Zcash

Zcash is a decentralized cryptocurrency focused on privacy and anonymity. It uses the zk-SNARK zero-knowledge proof technology that allows nodes on the network to verify transactions without revealing any sensitive information about those transactions. ZEC transactions by default do not reveal the sending and receiving addresses or the amount being sent. There is an option, however, to reveal this data for the purposes of auditing or regulatory compliance. Zcash was first released on October 28, 2016, and it was originally based on Bitcoin’s codebase.

Zcash, formerly "Zerocoin," was created in 2013 by a group of scientists from Johns Hopkins University. The team recruited additional scientists from leading academic institutions including MIT and Tel Aviv University to build the standalone Zcash protocol. Zcash was first mined in October 2016.


Zcash is a decentralized cryptocurrency focused on privacy and anonymity. It uses the zk-SNARK zero-knowledge proof technology that allows nodes on the network to verify transactions without revealing any sensitive information about those transactions.

ZEC transactions by default do not reveal the sending and receiving addresses or the amount being sent. There is an option, however, to reveal this data for the purposes of auditing or regulatory compliance.

Zcash has a fixed supply of 21 million ZEC and undergoes block halvings every four years.

Zcash distributes a portion of its block rewards to development funding. 20% of Zcash issuance is allocated to the Electric Coin Company, the Zcash Foundation, and independent third-party developers, while 80% is rewarded to miners. 

Winklevoss twins, the co-founders of Gemini Space Station, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEMI ), donated over $1 million to support the privacy-focused Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC) cryptocurrency on Tuesday. ‘Unstoppable Private Money' Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss donated 3,221 ZEC tokens, worth $1.4 million, to Shielded Labs, an independent organization that supports the development of the Zcash network.

Winklevoss Twins Donate $1.4 Million To Support Zcash Network: 'Privacy Is The Next Frontier In Crypto'

The new tool helps Zcash nodes discover peers faster and more safely as they join the network.

Zcash Foundation adds new Rust DNS seeder to improve network reliability

Bitcoin

Dash

The privacy-coin crypto market has taken a noticeable knock, moving in lockstep with bitcoin and ethereum as both slid lower. While the broader crypto economy is off more than 4% over the past day, the privacy-coin segment has fared worse, slipping 9.9% against the greenback.

Privacy Coins Take a Beating as Bitcoin's Slide Hits the Sector Hard

The Zcash price fell below the moving average lines after being rejected at the $600 level.

Coinidol.com: Zcash Oscillates Above Its $300 Low

The privacy coin category posted gains amid a broad market sell-off, as experts cite growing demand for "defensive" assets.

Privacy Coins Monero, Dash and Dusk Defy Crypto Market Slump

The surge in privacy coins in late 2025, which continued in 2026 with Monero hitting new highs, is seen as signalling renewed investor demand for on-chain anonymity. Analysts and industry leaders argue that privacy is evolving from untraceable transfers to selective disclosure and becoming core infrastructure for Web3.

From Anonymity to Selective Disclosure: The Next Era of Privacy Coins

The exit of Electric Coin Co.'s development team to launch the for‑profit startup CashZ has shaken the Zcash ecosystem. Analysts remain divided: some warn the departure exposes single‑point‑of‑failure risks and undermines cypherpunk ideals, while others argue fragmentation strengthens resilience by distributing development across multiple teams.

Fragmentation or Evolution? Experts Say the Zcash Multi-Entity Split Strengthens the Network

Cake offers a suite of privacy tools, including Bitcoin PayJoin transactions, though it is often associated most with Monero.

Cake wallet adds Zcash support as it expands beyond its Monero roots

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has formally ended its years-long investigation into the Zcash Foundation and will not recommend any enforcement action against the privacy-focused nonprofit, executives say. The foundation announced the conclusion of the review in a notice published Wednesday on its website.

