Monero Rises 12.8% as Cardano and Stellar Fall Nearly 10%

Monero stands out among established altcoins as Cardano, Stellar and Chainlink face renewed selling pressure, highlighting a growing divide across the cryptocurrency market.

Monero (XMR) is outperforming several long-established cryptocurrencies as the wider altcoin market struggles. According to Journal du Coin’s October 20 market report, Monero gained 12.8% over seven days to trade near $614, while Cardano (ADA), Stellar (XLM) and Chainlink (LINK) lost between approximately 9% and 10% over the same period.

Bitcoin also declined, falling 2.9% over seven days in the report’s snapshot. The contrasting performances suggest that investors are treating different cryptocurrency sectors very differently, with privacy-focused assets attracting attention while several established altcoins remain under pressure.

Key Highlights

• Monero (XMR): Up 12.8% over seven days, trading near $614.

• Cardano (ADA): Down 9.8% to approximately $0.215.

• Stellar (XLM): Down 9.5% to approximately $0.176.

• Chainlink (LINK): Down 8.9% to around $11.90.

• XRP: Fell from approximately $1.50 on October 6 to $1.29 on October 20, according to the report.

• Bitcoin: Declined 2.9% over seven days in the same market snapshot.

These figures reflect the source report’s October 20 snapshot, not live prices.

Why Monero Is Outperforming Other Altcoins

Monero’s recent strength comes amid renewed attention to privacy-focused cryptocurrencies and regulatory developments in the United States.

Journal du Coin reported that the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) withdrew two proposed rules concerning unhosted wallets and cryptocurrency mixers on October 5. The agency cited concerns that the proposals could discourage legitimate activity.

The regulatory development was followed by renewed market attention toward Monero. The report also noted that trader Peter Brandt publicly expressed a favorable view of XMR.

However, these events do not establish a single definitive cause for Monero’s price gains. Market positioning, liquidity, broader investor sentiment and speculation may also have contributed.

Despite the recent rise, Monero remained below its reported all-time high of approximately $798, reached on January 14, 2026.

Cardano and Stellar Struggle as Market Pressure Builds

Cardano and Stellar have experienced sharper declines than Bitcoin over the reported seven-day period.

Cardano fell 9.8% to around $0.215, while Stellar dropped 9.5% to approximately $0.176. Chainlink also weakened, losing 8.9% to trade near $11.90.

The report linked the wider market pressure partly to U.S. inflation data released on October 14. Annual inflation for September came in at 3.7%, compared with expectations of 3.6%, potentially weighing on risk-sensitive assets.

Higher-than-expected inflation can affect expectations for interest rates and financial conditions. When investors anticipate tighter monetary policy or reduced liquidity, speculative assets such as cryptocurrencies may come under pressure.

Nevertheless, the price declines alone do not prove that inflation was the only driver. Cryptocurrency-specific developments and trading activity can amplify broader market moves.

XRP Falls Despite Ripple’s Institutional Developments

XRP also weakened despite several business and product announcements associated with Ripple.

Journal du Coin highlighted developments between October 6 and October 15, including a reported relationship with investment firm Brevan Howard, the introduction of perpetual swaps across more than 100 markets, and additional developments involving Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin and tokenization efforts.

Despite this activity, XRP declined from approximately $1.50 on October 6 to $1.29 on October 20.

The report also cited around $1.8 million in net outflows from U.S. spot XRP exchange-traded funds during the previous week, marking the first weekly outflows in 14 weeks.

The divergence illustrates that corporate developments and new market products do not necessarily translate into immediate price appreciation for a cryptocurrency. Investor flows, derivatives positioning and overall market sentiment can remain important short-term influences.

Regulatory Uncertainty Remains a Challenge for Privacy Coins

Monero’s relative strength comes alongside a complicated regulatory outlook, particularly in Europe.

The Journal du Coin report points to provisions in the European Union’s Anti-Money Laundering Regulation that are expected to restrict crypto service providers from handling anonymous crypto-assets from July 10, 2027.

The potential restrictions could create challenges for privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, including Monero and Zcash, depending on the final implementation and how service providers respond.

This creates a contrast between regulatory developments in the United States and Europe. A regulatory change that supports one type of activity in one jurisdiction does not guarantee broader acceptance or easier access worldwide.

Investors should distinguish between a token’s market performance and the long-term legal and operational environment in which it is used.

What Could This Mean for the Altcoin Market?

The latest performance gap suggests that the altcoin market is not moving as one unified sector. Privacy coins, established smart-contract networks, payment-focused assets and infrastructure tokens can respond differently to market conditions.

Monero’s gains demonstrate relative strength in the current snapshot, but a seven-day rally does not guarantee continued momentum. Similarly, losses in Cardano and Stellar do not, by themselves, establish a long-term deterioration in either project’s technology or adoption.

Market participants will likely continue watching inflation, central-bank expectations, regulatory developments and fund flows for signs of a broader recovery or further weakness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Monero outperforming Cardano and Stellar?

Monero has attracted attention amid developments involving U.S. regulatory proposals for unhosted wallets and mixers, alongside market interest in privacy-focused cryptocurrencies. The exact contribution of each factor to its price rise is uncertain.

How much did Monero gain in the report?

Monero gained 12.8% over seven days and traded near $614 in Journal du Coin’s October 20, 2026 market snapshot.

Why did Cardano and Stellar fall?

Both declined amid broader market pressure. The report pointed to higher-than-expected U.S. inflation as one possible factor, but price movements can reflect several influences.

Does Monero’s rally mean privacy coins are risk-free?

No. Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies face market volatility, liquidity risks and regulatory uncertainty. Recent gains do not guarantee future performance.

Final Take

Monero’s reported 12.8% weekly advance contrasts sharply with declines of nearly 10% in Cardano, Stellar and Chainlink. The divergence highlights how established cryptocurrencies can follow very different trajectories even during the same market downturn.

Regulatory developments and macroeconomic conditions remain important factors to watch. For investors, however, short-term relative strength should not be mistaken for a guarantee of future returns.