# ZecHub — full content
> Concatenated raw markdown of ZecHub's curated English pages, for direct ingestion by LLMs. See /llms.txt for the structured index.
---
# Contribute
Source: https://zechub.wiki/contribute/help-build-zechub
# Help Build ZecHub
If you're a member of the Zcash community, and want to contribute to building ZecHub, there are a few things that are super helpful.
Curate links for the newsletter and add them to the newsletter's GitHub page: -> [Click here for instructions](https://github.com/ZecHub/zechub/blob/main/site/contribute/ZecWeekly_Newsletter.md)
Fact check the wiki docs, suggest edits, and propose new pages in Github
Create video content in the following categories:
```
* Zcash explainer videos
* Zcash wallet guide/tutorials
* Third-party application demos
```
Produce designs such as posters/graphics/animations for Zcash & Privacy ecosystem
Translate any of the existing wiki pages.
Reporting bugs
#### For details on bounty amounts, please read our contributing page -> [here](https://zechub.wiki/contribute/contributing-guide#content).
We post issues for tasks that we currently have bounties open every Monday. You can suggest bounties too! Primarily these are found at ZEC Bounties.
[ZEC Bounties](https://bounties.zechub.wiki/)
[ZecHub Github Issues](https://github.com/ZecHub/zechub/issues)
[ZecHub-Wiki Github Issues](https://github.com/ZecHub/zechub-wiki/issues)
[ZecHub-Namada Github Issues](https://app.dework.xyz/zechub-2424)
If there are other ways you'd like to contribute, please message ZecHub ([@ZecHub](https://twitter.com/zechub)) on Twitter or Join our [Discord](https://discord.gg/zcash).
____
**In order to make payouts ZecHub requires all contributors to complete a declaration form with their Name & Shielded:**
**( Zcash | Namada | Penumbra | Ycash ) address**
____
---
# ZODL
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-organizations/ZODL
# ZODL (Zcash Open Development Lab)
[Website](https://zodl.com/) - [GitHub](https://github.com/AgoraCyber) - [X/Twitter](https://x.com/zodl_app) - [Discord](https://discord.gg/zodl)
## Mission Statement
ZODL envisions a world without mass financial surveillance, where law-abiding people can transact freely and privately. The organization believes there is no sovereignty without privacy, and that financial privacy should be the default and market access a human right.
## Background & History
ZODL (Zcash Open Development Lab) was founded in early 2026 by Josh Swihart, the former CEO of the Electric Coin Company (ECC). In January 2026, the entire ECC engineering and product team resigned following a governance dispute with Bootstrap, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit board that oversees ECC. The core team that had originally designed, implemented, and maintained Zcash's most critical systems transitioned to ZODL to continue their work independently.
The Zashi wallet, previously developed and maintained under ECC, was rebranded to Zodl under the new organization. Users did not need to take any action, as the app rebranded automatically with the next update.
## Funding
In March 2026, ZODL raised over $25 million in seed funding from a group of prominent investors, including:
- **Paradigm**
- **a16z crypto**
- **Winklevoss Capital**
- **Coinbase Ventures**
- **Cypherpunk Technologies** ($5M investment)
- **Chapter One**
- **David Friedberg**
- **Balaji Srinivasan**
- Additional angel investors from the crypto and technology sectors
The capital is being used to expand development of both the Zcash protocol and the Zodl wallet.
## Leadership
- **Josh Swihart** - CEO & Founder (former CEO of the Electric Coin Company)
The broader team is composed of the original Zcash protocol creators and developers who previously built and maintained Zcash at ECC. This includes deep expertise in cryptography, zero-knowledge proofs, and protocol engineering.
## Products
### Zodl Wallet (formerly Zashi)
Zodl is a self-custodial mobile wallet designed for private Zcash transactions. It combines deep protocol-level knowledge with user-friendly design, hiding complexity while maintaining security.
**Platforms:**
- [iOS (App Store)](https://apps.apple.com/app/zodl/id6444974742)
- [Android (Play Store)](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.electriccoin.zcash)
- [F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/co.electriccoin.zcash.foss/)
- [GitHub](https://github.com/AgoraCyber)
**Key Features:**
- **Shielded by Default:** All transactions use Zcash's shielded pools, hiding sender, receiver, and transaction amounts using zero-knowledge cryptography
- **One-Tap Shielding:** Convert transparent ZEC to private funds with a single tap
- **CrossPay:** Send shielded ZEC while recipients receive their preferred assets (BTC, stablecoins, etc.)
