ZEC

Zcash is a cryptocurrency that offers optional transaction privacy through zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKs), allowing users to send "shielded" transactions where sender, recipient, and amount are encrypted while still being verifiable by the network. Unlike Monero's mandatory privacy, Zcash provides both transparent and shielded transaction types, giving users the choice between public and private transfers. The network runs on the Equihash proof-of-work algorithm and shares Bitcoin's 21 million fixed supply cap and halving schedule. Zcash was developed by the Electric Coin Company and is supported by the Zcash Foundation. The project has contributed foundational research to zero-knowledge cryptography that has influenced the broader blockchain industry, including Ethereum's adoption of zk-rollup technology. For traders, ZEC's price is influenced by privacy regulation trends, exchange compliance decisions, and the evolving competitive landscape among privacy-preserving protocols.