TLDR
- Dash ranks as the project with the highest GitHub code activity over the last 30 days.
- Emerging projects like NYM and HOPR outpace industry veterans in development intensity.
- Monero shows a steadier pace, reflecting the technical maturity of its current protocol.
Data from Santiment reveals that the privacy coins segment of the cryptocurrency market is undergoing an intense technical upgrade process, with Dash at the helm. The platform’s data reportโwhich filters out superficial commits to focus on actual engineering activityโdiscloses that developers are taking advantage of current market instability to bolster digital anonymity infrastructure.
๐งโ๐ป Here are crypto's top 10 privacy coin projects by development. Directional indicators represent each project's ranking positioning since last update:
— Santiment (@santimentfeed) December 29, 2025
๐ 1) @dashpay $DASH ๐ฅ
๐ 2) @nym $NYM ๐ฅ
โก๏ธ 3) @hoprnet $HOPR ๐ฅ
โก๏ธ 4) @zcash $ZEC
โก๏ธ 5) @decredproject $DCR
๐ 6)โฆ pic.twitter.com/b5Zn380LxW
The leading token of this movement managed to climb to the top spot, surpassing historic competitors. This surge suggests a renewed focus on protocol maintenance and upgrades, sending a bullish signal regarding the project’s long-term viability.
Following Dash, NYM and HOPR secure the second and third positions, demonstrating that interest in privacy is migrating toward new infrastructure solutions.

Beyond Price: Code as a Health Indicator for Privacy Coins
Other established names are also positioning themselves. Zcash continues to show steady development at its core, while Decred and Dusk maintain stable activity in the middle of the table.
In contrast, Moneroโoften considered the gold standard of privacy coinsโappears in lower positions. Experts point out that this maturity typically translates into more deliberate and slower code changes, rather than a lack of interest. The relevance of this metric lies in its ability to anticipate trends.
In an ecosystem dominated by short-term speculation, the fact that privacy coins continue to attract engineering resources indicates that the sector is quietly consolidating. Projects like Verge, AnyOne Protocol, and Beldex also feature in the ranking, proving that the privacy niche is far from dormant.
In summary, this building activity is often the prelude to increased adoption or significant market movements, occurring long before they are reflected on price boards.