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. 

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

The Daily: ZEC drops as Zcash developer team at ECC quits, spot XRP ETFs see first net outflows since launch, and more

While Electric Coin Company's development team departed to form a new company, it will still be working on Zcash.

Zcash governance clash tanked the token. Here's why it may not be as big as it seems.

Recent governance turmoil at Zcash has resurfaced questions about development continuity, tempering confidence after the token's strong Q4.

Monero retakes privacy crown as Zcash turmoil rattles rally

All members of the Electric Coin Company team behind Zcash resigned on Jan. 7 following a governance dispute with the Bootstrap board, a development that coincided with a sharp sell-off in ZEC as markets reacted to uncertainty around the project's future.

Zcash Development Team Resigns En Masse as Governance Dispute Rattles ZEC Price

Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC) crashed 16% to $394 after the entire Electric Coin Company development team resigned on Wednesday. What Happened Between ECC And Bootstrap CEO Josh Swihart announced the mass resignation on X, stating the team was constructively discharged after Bootstrap changed employment terms in ways that prevented them from performing their duties effectively.

ZEC Crashes 16%: What Happened To The 'XRP Killer'?

In a statement, the board said that the disagreements stemmed from recent proposals to privatize the Zashi mobile wallet.

Zcash Plunges Double Digits After ECC Team ‘Constructively Discharged'

ECC's CEO, Josh Swihart, claims the team was forced to leave because of changes that made their work untenable.

Zcash developer team behind ECC quits after governance clash with bootstrap board

The entire Electric Coin Company team behind Zcash resigned after a governance dispute with its nonprofit board, says CEO Josh Swihart.

Zcash developers quit, form new company after board clash

The Zcash price began its bullish rise on December 27, 2025, when it broke above the moving average lines.

Coinidol.com: Zcash Slumps at the $560 Hurdle

Dash

Analysts believe privacy tokens such as zcash and monero will continue to outperform this year, but they will likely face delisting risks and conflicts with banks over regulatory issues.

Experts tip privacy tokens to continues outperforming in 2026

Privacy-focused cryptos including Midnight, Canton Network and Monero have slipped as investors rotate capital out of defensive holdings.

Privacy Coins Slip Amid Broader Crypto Market Recovery

Aave

Canton

NEAR Protocol

Tron

Uniswap

Bitwise Asset Management just filed registration statements with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for 11 new cryptocurrency strategy exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The filings would trade on NYSE Arca if approved, expanding regulated access to major altcoins.

Crypto Giant Bitwise Files for ZCash, Aave, Sui and Eight Additional Altcoin ETFs With SEC

Bitwise is moving to list 11 single-asset crypto strategy ETFs on NYSE Arca, expanding U.S. market exposure to major protocol tokens as regulatory filings signal a broader push into diversified digital-asset products. NYSE Arca Listing Planned as Bitwise Registers 11 New Crypto ETFs Asset management firm Bitwise filed a post-effective amendment with the U.S.

Bitwise Files 11 Single-Token Crypto ETFs With SEC, Signaling Strong Altcoin Demand

The exchange-traded funds will invest both directly and indirectly in the tokens.

Bitwise files for 11 'strategy' ETFs, tracking tokens including AAVE, ZEC, TAO

Cypherpunk Technologies boosted its zcash bet with a $28 million token purchase, lifting its holdings to 1.7% of ZEC's circulating supply.

Winklevoss-backed Cypherpunk buys $28 million of zcash, now owns 1.7% of supply

In 2025, the cryptocurrency market experienced extreme volatility, with bitcoin ( BTC) and major altcoins erasing their mid-year gains by December. Amid this downturn, privacy coins emerged as a resilient outlier, with the sector's market cap surging 200% YoY to $19 billion by late November.

Privacy Is Back: Why XMR and ZEC Won the 2025 Crypto ‘Wild Ride'

Bitwise filed applications for 11 new crypto strategy ETFs, which would both directly and indirectly invest in crypto.

Bitwise files for 11 new crypto ETFs tracking Bittensor, Tron and others

Cypherpunk's ZEC position now accounts for more than a third of its stated 5% accumulation target, following a series of recent purchases.

Winklevoss-backed Cypherpunk adds $29 million in ZEC, lifts holdings to nearly 2% of supply

USDC

This year also saw the launch of networks like Aztec's Ignition chain, apps like Privacy Pools, and corporate experiments like Circle's USDCx.

From Aztec to Zcash: The year ‘pragmatic privacy' took root

The privacy narrative is positioned for continued relevance into 2026, driven by practical adoption needs rather than speculative momentum.

Zcash's shielded supply holds firm at 23% as privacy adoption proves sticky

Arthur Hayes recently argued that the altcoin season never actually stopped; instead, he said it has become “nuanced” and “decoupled.” Market data from much of 2025 supports this view, showing massive gains in certain niches while others stagnated.

Privacy Coins and Gold-Backed Tokens Lead 2025's Altcoin Winners

Cardano

Most tokens that debuted this year are trading below their initial valuations.

Crypto Markets Today: Cardano-based NIGHT crashes, ZEC, XMR also drop

The price movement comes after the DTCC announced it would adopt Canton Network for the issuance of tokenized securities.

Canton Leads Privacy Coin Rally As Midnight, Zcash, Monero Tick Up

The privacy-focused crypto asset zcash (ZEC) has retreated sharply from its peak just above $741 on Nov. 15, sliding to a low of $411 as of Tuesday, Dec. 16. Meanwhile, ZEC rival monero ( XMR) has continued to push higher, advancing more than 15% over the past seven days.

Monero Pulls Ahead as Zcash Cools and Privacy Coins Feel the Pressure

Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC) jumped 12% on Thursday, breaking above short-term resistance off the back of strong bullish momentum. Zcash Breaks Through Key Fibonacci Wall With EMAs Turning Higher ZEC Price Action (Source: TradingView) ZEC has retraced sharply from its $300 support base and is now testing the first major Fibonacci resistance cluster.

News for Zcash Crypto (ZEC)