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Which firm expanded ZEC treasury holdings?

Cypherpunk Technologies has increased its holdings of Zcash (ZEC).

  1. The company added 56,418 ZEC (about $29 million), bringing its total to 290,062 ZEC, which is roughly 1.76% of all ZEC coins in circulation, according to a media report.
  2. Cypherpunk aims to eventually hold up to 5% of the entire Zcash network, as shared in a company update.

Deep Dive

1. Purchase Details

Cypherpunk Technologies recently made a significant purchase of ZEC, increasing its treasury holdings.

What this means: When one buyer controls nearly 2% of all circulating ZEC, it reduces the number of coins available to others. This can make the price more sensitive to changes in demand.

2. 5% Goal

Cypherpunk Technologies has set a goal to own a significant portion of the Zcash network over time.

What this means: If Cypherpunk keeps accumulating ZEC, fewer coins will be available for others to buy or sell. This could lead to bigger price swings and make the market more reactive to news and events.

Conclusion

Cypherpunk Technologies is growing its Zcash treasury holdings with a recent large purchase and a longer-term goal of owning 5% of the network. This shows ongoing corporate interest in privacy coins, which could reduce the number of ZEC coins available on the market and make prices more sensitive to changes in supply and demand.


What could affect the price of ZEC?

Zcash’s (ZEC) price could fluctuate based on advances in privacy technology and regulatory challenges.

  1. Growth in Private Transactions – Integration with NEAR and upgrades to the Zashi wallet are increasing private uses of ZEC.
  2. Institutional Interest – Big investors like Grayscale Trust and Cypherpunk Technologies are showing strong confidence by accumulating ZEC.
  3. Regulatory Challenges – New EU rules could restrict privacy coins, but Zcash’s flexible privacy features may help it avoid bans.

1. Privacy Technology Adoption (Positive for Price)

Overview: Zcash has teamed up with NEAR’s Intents system through the Zashi wallet, allowing users to move ZEC into “shielded pools” without needing centralized exchanges. This means more ZEC is being used privately, with 4.1 million ZEC (about 25% of all coins) shielded as of December 2025. The Electric Coin Company is also focusing on making private transactions easier to use in their latest plans.
What this means: Better privacy features can attract both institutions and users who value confidentiality, which tends to increase demand and price. For example, when Zashi’s automatic shielding feature launched in October 2025, ZEC’s price jumped 220%.

2. Institutional Accumulation (Positive for Price)

Overview: Grayscale’s Zcash Trust holds $137 million worth of ZEC, and Cypherpunk Technologies invested $18 million in 2025. Large holders, often called “whales,” moved 50,000 ZEC (about $22 million) off Binance in late December 2025.
What this means: When big investors take coins off exchanges, it reduces the amount available to sell, which can push prices up. However, since the top 100 holders control 66% of all ZEC, if these whales decide to sell suddenly, it could cause price swings.

3. Regulatory Scrutiny (Potential Risk)

Overview: The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) rules might ban privacy coins like ZEC from regulated exchanges by 2027. On the other hand, Zcash’s option to reveal transaction details through “view keys” has helped it avoid bans in countries like South Korea and Japan.
What this means: If regulators crack down, ZEC’s price could drop sharply, similar to how Monero (XMR) fell 40% after being delisted by Kraken. Still, Zcash’s design that allows optional transparency may help it stay available where other privacy coins face bans.

Conclusion

Zcash’s future depends on balancing privacy improvements with regulatory compliance. Keep an eye on the shielded-to-transparent transaction ratio (currently 30%). If it rises above 50%, it could mean Zcash is becoming more widely accepted. If it falls, it might suggest the project is giving in to regulatory pressure. The big question: Can Zcash become the secure “HTTPS” of digital money, or will regulators force it to be more transparent?


What are people saying about ZEC?

Zcash (ZEC) conversations are swinging between hopeful optimism and technical uncertainty. Here’s what’s trending right now:

  1. Talk of ZEC hitting $4,000 – some crypto influencers are very bullish
  2. Prediction battle around $550 – 86% of traders expect a drop in the near term
  3. Privacy use is rising – private (shielded) transactions have quadrupled in the last quarter
  4. Key technical level at $450 – traders are debating if this price point will hold or break

Deep Dive

1. @earlyadopterz: "$ZEC to $4k?" (bullish)

"Zcash at $500 now to $4000 is 800% gain... Study Zcash and your wallet will be richer"
– @earlyadopterz (7,066 followers · 2,142 impressions · 2025-12-27 12:26 UTC)
View original post
What this means: This very optimistic view is based on the idea that ZEC could follow Bitcoin’s path of becoming scarce and valuable. While such big gains are possible in the volatile crypto market, this outlook doesn’t fully consider the regulatory challenges that privacy-focused coins like Zcash face.