- **Private Swaps:** Built-in swaps powered by NEAR Intents, avoiding centralized exchanges
- **Keystone Integration:** Hardware wallet support for cold storage of shielded ZEC via air-gapped transaction signing
- **Flexa Payments:** Spend ZEC at major retailers including GameStop, Chipotle, Sheetz, and Barnes & Noble
- **Coinbase Integration:** Buy ZEC directly within the wallet without separate exchange registration
- **Encrypted Messaging:** Zcash-level privacy for shielded memos alongside or independent of transactions
- **Unified Addresses:** Simplified address management across Transparent, Sapling, and Orchard pools
- **Tor Support:** Enhanced network-level privacy for transaction broadcasting
**Privacy Commitments:**
- No tracking of wallet activity, transaction history, or user behavior
- Only anonymized crash reports are collected, with no ability to tie data to specific users
### Performance & Impact
Since its original launch as Zashi in 2024, the wallet has driven significant growth in the Zcash ecosystem:
- Grew the Orchard shielded pool from approximately 1M ZEC to 4M ZEC during 2025 (over 400% increase)
- Processed more than $600 million in ZEC swaps since October 2025
## Role in the Zcash Ecosystem
ZODL serves a dual role in the Zcash ecosystem:
1. **Protocol Development:** The team continues advancing core Zcash protocol software and tools, working alongside other ecosystem teams such as the Zcash Foundation and Zingo Labs
2. **User-Facing Products:** Building and maintaining the primary consumer wallet for Zcash, focused on making private digital payments accessible to mainstream users
3. **Shielded Pool Growth:** ZODL's wallet innovations have been described as "the single biggest factor responsible for putting Zcash back on the map"
4. **Open Source:** All work is open-source, allowing anyone to inspect protocol code, audit the wallet, and verify implementations
## Philosophy: Guardian of the Sovereign
ZODL's guiding philosophy is centered on the concept of "Guardian of the Sovereign" -- the belief that individuals should maintain full control over their financial privacy and sovereignty. The organization deliberately prioritizes user sovereignty over platform control, building tools that empower individuals rather than intermediaries.
## Resources
- [ZODL Website](https://zodl.com/)
- [ZODL About Page](https://zodl.com/about/)
- [X/Twitter](https://x.com/zodl_app)
- [Josh Swihart on X](https://x.com/jswihart)
## See Also
- [Electric Coin Company](Electric_Coin_Company.md)
- [Zcash Foundation](Zcash_Foundation.md)
- [Zingo Labs](Zingo_Labs.md)
- [Shielded Labs](Shielded_Labs.md)
---
# Electric Coin Company
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-organizations/electric-coin-company
# Electric Coin Company (Sunset)
[Website](https://electriccoin.co) - [Github](https://github.com/zodl-inc) - [X/Twitter](https://x.com/ElectricCoinCo)
> **About that GitHub link.** ECC's repositories are at `zodl-inc`. That is the same organization, renamed when the team moved to [ZODL](/zcash-organizations/zodl). The old `github.com/Electric-Coin-Company` name was registered by an unrelated party in May 2026 and has nothing to do with ECC or ZODL, so do not trust code published there.
## Mission Statement
The mission at ECC is to empower economic freedom. Financial privacy is core to this endeavor, and essential to protect human dignity, security, self-sovereignty, and consent. Obtaining financial privacy should be as easy as closing the curtains in your home. But with the emergence of Web2, power is deeply centralized, and those with control are already in your living room. You cannot close the curtains. We must build something new.
This new system of financial tools, accessible to everyone, will be user-friendly, fully private with options for disclosure, and its supporting infrastructure will be distributed and robust.
## Zodl, formerly Zashi: [iOS](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zashi-zcash-wallet/id1672392439) - [Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.electriccoin.zcash) - [F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/co.electriccoin.zcash.foss/)
Built for Private Payments. Zashi was a self-custody shielded ZEC wallet for encrypted digital transactions, built by ECC and released in 2024.
It was designed to onboard friends and family into Zcash and private digital payments, with an interface simple enough for people with no prior crypto experience to set up a wallet, get ZEC, and start transacting in minutes.
The wallet was renamed **Zodl** in February 2026 after the team moved to ZODL. Existing users did not have to do anything, as the app rebranded on its next update, which is why the store links above open Zodl. It is now maintained there rather than by ECC, so see the [ZODL page](/zcash-organizations/zodl) for current information.
