacy' and 'auditability'.
5. Key time points
- Events that have occurred: 5/29 (ZEC vulnerability discovered) → 6/1 (ZEC patch) → 6/4 (vulnerability disclosed, ZEC crashes) → 6/6 (XMR included in audit queue, XMR crashes).
- To be observed: XMR audit start time, result disclosures, and whether it affects other privacy coins (like DASH, ZEN).