2. @MusicByVirtuals: "85% predict <$550" (bearish)

Prediction market data: "Above $550: 14.2% | Below $550: 85.8%"
– @MusicByVirtuals (6,188 followers · 44 impressions · 2025-11-28 14:56 UTC)
View original post
What this means: Most traders are skeptical about ZEC staying above $550 in the short term. This price level matches a recent high that ZEC failed to break through in November 2025, suggesting resistance there.

3. @cryptodotnews: "Shielded ZEC surges" (bullish)

"Orchard shielded transfers quadrupled... analysts remain optimistic"
– @cryptodotnews (111K followers · 9,868 impressions · 2025-12-20 07:01 UTC)
View original post
What this means: The number of private, shielded transactions on the Zcash network has jumped from 36,283 to 139,844 in the last quarter. This shows growing real-world use of ZEC’s privacy features, which could help explain its impressive 712% annual price increase.

4. @earlyadopterz: "$450 battle lines" (mixed)

"Break above 454 = bull run. Below 434 = $400 retest"
– @earlyadopterz (7,066 followers · 7,029 impressions · 2025-12-20 14:23 UTC)
View original post
What this means: Traders see the current price around $486 as a balance point. A recent 6.29% drop tests important support levels. If ZEC closes below $450, it could trigger a sell-off pushing the price back toward $400.

Conclusion

The overall outlook for Zcash is cautiously optimistic. Growth in private transactions supports the coin’s value, but technical resistance around $550 is a hurdle. At the same time, increased trading activity (open interest up 15% weekly) adds to price swings. Keep an eye on the $550 to $420 range—breaking above or below this zone could confirm either a strong upward move toward $4,000 or a downward correction.

{{technical_analysis_coin_candle_chart}}


What is the latest news about ZEC?

Zcash is showing positive signs in its price and privacy features while becoming more accessible on exchanges. Here are the key updates:

  1. Price Targets $648 Resistance (January 2, 2026) – ZEC is holding steady above $474, with experts watching $574 as an important level to break through.
  2. NEAR Protocol Enhances Private ZEC Transfers (January 2, 2026) – The Zashi wallet’s partnership with NEAR Intents has led to over $17 million in private ZEC transactions.
  3. BTCC Adds ZEC to Its Platform (January 2, 2026) – The exchange now supports Zcash as part of its $53.1 billion push into real-world asset futures.

In-Depth Look

1. Price Targets $648 Resistance (January 2, 2026)

Summary:
Zcash (ZEC) is trading around $486, up 245% over the past three months. Technical indicators show the 50-day moving average at $474 as a key support level. If ZEC breaks above $574, it could aim for $648. However, if it falls below the current upward trend, it might retest $371. Market sentiment is mixed: the Fear & Greed Index is at 34 (leaning cautious), but the growth in shielded ZEC (private coins making up 25-30% of total supply) suggests less selling pressure.

What this means: In the short term, this is a neutral outlook. Positive technical signals and more private coin usage support potential gains, but increased leverage (open interest rising 14% weekly) could lead to price swings. Traders should also keep an eye on Bitcoin’s price range between $84,000 and $90,000 for overall market direction.
(Source: CoinMarketCap)

2. NEAR Protocol Enhances Private ZEC Transfers (January 2, 2026)

Summary:
NEAR Protocol’s Intents system has teamed up with Zcash’s Zashi wallet to allow private ZEC transfers without going through centralized exchanges. This has pushed the amount of shielded ZEC to new highs, including a single day with $17 million in private transactions.

What this means: This is a positive development for ZEC over the long term. Improved privacy tools across blockchains strengthen Zcash’s position as a privacy-focused but regulation-friendly asset. With NEAR’s 46 million users (as of May 2025), more people could start using shielded ZEC, which reduces the supply of transparent coins and may increase scarcity.
(Source: CoinMarketCap)

3. BTCC Adds ZEC to Its Platform (January 2, 2026)

Summary:
The crypto exchange BTCC has added Zcash to its list of over 400 trading pairs. BTCC handled $775 billion in trading volume during Q4 2025. The exchange also offers a $21 million Risk Reserve Fund and integrates TradingView tools to attract professional traders interested in ZEC.

