The cryptocurrency market finished the first week of September higher, with total market capitalization gaining about 2% despite a late-week pullback. Bitcoin climbed to a three-month high above $82,200, while Zcash delivered the strongest performance among major assets, surging nearly 40% and briefly moving above $1,200.
- Bitcoin surpassed $82,200 on Sept. 3, helping total crypto market capitalization reach $2.82 trillion.
- Zcash gained nearly 40%, crossed $1,200 and moved into the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market value.
- BNB, Monero and Cardano each advanced about 7%, while Ethereum slipped 0.5%.
Crypto Market Finishes the Week Higher
The cryptocurrency market started September with total capitalization slightly above $2.71 trillion. After several sessions of limited movement, buying activity intensified during the middle of the week, pushing the combined market value to a peak of approximately $2.82 trillion.
A subsequent retreat, triggered in part by stronger U.S. employment data and shifting expectations for Federal Reserve policy, pulled the market back below $2.8 trillion. Even after that decline, the sector retained an overall weekly gain of roughly 2%.
Bitcoin remained the largest contributor to the market’s performance. BTC climbed above $82,200 on Sept. 3, marking its highest level in more than three months. The move helped lift the broader cryptocurrency market above the $2.8 trillion threshold.
Bitcoin later surrendered part of those gains, but recovered toward the end of the week. The asset ultimately finished about 1.2% higher for the seven-day period, with its market capitalization standing near $1.6 trillion.
Zcash Dominates the Altcoin Market
While Bitcoin delivered a relatively modest weekly gain, several major altcoins significantly outperformed it.
Zcash (ZEC) was the standout performer. The privacy-focused cryptocurrency advanced almost 40% and moved above $1,200 for the first time since its dramatic launch period in 2016.
The rally also reshaped the market-cap rankings. ZEC overtook HYPE and moved into ninth place among the largest digital assets. It was the only major large-cap altcoin to record a double-digit weekly increase during the period.
Zcash’s sharp rise follows an extended period of renewed interest in privacy-focused cryptocurrencies. The latest rally has also attracted increased attention from traders and investors as ZEC’s market capitalization expands.
BNB, Monero and Cardano Post Strong Gains
BNB was another notable performer during the week.
The token reached approximately $779 on Sept. 5, its highest level in several months, briefly pushing its market capitalization above $100 billion. BNB subsequently pulled back toward the $750 area but still finished the week with a gain of around 7%.
Monero (XMR), which had already been among the stronger performers in the previous week, added another 7%. Cardano (ADA) recorded a similar increase.
Other major altcoins also finished in positive territory, with weekly gains generally ranging from roughly 1.2% to 6%. The performance once again demonstrated that portions of the altcoin market were gaining more ground than Bitcoin.
Ethereum and Other Major Tokens Lag
Not every major cryptocurrency benefited from the week’s rally.
Ethereum (ETH) ended the period approximately 0.5% lower, making it one of the more prominent large-cap assets to finish in negative territory.
XRP also remained under pressure, declining about 0.4% after recording a much larger 7% loss during the previous week. Solana (SOL) experienced a similar 0.4% decline.
Other weekly losers included TRX, which fell around 1.6%, RAIN, down approximately 3.5%, and LEO, which declined about 2.9%.
Despite these individual losses, advancing tokens significantly outnumbered decliners across the broader altcoin market.
Altcoins Outperform Bitcoin
The combined market capitalization of altcoins increased approximately 2.2% during the week, rising from around $1.15 trillion to $1.17 trillion.
That performance exceeded Bitcoin’s 1.2% weekly increase and highlighted a broader rotation toward selected altcoins.
The divergence is particularly notable because the market entered September after a period of uncertainty surrounding Bitcoin’s next major move. BTC’s recovery above $82,000 helped restore confidence, while stronger performances from assets such as Zcash, BNB, Monero and Cardano provided additional momentum.
Still, the late-week pullback shows that the market remains highly sensitive to macroeconomic developments. U.S. employment figures, interest-rate expectations and Federal Reserve policy could continue influencing crypto prices as September progresses.
For now, the first week of September ended with the broader market in positive territory but with a clear shift in leadership toward altcoins, led by Zcash’s dramatic rally.
