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§ Private Profile · Denver, CO, USA
Privacy-focused cryptocurrency with confidential transactions.
Zcash operates as a privacy-centric digital currency, employing advanced cryptographic techniques to facilitate confidential transactions. Its core product is a blockchain-based cryptocurrency that utilizes zero-knowledge proofs, specifically zk-SNARKs, to verify transaction validity without exposing sensitive details such as sender, recipient, or transaction amount. This groundbreaking approach allows for robust privacy on a public ledger, distinguishing it within the digital asset landscape.
The project officially launched on October 28, 2016, spearheaded by Zooko Wilcox-O'Hearn, a notable computer security specialist and original cypherpunk. Zcash emerged from the work of a collective of scientists and was brought to fruition by Electric Coin Co. and Wilcox, driven by the insight that individuals deserve the option for privacy in their financial interactions on a public blockchain.
The Zcash protocol serves individuals seeking to protect their financial privacy. The Zcash Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, is dedicated to sustaining and improving open financial networks, enabling users to control their privacy. The long-term vision extends to advancing digital privacy more broadly, supporting other applications of zero-knowledge proofs, and fostering an ecosystem of collaboration and innovation around privacy-preserving technologies.
Zcash has raised $26.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Zcash has raised $26.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Zcash has raised $26.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Zcash's investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Paradigm, Winklevoss Capital, Balaji S., David Friedberg, Haseeb Qureshi, Mert Mumtaz, Coinbase Ventures, 8090 Industries, Alumni Ventures, Cervin Ventures, Great Oaks Venture Capital.
Zcash has raised $26.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $25.0M Seed in March 2026.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11, 2026 | $25M Seed | Andreessen Horowitz, Paradigm, Winklevoss Capital | Balaji S., David Friedberg, Haseeb Qureshi, Mert Mumtaz, Coinbase Ventures | Announced |
| Jan 1, 2016 | $1M Seed | — | 8090 Industries, Alumni Ventures, Cervin Ventures, Great Oaks Venture Capital, Krillion Ventures, Left Lane Capital, Momenta Ventures, Paradigm, Romulus Capital, Y Combinator, Zetta Venture Partners, Alain Hanover | Announced |
Zcash is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency, not a traditional technology company. It operates as a decentralized blockchain protocol that enables peer-to-peer electronic cash transactions with optional strong privacy protections via zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKs), allowing users to shield sender, receiver, and amount details while maintaining a public ledger.[1][2][3] Developed by the Electric Coin Company (ECC), Zcash builds on Bitcoin's codebase but adds shielded addresses for confidential transactions, serving individuals, businesses, and developers seeking financial privacy without sacrificing verifiability or decentralization.[1][4][5] It solves the problem of transparent blockchains exposing financial data by offering selective privacy—users choose transparent or shielded modes—with fast settlements, low fees, and features like embedded private messages.[1][6]
Zcash's native token, ZEC, has a 21 million supply cap like Bitcoin, uses proof-of-work consensus with the Equihash algorithm, and supports integration into wallets, exchanges, and DeFi platforms.[2][5] Its growth includes widespread exchange listings (e.g., Coinbase, Gemini) and an open-source ecosystem funded by developers, making it accessible for everyday private payments, remittances, and enterprise compliance needs.[3][6]
Zcash launched on October 28, 2016, as a fork of Bitcoin's codebase, spearheaded by cryptography expert Zooko Wilcox-O’Hearn, founder and CEO of the Electric Coin Company (ECC, formerly Zerocoin Electric Coin Company).[2][4][5][7] The idea evolved from academic research: scientists from Johns Hopkins University (e.g., Matthew Green, Ian Miers), MIT, Tel Aviv University, and Technion proposed Zerocoin (2013) for Bitcoin privacy add-ons, then Zerocash, culminating in Zcash's zk-SNARK implementation for native shielded transactions.[2][3][5]
ECC led development with community contributions, pioneering zero-knowledge proofs to enable verifiable privacy on a decentralized blockchain.[1][4] Early traction came from its novel cryptography, attracting miners (initially GPUs, later ASICs like Antminer Z9) and exchanges, with halvings reducing block rewards (e.g., 3.125 ZEC by November 2020).[5] Pivotal moments include its 2016 mainnet launch and ongoing upgrades for usability and compliance features like view keys for selective disclosure.[1][5]
Zcash rides the privacy-in-blockchain trend, addressing surveillance risks in transparent ledgers like Bitcoin amid rising regulatory scrutiny on financial data (e.g., AML, taxes).[2][4] Its timing post-Bitcoin's 2017 boom capitalized on demand for "private money," influencing zk-tech adoption in Ethereum scaling (zk-rollups) and DeFi privacy layers.[1][3] Market forces favoring it include growing web3 emphasis on user sovereignty, enterprise needs for confidential transactions, and cryptography advances enabling scalable privacy without centralization.[1][6]
Zcash shapes the ecosystem by open-sourcing zk-SNARKs, inspiring projects like Zashi wallet and protocol upgrades, while ECC fosters independent developers—amplifying privacy as a blockchain primitive beyond niche coins.[7] It empowers economic freedom in a data-tracking world, supporting remittances, donations, and savings without exposing users.[3][6]
Zcash's trajectory hinges on network upgrades like improved UX, lighter clients, and potential consensus shifts (e.g., from PoW), alongside broader zk-proof integration in web3.[1][7] Trends like regulatory clarity on privacy coins, rising DeFi demand for shielded pools, and mobile wallet adoption (e.g., Zashi) will propel growth, potentially boosting ZEC utility in everyday finance.[3][6][7] Its influence may evolve from pioneer to standard-setter, as ECC's self-funded model sustains innovation amid competition—cementing Zcash as the gold standard for private, decentralized cash in an increasingly surveilled digital economy.[2][4]