SYDNEY, November 9, 2026 — Bitcoin and Ether slid to their lowest levels since August in late Sunday trading as investors priced in a tougher US regulatory outlook following Democratic gains in the midterm elections. Bitcoin fell more than 2% to $73,708, while Ether dropped about 5% to $2,223, according to Reuters.
By the Numbers
Bitcoin: down over 2% to $73,708, lowest since August.
Ether: down about 5% to $2,223, lowest since August.
Binance heist: $6 billion.
Zcash rally: roughly 12% to $1,260.
Zcash spot ETF (ZCSH) assets: topped $500 million within two weeks of August 25 debut.
Privacy coin sector growth: $7.1 billion to $33.6 billion in twelve months.
The bottom line: the broad market sold off on political and security fears, but privacy tokens decoupled on a technical upgrade and distinct exchange dynamics.
Regulation Fears Drive Broad Selloff
Digital asset markets came under renewed pressure as traders reacted to the prospect of a Democratic Party-controlled US Congress. Investors fear the new composition will toughen oversight on the asset class, a concern amplified by the election of high-profile crypto critics in last week’s midterms, according to Reuters.
Sentiment was already fragile after a $6 billion heist at Binance, the world’s largest exchange, shook confidence in recent sessions. The security breach added a concrete operational risk to the political uncertainty weighing on prices, according to Reuters.
Institutional Flows Turn Negative
US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded outflows as risk aversion took hold, removing a key bid that had supported prices in prior months. The withdrawal of institutional capital coincides with the political shift, suggesting money managers are repositioning for a more hostile regulatory environment in Washington.
Privacy Tokens Diverge
While major assets declined, Zcash and Monero moved counter to the trend. The upgrade cut block times from 75 seconds to 25 and closed the legacy Sprout pool, rendering any remaining ZEC in it unspendable.
Monero held up better than the broader market during the sell-off. Neither token has a US spot ETF, insulating them from the institutional outflows hitting Bitcoin and Ether, according to Startup Fortune.
Shielded supply on the network nearly tripled to 31% of circulating coins.
EU Deadline Looms for Privacy Coins
The regulatory overhang for anonymity-enhanced assets is not limited to the US. The EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation will bar regulated service providers from handling anonymity-enhancing cryptocurrencies from July 2027. Major exchanges have already moved ahead of the deadline: OKX delisted Monero around the turn of 2023 and 2024, and Binance followed in early 2024.
Investors will note the practical risk is access. If a coin cannot be listed on regulated European venues, trading relies on a thinner set of exchanges, where thin liquidity can turn a 10% dip into a 25% one.
Sources
- Cryptocurrencies slide to two-month lows after US midterms
- Cryptocurrencies slide to two-month lows after US midterms
- Cryptocurrency markets slide as U.S. midterms fuel regulation concerns
- Zcash and Monero hold up as Bitcoin slides toward $75,000 – Startup Fortune
Photo: Art Rachen / Unsplash (Unsplash License)
