What is expected in the development of ZEC?

Zcash’s development plan focuses on improving its technology, expanding to work with other blockchains, and making important community decisions. Here are the key upcoming events:

1. Halving & Development Fund Vote (November 2025) – The third halving will reduce block rewards, and the community will vote on how to fund future development.
2. Cross-Chain Privacy Integration (Q4 2025) – Zashi CrossPay will enable private transactions between Zcash and other blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
3. Migration to Zebra (Ongoing) – Moving from the older C++ Zcashd software to a newer, more efficient Rust-based Zebra node.
4. Quantum-Resistant Upgrades (2026) – Network upgrade to protect against future quantum computer threats.
5. Regulatory Adaptation (Strategic) – Balancing user privacy with compliance to changing global regulations.

In-Depth Look

1. Halving & Development Fund Vote (November 2025)

What’s happening: In November 2025, Zcash will undergo its third halving, cutting block rewards from 3.125 ZEC to 1.5625 ZEC. This reduces the rate at which new ZEC is created, tightening supply. At the same time, the community will vote on six proposals to replace the current development fund, which uses 20% of mining rewards to support the ecosystem (Zcash Foundation).
Why it matters: If a new funding plan is approved, it could secure long-term development and be positive for ZEC’s value. However, disagreements could delay important upgrades, which would be a negative.

2. Cross-Chain Privacy Integration (Q4 2025)

What’s happening: The Zashi CrossPay upgrade, launching in late 2025, will let users make private (shielded) Zcash transactions that interact with other blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum through Router Protocol’s cross-chain swap network (Router Protocol).
Why it matters: This makes Zcash more useful and attractive, especially for decentralized finance (DeFi) users who want privacy. However, relying on third-party bridges carries some technical risks.

3. Migration to Zebra (Ongoing)

What’s happening: Zcash is gradually switching from its original C++ software (Zcashd) to Zebra, a new node implementation written in Rust. Zebra is designed to be more scalable and easier to maintain (Zcash Blog).
Why it matters: This upgrade could make the network more reliable and encourage developers to build on Zcash. But the transition is complex and might slow progress temporarily.

4. Quantum-Resistant Upgrades (2026)

What’s happening: The planned NU7 network upgrade will add quantum-resistant cryptography to protect Zcash’s privacy features (zk-SNARKs) from future quantum computer attacks. Research is ongoing, with a focus after 2025 (Bitrue).
Why it matters: This is important for Zcash’s long-term security and reputation as a privacy leader. Delays or technical challenges could hurt confidence.

5. Regulatory Adaptation (Strategic)

What’s happening: Zcash offers optional privacy, allowing users to choose between transparent and shielded transactions. This flexibility helps it comply with regulations like the EU’s MiCA framework. Partnerships with regulated firms, such as Grayscale Zcash Trust, aim to balance privacy with legal oversight (Yahoo Finance).
Why it matters: If Zcash can avoid the regulatory bans that have affected other privacy coins like Monero, it could thrive. But privacy coins still face significant regulatory risks.

Conclusion

Zcash’s roadmap carefully balances technical upgrades (like halving and quantum resistance), ecosystem growth (cross-chain features and funding decisions), and regulatory compliance. The November 2025 halving and development fund vote will be key moments shaping ZEC’s future. The big question remains: Can Zcash maintain its strong privacy focus while gaining acceptance from institutions? Keep an eye on how many transactions use shielded addresses (currently about 27.5%) and how regulators respond to privacy coins.

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What updates are there in the ZEC code base?

Zcash is rolling out major updates to improve privacy, upgrade its network software, and enable secure transfers across different blockchains.

1. NU6.1 Activation (August 2025) – Testing a network upgrade that fixes important issues with private transactions.
2. Zcashd Deprecation (April 2025) – Moving away from old node software to newer, more efficient tools.
3. Zashi CrossPay Integration (September 2025) – Allowing private Zcash (ZEC) swaps across multiple blockchain networks.

Deep Dive

1. NU6.1 Activation (August 2025)

What’s happening: Zcash launched Network Upgrade 6.1 (NU6.1) on its test network. This update fixes bugs related to private (shielded) transactions and improves how transaction fees are handled. It also adds support for multisignature transactions, which require multiple approvals for added security.