Integrations built during the ECC years:
- [Coinbase:](https://electriccoin.co/blog/coinbase-zashi-1-2-release/) crypto newbies can buy ZEC directly within the wallet skipping the hassles of account registration, KYC, and withdrawing coins from exchanges.
- [Flexa:](https://electriccoin.co/blog/zashi-flexa-integration-is-here-spend-zec-at-thousands-of-retailers/) makes it simple to actually use ZEC, allowing new users to spend it at thousands of retail locations like Barnes & Noble, GameStop, and Chipotle.
- [Keystone:](https://electriccoin.co/blog/drumroll-please-introducing-zashi-keystone-hardware-wallet-integration-for-shielded-zec/) a major breakthrough for the Zcash community that has been years in the making. This integration marks a significant evolution in Zcash usability by enabling cold storage of shielded ZEC.
## Research and Development
The team have led recognised breakthroughs on several occasions, the first being the [launch of Zcash](https://electriccoin.co/blog/zcash-begins/) as the worlds first commerical use of Zero-Knowledge Proofs.
Several more following such as the [Sapling network upgrade](https://electriccoin.co/blog/sapling-activation-complete/) allowing for lighter, shielded transactions with a time reduction of 90% for constructing transactions, and a memory reduction of over 97%, enabling for shielded transactions on a mobile device for the first time.
The most significant breakthrough being the most recent. [The creation and deployment](https://electriccoin.co/blog/nu5-activates-on-mainnet-eliminating-trusted-setup-and-launching-a-new-era-for-zcash/) of the halo2 trustless proving system in Network Upgrade 5 for Zcash. This eliminated the trusted setup and launched a new era for Zcash. Since 2022, this has been active on the Zcash Mainnet and allows users to leverage a more secure & easily upgradeable construction for their payment protocol.
## Collaboration & Partnerships
The ECC team supports and contributes to the Zcash ecosystem in many ways, collaborating with both internal & external teams regularly to help maintain and improve the Zcash protocol.
Partnerships include working with Gemini to enable shielded transactions on their platform, Flexa to enable easy Zcash mobile payments at retal locations, hardware wallet companies like Keystone to enable shielded cold storage of ZEC, Brave for Zcash support in the browser, & other teams in the Zcash ecosystem to bring imrovements to Zcash.
ECC is also a proud sponsor of [PGPforCrypto](https://x.com/pgpforcrypto) a meeting series that brings together professionals, enthusiasts, and experts in the cryptocurrency space to discuss developments, share insights, and foster community engagement. PGPforCrypto is led by Board Member and VP of Strategic Alliances at Electric Coin Co, Paul Brigner.
## Policy & Regulation
ECCs insight and leadership around on-chain privacy and its implications for personal and national security is incredibly valuable for policy makers. Consistent efforts to appropriately guide policy wherever possible have been made since the ECC was founded.
Examples of outreach include dialogue with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) taking part in meetings which resulted in the organizations recommendations for the cryptocurrency sector. As a result of these efforts Zcash became approved by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), the only privacy-protecting cryptocurrency to do so.
## Organizational Structure
The Electric Coin Company is wholly owned by the Bootstrap Project. The Bootstrap Project is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to the uplift of humanity through technology, scientific discovery, education and human organization. Both Bootstrap and the Electric Coin Company have a board of directors, and the Electric Coin Company also has a Scientific Advisory Group.
## Funding
Funding, use of finances, & other related info can be found in the Transparency Reports on their [blog](https://electriccoin.co/blog/).
---
# Zcash Foundation
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-organizations/zcash-foundation
# Zcash Foundation
## Mission Statement
Our goal at ZF is to create tools that help sustain open networks, enabling anyone and everyone to protect their own privacy on their own terms. The essence of privacy itself is being able to choose what is or isn't shared with others. Privacy comprises both autonomy and consent; it is essential to human dignity and the healthy continuation of civil society.
## People and Teams
The Zcash Foundation has ~12 employees that are distributed across the world. They focus on protocol development, protocol security, protocol governance, infrastructure development and managing Zcash community events. The Zcash Foundation is not restricted to only working on Zcash and so also engages in developing privacy preserving technologies for [humanitarian aid](https://zfnd.org/sai/) and for the general public good.
Zcash Foundation Grants provides the ecosystem with a means to fund projects that contribute to the privacy ecosystem such as [Zebra](https://zebra.zfnd.org/) (an independant node implementation for Zcash) & [FROST](https://frost.zfnd.org/) as well as [various](https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2021/06/08/tor-project-receives-670k-from-zcash-open-major-grants-for-coding-language-upgrade/) other projects through [Zcash Community Grants Committee](https://zcashcommunitygrants.org/).
