Zcash (ZEC) is a privacy-focused Layer 1 cryptocurrency launched in October 2016 that allows users to choose between transparent and shielded transactions using zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKs).
Unlike Bitcoin’s mandatory transparency, Zcash enables confidential payments where the sender, receiver, and amount are encrypted yet mathematically verifiable by the network, with over 30% of the supply now held in shielded pools. $