ZcashZEC

Zcash (ZEC) is an open-source Layer 1 cryptocurrency launched on October 28, 2016 with a focus on financial privacy. Derived originally from Bitcoin’s codebase and the Zerocash protocol, Zcash introduced zero-knowledge proofs to cryptocurrency transactions so that payments can be validated without necessarily revealing their underlying financial details.

The network supports both transparent and shielded transaction functionality. Transparent activity resembles Bitcoin-style public blockchain transactions, while shielded transactions use zero-knowledge cryptography to protect transaction information while still allowing nodes to verify that consensus rules have been followed.

Zcash’s privacy technology has evolved through several generations. Sapling significantly improved the efficiency of shielded transactions in 2018, while the Orchard protocol introduced with Network Upgrade 5 uses the Halo 2 zero-knowledge proving system and removed the need for a trusted setup for its shielded pool. Subsequent network upgrades have continued to develop Zcash’s privacy architecture.

The blockchain is secured through Proof of Work using the Equihash algorithm with mainnet parameters of 200,9. ZEC is created through block rewards under a Bitcoin-inspired monetary schedule with periodic halvings and a fixed maximum supply of 21,000,000 ZEC.

ZEC is the native currency of the network and can be transferred through supported transparent or shielded address types. Unified Addresses provide a single format capable of containing compatible transparent and shielded receivers while allowing wallets to select the appropriate transaction type.

Zcash remains actively developed, although its node infrastructure changed significantly in 2026. The original zcashd implementation reached end of life in July 2026 and was archived. Zebra, maintained by the Zcash Foundation, is now a primary active Zcash full-node implementation, alongside newer node and wallet software.

The network continues to receive protocol upgrades. NU6.3 introduced the Ironwood shielded pool and version-6 transaction format in July 2026, extending the privacy architecture beyond the earlier Orchard and Sapling pools.