The Foundation also holds [Zcon](https://zfnd.org/zcon/), a yearly in-person conference centered on the Zcash ecosystem and supports grassroots, community initiatives such as [Zcon Vozes](https://zfnd.org/zcon-voices/), regional specific [conferences](https://zfnd.org/zcash-dev-summits/), the Zcash Foundation A/V [Club](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/the-zero-knowledge-audiovisual-club/43733), now Zero Knowledge Audio Visual [Club](https://www.zkav.club/) and various other open community [calls](https://zfnd.org/arborist-calls/), community [events](https://zfnd.org/zf-events/#:~:text=Zcomm) and [AMA's](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/community-call-with-the-zcg-candidates-december-2024/49707).
The Zcash Foundation enforces the [Zcash Trademark policy](https://zfnd.org/new-zcash-trademark-policy/) per the updated conditions of it's donation by the Electric Coin Co. which helps "Protect the reputation of Zcash, its associated entities, and the Zcash community" by "identify(ing) official sources of information, reducing the likelihood of fraudulent or incorrect information" and "Identify(ing) official apps and services, reducing the likelihood of fraudulent activities."
## Organizational Structure
The Zcash Foundation is a [501(c)(3)](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/820707962) tax-exempt, non-profit [charity](https://zfnd.org/#:~:text=Committed%20to%20Transparency). In addition to their [Team](https://zfnd.org/#:~:text=Our%20Team), they have a Board of [Directors](https://zfnd.org/#:~:text=Board%20of%20Directors) and facilitate community governance elections by polling the Zcash Community Advisory [Panel](https://zfnd.org/zcash-community-advisory-panel/).
## Funding
The Zcash Foundation no longer receives funding from the Zcash development [fund](https://zips.z.cash/zip-1014) as of November, 2024. Funding for The Foundation is now appropriated through traditional, tax-deductable [donations](https://www.jotform.com/form/251874383638065). Their use of finances can be seen in their quarterly [Transparency Reports](https://zfnd.org/category/transparency-reports/).
## Zcash Community Grants Program
[https://zcashcommunitygrants.org/](https://zcashcommunitygrants.org/)
This program funds independent teams to perform major ongoing development (or other work) that benefits the Zcash ecosystem. Grants are chosen by a five-person committee elected by the Zcash Community Advisory Panel. Teams and organizations that are interested in advancing the usability, security, privacy and adoption of Zcash are strongly encouraged to apply for a Zcash Community Grant!
## Highlighted Zcash Foundation Videos
**Zebrad for Linux Tutorials**
**How to Zcash**
**Zcon Vozes: Brasil 2023**
**Zcash Foundation Board of Directors Members: Marta Belcher & J.W. Verret**
**Arti: ZF + ZCG Call w/ the Tor Project**
**Community Calls for ZCAP Votes**
**AMA with ZF Executive Director Jack Gavigan**
## Resources
[Zcash development and governance](https://z.cash/zcash-development-and-governance/)
---
# Zcash Community Grants
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-organizations/zcash-community-grants
# Zcash Community Grants
## Mission Statement
The Zcash Community Grants program funds independent teams entering the Zcash ecosystem, to perform major ongoing development (or other work) for the public good of the Zcash ecosystem.
## People and Teams
The Zcash Community Grants is managed by a committee, which currently consists of five people. This community reviews and approves grant applications from third party teams who want to build on the Zcash protocol. More info on the [Team](https://zcashcommunitygrants.org/committee/)
Recent projects that have been approved by the ZCG are Zcash Shielded Assets (ZSA) led by the QEDIT team. Bringing DeFi to ZEC with Zcash with a new payments protocol adding additional features to the Zcash mainnet.
Zcash Media's Short Documentary featuring notable Zcashers such as Edward Snowden, Zooko & Deirdre Connolly with the purpose of creating relevant, entertaining and educational videos to be widely shared.
Hardware wallets integration of Ledger to fully support Sapling shielded transactions, this allows Zcash to be stored privately & securely. This has been carried out by the Zondax Team.
An Easy one-click shielded payment and Point-of-sale system for brick and mortar shops SDK being undertaken by ZGo.
The Global Ambassador program helps Zcash gain broader representation internationally and for in-person community events around the world.
Several more projects have been reviewed by the Zcash Grants Committee, see a [Full, Updated List](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FQ28rDCyRW0TiNxrm3rgD8ai2KGUsXAjPieQmI1kKKg/edit?gid=135980745#gid=135980745) of submitted projects.
