Privacy-focused blockchain Zcash recorded the second-highest protocol fees among all blockchains over the past week, trailing only Ethereum. This unexpected surge outperforms fees generated by most major DeFi protocols and other Layer 1 networks. Prominent market analysts have noted this anomaly, suggesting it may signal a renewed interest in privacy coins and infrastructure. The spike in activity coincides with the launch of native privacy tools on other high-throughput chains like Solana. While privacy coins have faced regulatory headwinds recently, this data point suggests active on-chain usage is increasing. Traders are monitoring whether this is a temporary spike or the beginning of a sector rotation back into privacy assets.