Privacy coins surged on December 11 and 12, with Verge (XVG) leading gains at 51.8%, reaching $0.01704, while trading volume soared to $361 million. The sector's total value hit $7.53 billion, driven by significant increases in NuCypher (NU), Zcash (ZEC), and Monero (XMR). However, privacy coins face scrutiny from regulators due to concerns over their use in illicit activities, leading to restrictions in places like Dubai and Japan.