With XRP losing some of its momentum, Zcash (ZEC) and Solana (SOL) are emerging as 2 cryptocurrencies to buy instead of XRP in October.

1. Zcash

Zcash trading volume jumped 50% on October 9 as the privacy crypto rose to outperform a largely flat cryptocurrency market, as progress on a quantum-resistant security upgrade, improved cross-chain utility, and a technical rebound supported the price.

Namely, developers at Zakura, a Zcash scaling initiative, are targeting January 2027 to introduce instructions for quantum-resistant, hash-based signatures in Zcash’s transparent payment pool. 

While the asset has had a somewhat rough month, being down 5% on the 30-day chart as of the time of writing, the upgrade appears to have inspired confidence after a period of heavily oversold conditions.

A network upgrade proposed in September and targeted for November 5, 2026, also promises to direct 60% of transaction fees into a reserve rather than distributing them immediately to miners, with the retained fees becoming eligible for distribution from 2031. 

If implemented as described, this mechanism could constrain the supply available to the market over the medium term, particularly if transaction activity continues to increase.

Together, Zcash’s potential security improvements, expanding ecosystem utility, and supply constraints provide several possible catalysts for further gains. 

2. Solana

Our second pick, Solana, is a bit riskier play, as it remains more than 50% below its 2025 peak of $262, which leaves open the possibility of further recovery but offers no guarantee of a return to its previous high.

Nonetheless, some upcoming developments could strengthen Solana’s investment case by addressing supply, adoption, and network performance.

Most notably, a planned Samsung Wallet integration could expand Solana’s reach among everyday consumers. In partnership with Coinbase and Bastion, the South Korean company is expected to introduce USD Coin (USDC) balances and cross-border transfers through Samsung Wallet in the final week of October 2026. 

The feature is intended for 82 million eligible U.S. Galaxy devices and will use Solana’s blockchain infrastructure. If the rollout generates substantial transfers, it could increase network activity and strengthen Solana’s utility beyond speculative cryptocurrency trading.

What’s more, Solana is scheduled to complete its transition to a target block time of 200 milliseconds today, October 9, down from 400 milliseconds. The change could increase block-production opportunities to approximately five per second, reducing delays for users and applications. 

Overall, Solana could present a long-term buying opportunity for investors who believe decentralized applications will gain mainstream traction. However, a potential recovery will depend on more than speculative enthusiasm, which makes the asset a slightly riskier pick. 

Featured image via Shutterstock

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