Previously, some methods used to check balances didn’t correctly account for private transactions, causing errors. NU6.1 fixes this and prepares the network for a full upgrade once testing is complete.

Why it matters: This update makes private transactions more accurate and reliable, which is great news for users who value privacy. It also sets the stage for broader use of Zcash’s privacy features. (Source)

2. Zcashd Deprecation (April 2025)

What’s happening: Zcash is retiring its older node software called zcashd and encouraging users to switch to Zebra, a newer node built with the Rust programming language, along with the Zallet wallet.

Some older commands used for creating and signing transactions are being phased out. While this change modernizes the network and improves wallet usability, it means some features, like support for older transaction types (Sprout), won’t be available anymore.

Why it matters: This is a neutral change overall. It modernizes the technology behind Zcash but may cause some short-term inconvenience for users running their own nodes. (Source)

3. Zashi CrossPay Integration (September 2025)

What’s happening: The Zashi wallet now supports NEAR Intents, enabling private Zcash (ZEC) swaps across different blockchain networks, including those that use Ethereum-compatible technology and others that don’t.

This feature uses the Tachyon scaling protocol to let users swap ZEC without revealing transaction details. Earlier in May 2025, Zashi updated its interface to make private transactions the default option.

Why it matters: This is a positive development for Zcash because it expands its use in decentralized finance (DeFi) while keeping transactions private—a key advantage for users concerned about privacy. (Source)

Conclusion

Zcash’s latest updates focus on strengthening privacy, modernizing its technology, and enabling secure transfers across blockchains. While retiring the old zcashd software may cause some short-term challenges, improvements like NU6.1 and CrossPay enhance Zcash’s role as a leading privacy-focused cryptocurrency. Going forward, it will be important to watch how regulations around private transactions affect Zcash’s adoption as these features become more widely used.

Why did the price of ZEC fall?

Zcash (ZEC) dropped 15.86% in the last 24 hours, falling more than the overall crypto market, which was down 3.49%. Here’s why:

1. Profit-taking after a big rally – ZEC jumped 375% in just 30 days, leading many investors to cash out.
2. Leverage unwinding – Open futures contracts increased by 22% to $303 million, adding to price swings.
3. Market-wide caution – The Crypto Fear & Greed Index hit 29, indicating extreme fear, the lowest in three months.

Deep Dive

1. Profit-Taking After a Big Rally (Negative Impact)

What happened: ZEC’s price soared 461% over 30 days, reaching nearly $271. About 27.5% of ZEC tokens are “shielded,” meaning they’re hidden from public view, which reduces the number of coins available for trading. This rapid price increase made the coin overbought, prompting investors to sell and take profits.
Why it matters: After such a sharp rise, it’s normal for prices to pull back as traders lock in gains. The 24-hour trading volume dropped nearly 14%, showing less buying interest to support the price.
What to watch: The price holding steady around $208.76, which is a key support level based on the Fibonacci retracement method—a tool traders use to predict potential price floors (Coindesk).

2. Derivatives Market Activity (Mixed Impact)

What happened: The total value of open ZEC futures contracts jumped 22% to $303 million in one day. Funding rates, which indicate trader sentiment, stayed neutral. However, many leveraged long positions were liquidated when the price fell below important support levels.
Why it matters: High leverage means traders borrow money to increase their bets, which can amplify price moves. About $9 million worth of long positions were forced to close near the $224 support level. Neutral funding rates suggest balanced market sentiment, but thin order books made the price more volatile (Yahoo Finance).

3. Overall Market Sentiment (Negative Impact)

What happened: The Crypto Fear & Greed Index dropped to 29, signaling extreme fear among investors. Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s dominance rose to 59.36%, meaning more money is flowing into Bitcoin as a safer asset compared to altcoins like ZEC.
Why it matters: In uncertain times, investors tend to sell riskier assets like ZEC and move into safer ones like Bitcoin. This caused the overall crypto market to fall 3.49%, with altcoins underperforming Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Conclusion

ZEC’s recent price drop is a natural cooldown after a rapid and unsustainable rally. This decline was intensified by leveraged trading and a cautious market mood. The key level to watch is $208 (the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement). If ZEC can’t hold this support, it might fall further toward $177.96 (the 50% retracement). Also, keep an eye on the shielded supply of ZEC, as changes there could impact long-term confidence in the coin.

