A comprehensive glossary of key terms, concepts, and resources related to Zcash. This is the single library for looking up terms from release notes, forum threads, or wallet changelogs.
Instead of creating several individual proofs for each Spend and Output, Orchard protocol merges them into a single Action.
Addresses
Zcash has Shielded (zaddr) and Transparent (taddr) addresses. Unified addresses (UA) bundle several receiver types so a sending wallet can pick the best one both sides support. Specified in ZIP 316. Unified addresses
Arborist Call
A bi-weekly call covering Zcash protocol and research development updates. Hosted on the Zcash Community Forum and Discord. Meeting Notes / Forum Announcements
Auto-shielding
Enables users (more specifically their wallets) to automatically move funds from a transparent address to the latest shielded ZEC pool.
B
Term
Definition
Benchmarking
Miners are able to submit metrics on the efficiency of various hardware used to mine Zcash. View here
Block
A Block is a record in the Zcash blockchain that contains a set of transactions sent on the network. Roughly every 75 seconds, on average, a new block is appended to the blockchain.
Block Explorer
An online tool to view all transactions, past and current, on the blockchain. Zcash Block Explorer
The 3rd Major Network Upgrade for Zcash. More Info
C
Term
Definition
Canopy
The 5th Major Network Upgrade for Zcash. More Info
Commitment Scheme
Allows a committer to commit to a polynomial with a short string that can be used by a verifier to confirm claimed evaluations of the committed polynomial. Useful for reducing communication costs in the Zcash protocol.
A proposed hybrid consensus design that would run proof of stake alongside Zcash's existing proof of work. Shielded Labs leads the work and keeps a prototype in the zebra-crosslink repository. Crosslink is not part of Zcash today. Crosslink protocol
CrossPay
A feature in the ZODL wallet that lets you spend shielded ZEC while the recipient is paid in the asset and chain they prefer, routed through NEAR Intents rather than a centralized exchange.
Cypherpunk Zero
A Creative Universe and collaborative effort between ECC, illustrator Stranger Wolf, Mighty Jaxx and select ecosystem partners. Cypherpunk Zero Social /
Refers to a transaction being sent from a zaddr (shielded address) to a taddr (transparent address). The origin of the transaction is not visible however the funds enter a publicly visible value pool.
The Electric Coin Company, the team that launched the Zcash protocol, previously known as the Zcash Company. Its entire engineering team resigned in January 2026 following a governance dispute with the Bootstrap board, and went on to form ZODL.
ECDSA
Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm is a cryptographically secure digital signature scheme. The ECDSA sign/verify algorithm relies on elliptic curve point multiplication.
An additional field for transactions sent to shielded addresses that is visible to the recipient of a payment. The encrypted memo is visible only to the sender and recipient.
Equihash
The memory-oriented proof-of-work mining algorithm that is used on Zcash.
A technique for taking an interactive proof of knowledge and creating a digital signature based on it. This way, some fact (e.g. knowledge of a secret) can be publicly proven without revealing underlying information.
Formal Verification
Proving mathematically that a system behaves exactly as specified, rather than relying on testing alone. The Ironwood Action circuit was verified this way by contributors from zkSecurity and ZODL using the Lean theorem prover, to demonstrate the absence of soundness bugs.
Founders Reward
The Founder reward represents 20 percent of the total block reward and it is deducted from every block's value and transparently distributed to drive protocol development and growth.
Free2Z
A tool for anonymous content and private donations powered by Zcash. Free2Z
FROST
Flexible Round-Optimized Schnorr Threshold signature scheme. Research Paper
G
Term
Definition
Governance
Decisions from the ZIP process are written into the Zcash specification, as well as the software that runs the network. The changes are ratified on-chain when the majority of the network adopts the upgrade and does not break consensus. Full Protocol History
H
Term
Definition
Halo
Enables circuit upgrades without the need for trusted setups, making the Zcash shielded protocol more agile for future improvements and extensions. Technical Explainer
HD Wallet
Hierarchical deterministic wallets generate a series of key pairs from one seed, providing convenience and manageability as well as high-level security.
CoinDesk's ZCX Index represents a real-time, USD-equivalent spot rate for Zcash. Price Index
Integrations
You can accept Zcash payments through a number of 3rd party providers. Payment Processors
Interactive Proof System
An abstract machine that models computation as the exchange of messages between two parties: a Prover and a Verifier.
Investment
A number of Financial options are available for institutional investors or family offices who want to gain exposure to Zcash. Full list
Ironwood
Network upgrade NU6.3, live on mainnet since block 3,428,143 on 28 July 2026. Ironwood adds a new shielded pool built on the corrected Orchard circuit and seals the original Orchard pool, so anyone can check that the circulating supply is honest. Its consensus rules are specified in ZIP 258. Ironwood
J
Term
Definition
JubJub
An elliptic curve designed to be efficiently implementable in zk-SNARK circuits.
