Monero Plunges 41% After India's Crackdown on Privacy Coins
Monero (XMR) entered a sharp downtrend over the past two weeks, falling about 20% in the last week and plunging 41% from its January 14 peak of $797. The move came after Indian authorities announced stricter measures against privacy-focused tokens, a policy shift that hit XMR harder than the wider market and pressured related projects such as DASH and ZEC. Trading volumes and short-term sentiment turned negative as exchanges and traders reassessed compliance risk.
The sell-off highlights growing regulatory vulnerability for privacy coins: tougher enforcement can trigger delistings, liquidity drains, and sudden repricing even when fundamentals remain unchanged. For holders and market-watchers, the episode underscores the need to monitor policy developments and exchange listings closely; recovery will likely depend on legal clarity or renewed demand from privacy-minded users. Short-term volatility is expected to persist while regulators and platforms adjust to the new stance.