What could affect the price of ZEC?

Zcash’s price is balancing between advances in privacy technology and increasing regulatory challenges.

1. Growing Privacy Use – 27.5% of Zcash’s supply is now in private, shielded wallets, which limits the number of coins available for trading.
2. Regulatory Pressure – U.S. and European rules targeting anti-money laundering (AML) could restrict access to exchanges.
3. Upcoming Upgrade – The Sapling 2.0 update in October 2025 will boost mobile wallet support and privacy features.

Deep Dive

1. More Coins in Shielded Wallets (Positive for Price)

What’s happening:
About 27.5% of Zcash’s 16.2 million coins are now stored in shielded wallets, up from 15% in September 2025 (CoinDesk). Shielded wallets keep transactions private, but this also means fewer coins are available for buying and selling. Big investors like Grayscale’s ZEC Trust have added $46 million in October 2025, increasing demand.

Why it matters:
With fewer coins available to trade and growing institutional interest, prices could rise, especially with the upcoming halving event in November 2025 that reduces mining rewards to 1.56 ZEC per block. However, if exchanges see too much shielded activity, they might remove Zcash to avoid regulatory issues.

2. Regulatory Challenges (Potential Downside)

What’s happening:
The European Union’s new Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) 2.0 rules, expected by 2026, will require exchanges to monitor private (shielded) transactions. In the U.S., 35% of Zcash trading happens on regulated platforms like Coinbase.

Why it matters:
There’s a risk that exchanges will delist Zcash to comply with these rules. For example, South Korea’s Bithumb exchange stopped supporting Zcash in 2024. A 2025 lawsuit by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against another privacy coin, Monero, could set a precedent, though Zcash’s optional transparency might help it avoid similar legal trouble (source).

3. Technology Upgrades and ETF Prospects (Mixed Outlook)

What’s happening:
The Tachyon upgrade, planned for early 2026, aims to increase shielded transaction speed to 500 transactions per second (TPS), much faster than Monero’s 30 TPS. Meanwhile, BlackRock has filed for a spot Zcash ETF, but it still needs SEC approval.

Why it matters:
Better technology could make Zcash more attractive for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. However, delays in ETF approval—similar to what happened with Bitcoin in 2023—could slow momentum. Technical indicators show some positive signs but also warn of possible price overextension.

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Conclusion

Zcash’s future depends on how well it can innovate in privacy while navigating regulatory hurdles. Key events to watch include the November 5 MiCA vote in Europe and Coinbase’s launch of Zcash staking. The big question: will growing use of shielded transactions help Zcash overcome regulatory challenges, or will compliance pressures limit its appeal?

What are people saying about ZEC?

Zcash is gaining momentum as a privacy-focused cryptocurrency, but some challenges lie ahead. Here’s what’s happening:

1. Privacy appeal peaks – Supporters claim “ZEC > BTC,” but regulatory concerns remain
2. Shielded pool grows – 27% of ZEC is now private and untraceable, reducing available supply
3. Institutional interest rises – Grayscale Trust buys $46 million in ZEC, with derivatives activity increasing
4. Technical signals extreme – Weekly RSI hits 92, showing strong momentum but also risk of correction

Deep Dive

1. @ThorTorrens: ZEC vs. BTC supremacy battle bullish

“Zcash is encrypted unstoppable private money… Bitcoin is a public ledger”
– @ThorTorrens (152K followers · 2.1M impressions · 2025-10-17 22:56 UTC)
View original post
What this means: This positive outlook highlights Zcash (ZEC) as a privacy-focused alternative to Bitcoin (BTC). ZEC’s price rose 375% in the past 30 days, while BTC dropped 3%, showing strong investor interest in privacy features.

2. @LazybearOFC: Shielded pool hits 4.5M ZEC bullish

“Shielded coins don’t sell – watch supply shock”
– @LazybearOFC (89K followers · 680K impressions · 2025-10-08 16:40 UTC)
View original post
What this means: About 27.5% of all ZEC coins are now held in private, shielded wallets, making them harder to sell or trace. This limits supply and could push prices higher if demand continues. For more details, see Yahoo Finance.