What this means: This move is good for ZEC’s liquidity and visibility. BTCC’s 11 million users and focus on tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) could bring more attention to Zcash among traders who use derivatives. However, ZEC still holds a small market share (0.26%) compared to larger alternative cryptocurrencies.
(Source: CoinMarketCap)

Conclusion

Zcash’s future depends on growing its private coin usage through NEAR, expanding exchange support like BTCC, and the overall stability of Bitcoin’s market. While technical indicators point to potential gains, regulatory scrutiny of privacy coins remains uncertain. A key question is whether ZEC’s optional privacy features can comply with expected European Union anti-money laundering rules in 2026.


What is expected in the development of ZEC?

Zcash is making important updates with these key milestones:

  1. Shielded Swap Upgrades (Q1 2026) – Improved privacy by using NEAR Intents to enable private cross-chain transactions.
  2. Ztarknet Layer 2 Launch (Mid-2026) – Introducing programmable smart contracts on Zcash with advanced Circle-STARK proofs.
  3. Dynamic Fee System (2026) – New adaptive fees to reduce spam and make the network more efficient.

In-Depth Look

1. Shielded Swap Upgrades (Q1 2026)

What’s happening: Zcash’s Zashi wallet will add new features that let users swap assets like Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH) into fully private Zcash (ZEC) using NEAR Protocol’s Intents. This means users can make these exchanges without going through middlemen, making privacy easier to use (Electric Coin Company).
Why it matters: This is good news for ZEC because it makes private transactions more accessible, which could attract users who want privacy but also need to follow regulations. However, there’s still a small privacy risk since refunds use transparent addresses for now.

2. Ztarknet Layer 2 Launch (Mid-2026)

What’s happening: Ztarknet is a new Layer 2 solution inspired by Starknet. It will allow smart contracts on Zcash using Circle-STARK proofs, which are verified on the blockchain through Transparent Zcash Extensions (Eli5DeFi). This keeps the main Zcash network private while adding new programmable features.
Why it matters: This could increase Zcash’s usefulness by supporting decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. However, its success depends on how many developers adopt it and how it competes with other privacy-focused Layer 2 solutions like Aztec.

3. Dynamic Fee System (2026)

What’s happening: Zcash plans to replace fixed transaction fees with a dynamic fee system based on median pricing and priority lanes during busy times (Shielded Labs). This aims to prevent spam transactions and better match fees with network demand.
Why it matters: This change should make the network more stable and user-friendly over time. However, rolling out this system could face delays if the community doesn’t agree on the details.

Conclusion

Zcash’s roadmap focuses on improving privacy at scale (with Ztarknet), making private transactions easier (shielded swaps), and strengthening the network’s economics (dynamic fees). While there are challenges like technical hurdles and regulatory uncertainty, successfully delivering these updates could position ZEC as a top privacy-focused cryptocurrency that complies with regulations. A key question remains: will Ztarknet’s Rust-based technology attract enough developers to outpace competitors?


What updates are there in the ZEC code base?

Zcash’s software underwent major updates and improvements in late 2025.

  1. NU6.1 Activation Prep (v6.3.0) – Testnet rollout of consensus upgrades and bug fixes.
  2. Zcashd Deprecation (v6.2.0) – Moving away from the old zcashd software to new Zebra nodes and Zallet wallets.
  3. RPC Overhaul (v6.2.0) – Old commands removed to simplify how wallets interact with the network.

Deep Dive

1. NU6.1 Activation Prep (v6.3.0)

Overview: The team finalized updates for Network Upgrade 6.1 (NU6.1) on the testnet. These changes improve how the network agrees on transactions and fix issues with shielded (private) transactions.

Key updates include activating new rules at testnet block height 3,536,500 and fixing balance errors in the Orchard wallet when using commands like getbalance and gettransaction. The default transaction format was updated from version 4 (from the Sapling upgrade era) to version 5, which supports the latest privacy features.