K
Term
Definition
Keystone Wallet
An air-gapped hardware wallet with native Zcash (Orchard shielded) support, compatible with ZODL for cold signing. Keystone
L
Term
Definition
Layer-1
Refers to a base network and its underlying infrastructure. Layer-1 blockchains can validate and finalize transactions without the need for another network. Zcash is an L1 blockchain.
librustzcash
A Rust workspace containing all crates and dependencies for working with Zcash. repo
lightwalletd
A stateless server that serves light clients with blockchain information. lightwalletd
Data that is generated alongside a user's Zcash transaction. This can include block height, transaction version or expiry height etc.
Mobile SDK
A lightweight SDK that connects Android to Zcash, allowing third-party Android apps to send and receive shielded transactions. GitHub
Mining
The process where for each block, nodes in the Zcash network compete by doing complex mathematical calculations to find a solution based on a self-adjusting difficulty. Guide
Multisignature
An address which requires multiple private key signatures in order to spend funds. Currently, multisig functionality is only supported by transparent addresses.
N
Term
Definition
Network Sustainability Mechanism (NSM)
A proposal from Shielded Labs to burn a share of transaction fees so the protocol's long-term security budget does not rest entirely on issuance. Specified in ZIP 234, under review in 2026.
A Zcash browser extension wallet supported by Zcash Community Grants, built to connect shielded ZEC directly to browser applications instead of relying on QR codes and manual transfers. zknoir.com
NU5
The 6th Major Network Upgrade for Zcash, introducing the Orchard shielded pool and Unified Addresses. More Info
NU6
The 7th Major Network Upgrade for Zcash, adjusting the block subsidy to fund the Zcash Community Grants program and the Deferred Dev Fund Lockbox. Activated in late 2024. More Info
NU7
The network upgrade after Ironwood, targeted for mainnet on 5 November 2026. Per ZIP 259 it brings 25-second blocks (ZIP 218), the Network Sustainability Mechanism with fee recycling (ZIPs 235 and 237), and the end of version 4 transactions, which leaves Sprout funds unspendable (ZIP 2003). It adds no new transaction format; Tachyon and Zcash Shielded Assets are not part of it.
O
Term
Definition
Oblivious Synchronization
A method under development in Project Tachyon that lets a wallet request the data it needs from an untrusted server without revealing which notes it is asking about. The server never learns your nullifiers, because the protocol makes them evolve in an unlinkable way. Write-up
Orchard
The shielded pool introduced in NU5. Ironwood sealed it after a soundness bug was found, so you can no longer send or receive inside Orchard. Funds leave only through the turnstile. Shielded pools
It is possible to use Zcash for everyday purchases through a number of different payment providers. Payment Apps
PCD (Proof-Carrying Data)
A primitive where data travels alongside a proof of its own correctness, so combining data also combines the proofs. Project Tachyon rebuilds the shielded protocol around PCD, letting each wallet carry a recursive proof that its own balance is correct instead of rescanning the chain. The Zcash implementation is Ragu, which follows Halo and needs no trusted setup.
Peer-to-Peer Network
P2P networks are based on the concept of decentralization. The foundational architecture of blockchain technology.
PIR (Private Information Retrieval)
Techniques that let you fetch a record from a server without the server learning which record you asked for. Under active research for Zcash as a way for light wallets to retrieve what they need without leaking what they are looking for.
A machine-readable code used to encode Zcash addresses for easy scanning. Unified Addresses (UAs) are typically shared via QR codes in modern Zcash wallets.
Quantum Recoverability
A property of Ironwood notes, specified in ZIP 2005, that keeps a coin's on-chain record recoverable if a future quantum computer breaks the cryptography protecting it today. It is a recovery path rather than quantum resistance, and it applies to Ironwood notes, not to existing Sprout, Sapling or Orchard funds.
R
Term
Definition
Recovery Phrase
A sequence of 12 or 24 letters and numbers used to back up and restore a wallet. In Zcash, this phrase regenerates spending and viewing keys, making it critical for fund recovery and security.
S
Term
Definition
Sapling
A major network upgrade that introduced significant efficiency improvements for shielded transactions and paved the way for mobile adoption. Activated at block 419200.
Selective Disclosure
Allows the owner of a shielded address to selectively share viewing keys or payment disclosures with third parties while keeping data private from everyone else.
Shielded Address
Also called zaddr. Starts with z. Hides sender, receiver, amount, and memo using zk-SNARKs.
Shielded Labs
An independent organization working on Zcash protocol economics and consensus. Currently leads Crosslink and the Network Sustainability Mechanism. GitHub
Shielded Transaction
A transaction exclusively between shielded addresses. Fully private on the blockchain.
Sol/s
Solutions per second - measures Equihash mining performance.
Spending Key
The private key that allows spending from a shielded address (also lets you view balance and history).
Sprout
The original shielded protocol version of Zcash (launched 2016).