SEC Ends Investigation Into ZCash Foundation, According to Privacy Coin Project Execs

The Zcash Foundation said Jan. 14, 2026, that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has concluded its investigation into the nonprofit without recommending any enforcement action. Zcash Foundation Announces Resolution of SEC Investigation The inquiry stemmed from a subpoena issued to the foundation on Aug.

SEC Investigation Into Zcash Foundation Ends Quietly

The SEC has closed a years-long probe into the Zcash Foundation, the nonprofit said in a blog post Wednesday.

Zcash Foundation says SEC has closed the book on its years-long probe into the organization

The Zcash Foundation is the latest crypto organization to say the SEC has backed off, joining the likes of Coinbase and Ripple.

Zcash Foundation Says SEC Ends Investigation With No Enforcement Action

Monero breaks into all-time-high territory while Dash records its largest move since October. The privacy sector is heating up—here's what's driving it.

Crypto Privacy Coins Are Going Nuts: Will It Last?

On Tuesday, monero ( XMR) kept the good times rolling, and among the top ten privacy coins by market cap, everyone except zcash (ZEC) and mimblewimblecoin (MWC) is flashing green with gains. Privacy Coins Find Their Groove At press time, around 12:10 p.m. Eastern on Jan.

Monero Tops All-Time Price High as Privacy Coins Rip Higher, ZEC Stalls and ARRR Rockets

Dubai authorities have unified regulations banning privacy coins and anonymity-enhanced tools across all jurisdictions, effective Jan. 12, 2026. Jurisdictional Unity on Privacy The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) have finalized a comprehensive regulatory environment that leaves no room for anonymity-enhanced digital assets. As of Jan.

From Surge to Shutdown: Dubai Blocks Privacy Coins in 2026

The Zcash price has fallen below the moving average after the bullish rally was halted at the $556 high.

Coinidol.com: Zcash Falls but Moves Sideways above $300

Traders rotated to Monero (XMR), Zcash (ZEC) and Railgun (RAIL) as bitcoin, ether remain stuck under key resistance levels.

Bitcoin stalls below $92,000 as privacy coins rally; crypto miners surge on Meta AI news

The following article is adapted from The Block's newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.

The Daily: Bitcoin and privacy coins gain as Trump-Powell conflict escalates, Tether freezes $182M in USDT, Strategy makes biggest buy in six months, and more

Bitcoin briefly topped $92,000 on interest-rate uncertainty, while privacy coins hit fresh highs and memecoin activity lifted select altcoins.

Bitcoin pares Powell-fueled spike as privacy coins outperform: Crypto Markets Today

The DFSA said privacy-focused assets are incompatible with global compliance norms as it moves to a firm-led token suitability model and sharper stablecoin classifications.

Dubai bans privacy tokens, tightens stablecoin rules in crypto reset

The rally came shortly after Powell said that the DOJ had threatened him with criminal charges over his June 2025 congressional testimony.

Bitcoin, privacy coins rally as Trump-Powell conflict escalates

XMR, ZEC, SOL and other alts are rallying as BTC remains rangebound

Privacy tokens rally as XMR breaks all-time high

Dogecoin

Shiba Inu

Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC) on Friday reversed course and surged 11%, leaving other major coins like Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE), Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) behind. Cryptocurrency Ticker Price Market Cap 7-Day Trend Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC) $434.39 $7.15 billion -13.3% Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) $0.1397 $23.5 billion +8% Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) $0.058644 $5.09 billion +14.

Zcash Pumps 11%, Outperforms Dogecoin, Shiba Inu: 'Privacy Still A Strong Narrative,' Trader Says

The Zcash protocol remains unaffected despite the governance clash and restructuring with Bootstrap.

Builders behind popular Zcash wallet Zashi to launch new startup 'cashZ'

Former ECC CEO Josh Swihart hinted at the "misalignment" between the needs of a tech startup and its nonprofit parent organization.

News for Zcash Crypto (ZEC)