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 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

Ethena 

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.

Bitcoin, Ethereum Stumble After Fed Cut, But This Coin Just Keeps Going Up

In this week's Crypto Long & Short Newsletter, Carter Feldman writes that the bear market makes this a prime moment for privacy coins, signaling growing user demand for true financial autonomy. Then, we dive into Ethereum with Andy Baehr's “vibe check” – when ETH rallies, it may signal something larger is afoot.

Investors Are Hunting for Countercyclical Value in Privacy Coins

Cypherpunk Technologies stock jumped 40% Tuesday following the appointment of Zooko Wilcox to help guide the Zcash treasury firm.

Zcash Founder Zooko Wilcox Joins ZEC Treasury Firm as Privacy Coin Surges

ZEC zoomed 12% amid the fee discussion, beating gains across all major tokens.

Zcash Floats Dynamic Fee Plan to Ensure Users Won't Be Priced Out

Zooko Wilcox consulted with new anonymous phone service Phreeli on implementing a zero-knowledge proof system to preserve user privacy.

Zcash Founder Helped to Create This Anonymous Phone Service

The privacy coin zcash has experienced a sharp price collapse, tumbling to $316 on Dec. 2 and falling over 30% since Nov. 26. Technical analysis remains bearish, with one analyst projecting the coin to continue its decline toward a support range of $297-$311 before any potential reversal.

Zcash Crashes: From $700 Peak to $316 in Two Weeks

Privacy coins like ZCash and Monero dropped as analysts say the "safe haven" narrative has broken, tying their fate to Bitcoin's cycles.

Privacy Coins Lose Steam as ZCash, Monero, and Dash Follow Crypto Market Pullback

A committee endorsement has reignited long-running questions about whether Zcash should preserve its off-chain governance structure.

Vitalik Buterin: 'Dark Hand' of Token Voting Could Erode Zcash Privacy

Aurora Labs CEO Alex Shevchenko attributes Zcash's rally to a clear narrative as “encrypted Bitcoin,” years of development and legitimacy and authentic endorsements from respected voices. Privacy as a Human Right The cryptocurrency market has recently witnessed a seismic event: the price of privacy coin Zcash (ZEC) soared by an estimated 1,500% in just months.

News for Zcash Crypto (ZEC)