What this means: This is positive for Zcash (ZEC) because it improves privacy features and prepares the network for future upgrades. Node operators need to update their software to avoid network disagreements during testing. (Source)

2. Zcashd Deprecation (v6.2.0)

Overview: The old C++ software called zcashd is being phased out. It’s being replaced by Zebra, a new node software written in Rust, and Zallet, a new wallet.

Users must confirm they understand this change in their configuration files. Support for Ubuntu 20.04 was dropped due to technical limitations, while Debian 11 is now fully supported.

What this means: This change modernizes Zcash’s infrastructure, which is good for the long term. However, switching to new software may cause some short-term challenges for users and developers. Developers are encouraged to test their tools with Zebra and Zallet. (Source)

3. RPC Overhaul (v6.2.0)

Overview: Old Remote Procedure Call (RPC) commands like keypoolrefill and z_getbalance were removed or disabled to make wallet interactions simpler.

New commands like createrawtransaction now default to supporting shielded transactions. Some unused features, such as getnetworkhashps (which shows mining statistics), were turned off.

What this means: This is a downside for third-party services that rely on the old commands, but it improves the user experience by reducing complexity, especially for private transactions. Developers need to update their software to work with Zebra and Zallet’s new interfaces. (Source)

Conclusion

Zcash is moving toward a modern, privacy-focused system with the NU6.1 upgrade and Zebra adoption. While retiring old tools may cause some short-term disruptions, these changes aim to improve privacy and usability in the long run. The big question is whether more users will start using shielded transactions as node operators switch to Zebra.

{{technical_analysis_coin_candle_chart}}


Why did the price of ZEC fall?

Zcash (ZEC) dropped 6.6% in the last 24 hours, moving opposite to the overall crypto market, which rose by 2.2%. Three main reasons explain this:

  1. Profit-taking after a huge 820% gain in 2025 – Investors are selling some of their ZEC as it approaches a price level where it often faces resistance.
  2. Negative technical signals – ZEC fell below a key $500 support level, with indicators showing it might be oversold and in a downtrend.
  3. Market shift – Money is moving into meme coins and Bitcoin, with Bitcoin’s market share increasing to 58.5%.

Deep Dive

1. Profit-Taking and Overheated Metrics (Bearish Impact)

Overview: ZEC’s price skyrocketed by 820% in 2025, fueled by growing interest in privacy-focused coins and speculation around exchange-traded funds (ETFs), like Bitwise’s recent filing for Zcash ETFs (source). However, the recent 24-hour price drop suggests traders are cashing out near a strong resistance zone between $520 and $550.

What this means: About 30% of ZEC’s supply is held by short-term traders who are likely selling to lock in profits. On-chain data shows more ZEC being sent to exchanges, indicating increased selling pressure.

Watch: Keep an eye on “shielded” ZEC transactions—currently about 25% of the supply is shielded (private). If more investors start accumulating shielded ZEC, it could help stabilize the price.

2. Technical Breakdown (Mixed Impact)

Overview: ZEC’s price fell below its 7-day simple moving average (SMA) of $514 and the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level at $494.84. The MACD indicator turned negative, and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) cooled down from overbought levels, signaling weakening momentum.

What this means: The drop below the $500 support level caused traders to react, leading to $8.5 million in futures liquidations, mostly from long positions, which pushed the price down further.

Key level: If ZEC closes below $475, it could slide further toward the next support at $458 (the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement).

3. Sector Rotation and Sentiment (Bearish Impact)

Overview: While Bitcoin and meme coins like PEPE and DOGE have been rallying, privacy coins like ZEC have lagged behind. The CoinMarketCap Altcoin Season Index is at 23/100, indicating it’s currently “Bitcoin Season.” Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) are also outperforming ZEC.

What this means: ZEC’s 6.6% drop contrasts with PEPE’s 30% gain and DOGE’s 11% rise, showing investors are favoring popular, narrative-driven tokens over privacy-focused coins right now.

Context: The global crypto fear/greed index stands at 34/100, suggesting cautious sentiment that favors safer investments and hurts more volatile altcoins like ZEC.

Conclusion

Zcash’s recent price decline is due to a combination of profit-taking, technical factors, and a shift in market focus. While the medium-term outlook remains positive thanks to potential ETFs and growing use of shielded transactions, traders should watch the $458–$475 support zone closely.

Key watch: Can ZEC hold above its 30-day SMA at $433? Staying above this level could help avoid a deeper price drop.