Bubble
Zcash ZEC
Zcash (ZEC) was trading at $516.42, ranked #15 by market cap at $8.67B, with 24h volume of $335.61M.
Data snapshot: 2026-07-22 18:00 UTC.
Zcash is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency launched in 2016 that uses zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKs) to let users shield transaction details like sender, receiver and amount, while still settling on a public blockchain. It offers both transparent and fully shielded transactions, giving users the choice between Bitcoin-like visibility and complete privacy. Zcash offers privacy as a choice: transactions can be transparent or shielded using zero-knowledge proofs, and the cryptography behind it is among the most significant in the field — the same proof systems now used far beyond privacy coins. The practical weakness has been adoption: for much of its history most transactions were transparent, and a small shielded pool provides weaker anonymity than a large one. That tension between optional privacy and effective privacy is the thing to understand, and it is exactly what distinguishes it from Monero.
What is a shielded transaction?
One that uses zero-knowledge proofs to hide sender, receiver and amount while still proving validity. Zcash also supports transparent transactions.
Why does optional privacy matter?
Anonymity depends on the size of the set you hide within. If most transactions are transparent, the shielded pool is small and provides weaker protection.
Was Zcash technically influential?
Very. Its zero-knowledge proof systems have been adopted far beyond privacy coins, including in scaling rollups that have nothing to do with anonymity.
Does it face the same regulatory pressure as Monero?
It has faced delistings in some jurisdictions, though its optional transparency has made it easier for some venues to support than fully opaque chains.
Market cap decides how big a bubble is drawn, so rank is what places ZEC on the map relative to the rest of its sector.
| Rank | Coin | Market cap |
|---|---|---|
| #15 | Zcash (ZEC) | $8.67B |
| #17 | Monero (XMR) | $6.59B |
| #92 | Beldex (BDX) | $619.71M |
| #242 | Zama (ZAMA) | $109.77M |
| #270 | Horizen (ZEN) | $99.27M |