T
Term
Definition
Tachyon
Zcash's scaling programme. It is not part of NU7 (ZIP 259) and has no activation date. It moves wallets away from scanning every block toward proof-carrying wallet state, oblivious synchronization and prunable node state, aiming for shielded throughput in the thousands of transactions per second. Project site
TAZ
Testnet Zcash (valueless test currency).
Testnet
A separate blockchain for testing upgrades and features before mainnet.
Trailing Finality Layer (TFL)
Research into adding a finality layer behind Zcash's proof-of-work chain so recent blocks can be finalized without replacing mining. Crosslink is the design that came out of it.
Transaction
A payment between users, submitted to the network and eventually confirmed in a block.
Transaction Expiry
Transactions expire after approximately 25 minutes (20 blocks) if unconfirmed; funds return automatically.
Transaction Fee
Default fee is 0.0001 ZEC. Higher fees get priority; very low fees may cause delays or expiry.
Transparent Address
Also called taddr. Starts with t. Fully public (like Bitcoin).
U
Term
Definition
Unified Address
Modern address format (introduced in NU5) that works for both transparent and shielded payments in one string.
Upgrade Activation
The specific block height where a network upgrade (e.g. NU5, NU6) automatically activates.
V
Term
Definition
Viewing Key
A private key that lets you view the balance and transaction history of a shielded address without being able to spend the funds.
W
Term
Definition
Wallet
Software or hardware that stores private keys and lets you send/receive ZEC. Active wallets include ZODL (iOS/Android), Zingo! (mobile/desktop), Nighthawk (Android), Zkool (mobile/desktop), Zallet (upcoming), and Keystone (hardware). For a full list, see Zcash Ecosystem Wallets
WebZjs
The first JavaScript SDK for Zcash, built by ChainSafe for browser environments. It underpins the Zcash Shielded Wallet snap that brought shielded ZEC to MetaMask.
X
Term
Definition
XZC
An older ticker symbol for Zcash used on some legacy exchanges. The official ticker is ZEC.
Y
Term
Definition
YWallet
A privacy-focused Zcash wallet supporting Orchard, Sapling and transparent addresses, known for fast sync. No longer maintained: its developer has confirmed it will not be updated for Ironwood, so it can no longer follow the network. Zkool, by the same developer, is the maintained successor.
Z
Term
Definition
Zcash
Privacy-focused cryptocurrency using zk-SNARKs. Bridges transparent (Bitcoin-style) and fully shielded payments.
Zcash Foundation
Independent non-profit that supports the Zcash ecosystem, funds development, and promotes privacy.
Zcash Network
Peer-to-peer network of nodes that validates transactions and maintains the blockchain.
ZEC
The official currency code for Zcash (some exchanges still show XZC).
Z3 stack
The three programs that together replace zcashd: Zebra for the node, Zaino for indexing, Zallet for the wallet. Z3 stack
Zerocash
The academic protocol (2014) that Zcash is based on.
Zaino
An indexer that serves wallet data from a Zebra node, written in Rust by Zingo Labs. It takes over the indexing work zcashd used to do for light wallets. Zaino
Zakura
A separate Zcash full node built for scale, led by Sean Bowe and Dev Ojha. It syncs faster, prunes blocks natively, and can run zcashd on top of itself for software that still depends on it. Zakura node
A transaction exclusively between transparent addresses - everything is publicly visible.
Turnstile
The accounting rule that tracks how much value enters and leaves each shielded pool, so no pool can release more than went into it. Used at every pool transition in Zcash's history, and currently guarding the migration from Orchard into Ironwood. More info
The wallet that replaces the zcashd wallet. Move an existing wallet.dat across rather than starting over. Zallet and the Zallet quick reference
Zebra
The full node that replaces zcashd, maintained by the Zcash Foundation. Run it if you need a validating node. Zebra full node
zcashd
The original Zcash full node and wallet, now retired. Version 6.20.0 shut itself down at block 3417100 on 18 July 2026 and never supported NU6.3. Run the Z3 stack or Zakura instead. Migration guide
ZIP
Zcash Improvement Proposal - the community governance process used to propose and ratify protocol changes. ZIP Repository
ZODL
Zcash Open Development Lab. The independent organization founded in early 2026 by Josh Swihart and the former Electric Coin Company engineering team after they resigned over a governance dispute with Bootstrap. It raised over $25 million in seed funding in March 2026 and maintains the ZODL wallet, which was renamed from Zashi in February 2026. zodl.com
zk-SNARKs
Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge — the cryptography powering Zcash shielded transactions. Allows proving a statement (e.g., valid spend) without revealing any secret information.
ZSA (Zcash Shielded Assets)
User-issued tokens that inherit Zcash's shielded privacy, letting assets other than ZEC move privately on the network. Specified in ZIP 226. It is not part of NU7 (ZIP 259) and has no activation date.
