Zcash price in euros

Zcash (ZEC) is a cryptocurrency with its own blockchain, designed for payments that can protect personal data. It launched on October 28, 2016, built by scientists and engineers from the company now called Electric Coin Company, led by Zooko Wilcox, using Bitcoin’s code as a base.

On Bitcoin, the transaction history is public. Zcash offers optional privacy: shielded transactions use zero-knowledge proofs, so the network can confirm a payment is valid without revealing the sender, the recipient or the amount.

What it’s used for

Users can store, transfer and trade ZEC, and make shielded payments through compatible wallets. A payment like this lets you, for example, send money without publicly exposing the details of your transaction.

There are also transparent transactions, whose details remain visible. Your choice of wallet and how you send determine the protection you actually get, not simply the fact that you’re using ZEC.

How many ZEC are there

The maximum supply is 21 million ZEC. New coins are issued through mining, using a proof-of-work mechanism, and issuance is halved roughly every four years.

The block reward doesn’t go entirely to miners: part of it funds development and ecosystem initiatives.

What to watch out for

Privacy isn’t absolute. Transparent addresses, exchange records and usage patterns can reveal information, and not every service supports shielded transfers.

Privacy features can also lead to restrictions or delistings by exchanges. In addition, the complex cryptography creates a risk of bugs, the concentration of power in mining pools could threaten security, and development depends on a relatively small ecosystem of organizations.

We consider Zcash’s privacy technology significant, with its practical value depending on secure implementation and wallet support.