$ZEC If the ETF application is successful, will privacy coins still be privacy coins? The intervention of regulation makes them no longer private. Once ZEC is held through ETF or trust methods, it will involve institutional custody, centralized management, and standard KYC/AML (Anti-Money Laundering) processes — the core value proposition of privacy coins may be diluted.
In other words, after "privacy coins become financial products," even the most important feature of "anonymity/privacy" may no longer exist. Privacy coins are typically viewed with caution by law enforcement and compliance agencies because they can conceal transaction details. If ZEC receives support from mainstream financial institutions or ETF structures, it may attract significant regulatory scrutiny. Analysts have pointed out that such privacy features conflict with institutional demands for transparency and compliance.

In certain jurisdictions, privacy coins face the risk of being delisted (removed from exchanges) or other compliance restrictions. In the past, some privacy coins, including Zcash, have been restricted or marked as "monitoring tokens" on multiple exchanges due to regulatory pressure.
Therefore, the legality and long-term viability of the ZEC ETF may fluctuate significantly due to changes in regulation.
ZEC turning into an ETF becomes a financial product, at that time it will be a tool for institutions and market makers, highly controlled, and freedom and privacy will become mere nonsense.