3. Altcoin Sherpa: RSI 92 weekly warns bearish

“ZEC’s weekly RSI is highest ever recorded – 70% drops followed prior peaks”
– Technical analyst (Cited in Cointelegraph · 2025-10-13 11:52 UTC)
View analysis
What this means: The Relative Strength Index (RSI) measures if an asset is overbought or oversold. ZEC’s RSI at 92 is extremely high, signaling the price might soon drop. Historically, similar peaks led to 70% price declines. Some traders see $210 as a good buying opportunity after a correction.

4. Grayscale: Trust accumulates $46M ZEC mixed

“ZEC Trust up 340% in 6 months – but ATH needs 50x market cap”
– Coinspeaker report (2025-10-09 09:18 UTC)
View report
What this means: Grayscale’s ZEC Trust has bought $46 million worth of ZEC, showing growing institutional interest. However, reaching all-time highs would require the market cap to increase 50 times, which may not be realistic in the short term.

Conclusion

Overall, the outlook for Zcash is optimistic but cautious. Growing privacy adoption and a rising shielded coin supply support the price, but technical indicators warn of potential pullbacks. While some enthusiasts predict prices between $300 and $5,000, the key fundamental to watch is the shielded pool, which recently surpassed 4.5 million ZEC (Yahoo Finance). If this private supply grows beyond 30%, it could confirm strong long-term commitment from holders.

What is the latest news about ZEC?

Zcash is experiencing a privacy comeback, breaking the $300 mark before settling down. Here’s the latest update:

1. Coinbase Adds Privacy Features (October 22, 2025) – Coinbase’s Base layer-2 network will support shielded transactions, which aligns with Zcash’s main privacy focus.
2. ZEC Leads Altcoin Rally (October 22, 2025) – Zcash surged 461% in one month, driven by limited supply of shielded coins and growing interest in derivatives.
3. Router OGA Enables Cross-Chain Swaps (October 16, 2025) – ZEC can now be swapped easily across different blockchain networks, improving accessibility.

In-Depth Look

1. Coinbase Adds Privacy Features (October 22, 2025)

What happened:
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announced that their Base layer-2 network will include privacy features using technology from Iron Fish, a company they acquired earlier in 2025. While this isn’t directly linked to Zcash, it shows that big players are paying more attention to privacy-focused transactions, which is exactly what Zcash is known for.

Why it matters:
This is generally good news for Zcash. Although Coinbase’s Base network might compete for users interested in privacy, it also confirms that there’s a real demand for privacy in digital transactions—a demand Zcash helped create. More mainstream interest in privacy tech could boost the whole sector’s outlook. (CoinDesk)

2. ZEC Leads Altcoin Rally (October 22, 2025)

What happened:
Zcash’s price jumped to $270, a 461% increase over the past month. The share of shielded (private) ZEC tokens reached 27.5%, the highest since 2022. Meanwhile, futures trading interest rose 22% to $303 million, surpassing many other altcoins. Experts say this rally is driven by limited availability of shielded ZEC and growing stories about resisting central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

Why it matters:
This is a positive sign in the short term but comes with risks. Because there aren’t many shielded coins available to trade, prices can swing wildly. Also, many traders are using leverage, which can lead to sharp price drops if support levels break—specifically, if ZEC falls below $224, it could trigger $9 million in forced sell-offs. (CoinDesk)

3. Router OGA Enables Cross-Chain Swaps (October 16, 2025)

What happened:
Router Protocol added ZEC to its cross-chain swap platform, allowing users to trade Zcash easily between Ethereum-compatible blockchains and others. This removes a major obstacle by making shielded transactions accessible outside of Zcash’s own wallets.

Why it matters:
This is a big step forward for Zcash adoption. By making it easier to use ZEC in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications across different blockchains, more users seeking privacy can join in. Since August, about $9.5 million worth of ZEC has been swapped through the Zashi Wallet using this feature. (Router Protocol)

Conclusion

Zcash’s comeback is driven by growing use of shielded transactions, improved cross-chain functionality, and increasing interest in privacy amid broader economic concerns. While the price may be volatile, the combination of developer efforts and market demand points to Zcash becoming more relevant again. One key question remains: will regulators allow shielded transactions to grow as Zcash gains more institutional users?