## Organizational Structure
The Zcash Community Grants is an independent organization from the Electric Coin Company and the Zcash Foundation.
## Funding
The Electric Coin Company receives 8% of the [Zcash development fund](https://zips.z.cash/zip-1014). They use these funds to support third party development teams and also for internal operations.
## Resources
[Zcash development and governance](https://z.cash/zcash-development-and-governance/)
## How to Submit a Grant Application via ZCG (GitHub + Community Forum)
### Step 1: Prepare Your Proposal
Create a clear proposal including:
- Project title and applicant details
- Problem statement and proposed solution
- Deliverables, timeline, and milestones
- Budget and funding request
- Relevant experience and risks
---
### Step 2: Submit on GitHub
1. Go to the **Zcash Community Grants GitHub repository**
2. Open the **Issues** tab and click **New Issue**
3. Select the appropriate **grant application template**
4. Complete all required fields and submit
The GitHub issue is the **official application record**.
---
### Step 3: Create a Community Forum Post
1. Go to the **Zcash Community Forum**
2. Create a new thread in the **Zcash Community Grants** category
3. Use the same title as the GitHub issue
4. Add a short summary and include a **link to the GitHub issue**
---
### Step 4: Engage in Review
- Monitor the GitHub issue and forum thread
- Respond to questions and feedback from the ZCG Committee and community
---
### Step 5: Outcome
- Approved proposals proceed to funding and reporting
- Unapproved proposals **MAY** be revised and resubmitted
---
**Note:** GitHub is the source of record; the forum is for public discussion.
---
# Financial Privacy Foundation
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-organizations/financial-privacy-foundation
# Financial Privacy Foundation (FPF)
## About FPF
The Financial Privacy Foundation (FPF) is a non-profit organization incorporated in the Cayman Islands. FPFs primary goal is to educate and empower individuals and communities to take control of their financial privacy and security. FPF is also committed to promoting a fair and equitable financial system that respects personal privacy. FPFs primary activity related to financial privacy is to provide individuals and communities with information, resources and support to protect and optimize their financial privacy. The Financial Privacy Fund (FPF) is currently creating a grant program titled FPF X FPF.
## Information about FPF X FPF
FPF X FPF is about FPFs first experimental grant program, the Financial Privacy Fund (FPF x FPF). The program will fund engineering projects within the Zcash ecosystem that are nearing completion, or projects that will immediately contribute to the ecosystem and can be completed within the specified time and funding limits. FPF X FPF is launching with very limited funds to refine the grant funding process and hopes to launch future rounds.
## [FPF x ZecHub Bounty Program - Blog Post](https://www.financialprivacyfoundation.org/post/partnership-announcement-zechub)
## FPF X FPF Program Details
FPF X FPF Program Details FPF has several details in its program which are:
- Fund Amount: Up to $50,000 USD
- Maximum Request: $25,000 USD
- KYC Requirements: None
- Type of Project: Only engineering projects that can directly benefit the Zcash ecosystem and can be fully completed will be considered.
- Payment: Upon successful completion of the project
- Launch Date: March 18, 2024
## Grant Application Process
The FPF X FPF grant application process includes several processes. First, applicants must apply for the grant through the secure form provided. Then, FPF will review the application for eligibility, and applicants will be notified of their status within 5 calendar days after the application deadline. Next, an adhoc review committee will review and decide on the grant award within 20 calendar days after the submission deadline. Details of the grants awarded will be published on the FPF website for transparency and accountability.
## More Information about FPF X FPF
More information about FPF X FPF can be seen on the Financial Privacy Fun (FPF) website [here](https://www.financialprivacyfoundation.org/grants) and if you are still curious about the FPF X FPF program, you can visit the FAQs document here: [FAQs](https://www.financialprivacyfoundation.org/_files/ugd/9ba471_16b6c85b5eb645c9847536d2fdb72434.pdf).
If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Reviewer for this round of the FPF X FPF program, please visit this [link](https://www.financialprivacyfoundation.org/_files/ugd/9ba471_679a364148984518be3b728cf1df04d8.pdf). For further questions regarding the FPF X FPF Grant Program, you can ask directly by sending an email [FPF](info@financialprivacyfoundation.org).
## Resources
[Financial Privacy Fund](https://www.financialprivacyfoundation.org/_files/ugd/9ba471_679a364148984518be3b728cf1df04d8.pdf)
---
# Shielded Labs
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-organizations/shielded-labs
# Shielded Labs
[Shielded Labs](https://shieldedlabs.net/) is an independent, donation-funded Zcash support organization based in Switzerland. Its mission is to build unstoppable private money that empowers human freedom and self-sovereignty, with a focus on work that advances the sustainability, security, and scalability of the Zcash network.
Shielded Labs adds independent engineering capacity to the Zcash ecosystem. It is not part of the Electric Coin Company, the Zcash Foundation, or Zcash Community Grants, and it describes itself as the first Zcash ecosystem organization that has not received direct or indirect funding from the Development Fund or block rewards.
## Mission and Role
Shielded Labs focuses on protocol and infrastructure work that can make Zcash more resilient over the long term. Its public materials emphasize:
- Human freedom and financial privacy
- Independent funding outside the Development Fund
- Respect for ZEC holders and coinholder input
- User autonomy and self-sovereignty
- Technical innovation for sustainability, security, and scalability
- Collaboration with other Zcash contributors
The organization contributes through direct engineering, public research, infrastructure support, and ecosystem coordination. It also maintains public resources for governance polling and coinholder-directed funding, helping Zcash community members understand when and how they can participate in governance signals.
## Current Projects
Shielded Labs publicly lists several active project areas:
- [Network Sustainability Mechanism](https://shieldedlabs.net/nsm/) - A set of proposed changes intended to support Zcash's long-term security budget while preserving the 21 million ZEC supply cap. The NSM work includes voluntary ZEC burns, issuance smoothing, and fee-burning proposals described in ZIPs 233, 234, and 235.
- [Crosslink](https://shieldedlabs.net/crosslink-faq/) - A proposed hybrid consensus upgrade that would combine Zcash's proof-of-work block production with proof-of-stake finality, so ZEC holders could help secure the network while miners continue producing blocks.
- [Dynamic Fees](https://shieldedlabs.net/fees/) - Research and tooling for more predictable, user-friendly, and resilient Zcash transaction fees as the network evolves.
- [Zero](https://shieldedlabs.net/zero/) - A supported suite of open-source Zcash infrastructure software for exchanges, mining pools, wallet providers, and other organizations that rely on Zcash infrastructure.
- [Ironwood](https://shieldedlabs.net/ironwood/) - A Zcash network upgrade and shielded pool created in response to the Orchard counterfeiting vulnerability, designed to restore independently verifiable soundness of Zcash's circulating supply.
## Ironwood Contribution
In 2026, Shielded Labs played an important role in the ecosystem response to the Orchard counterfeiting vulnerability. The vulnerability was discovered by Shielded Labs security researcher Taylor Hornby and disclosed to Zcash Open Development Lab (ZODL), which coordinated an emergency remediation with other Zcash contributors.
After the emergency fix, the community still needed a way to restore independent confidence in Zcash's circulating supply. Ironwood addressed that by creating a new shielded pool using the corrected Orchard circuit and by sealing the original Orchard pool so funds could leave only through the turnstile. Shielded Labs worked alongside Project Tachyon, Valar Group, ZODL, and the Zcash Foundation on the design, review, and ecosystem preparation for Ironwood.
This work demonstrated one of Shielded Labs' core roles in Zcash: adding independent protocol-development and security capacity outside the original Zcash development organizations.
## Governance Work
Shielded Labs also publishes governance information for Zcash community members. Its governance page tracks protocol governance polls, ZCAP participation, coinholder-directed funding, and supported voting wallets. This helps make Zcash decision-making easier to follow for coinholders, ZCAP members, and broader community participants.
Zcash does not use automatic on-chain governance for protocol changes. Polls and community input are advisory signals that feed into the broader rough-consensus process. Shielded Labs' governance work helps make those signals more accessible and easier to verify.
## Resources
- [Shielded Labs website](https://shieldedlabs.net/)
- [Shielded Labs projects](https://shieldedlabs.net/projects/)
- [Network Sustainability Mechanism](https://shieldedlabs.net/nsm/)
- [Crosslink FAQ](https://shieldedlabs.net/crosslink-faq/)
- [Dynamic Fees](https://shieldedlabs.net/fees/)
- [Zero](https://shieldedlabs.net/zero/)
- [Ironwood](https://shieldedlabs.net/ironwood/)
- [Governance and polling](https://shieldedlabs.net/governance/)
- [Shielded Labs GitHub](https://github.com/ShieldedLabs)
---
# Zingo Labs
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-organizations/zingo-labs
# ZingoLabs
[Official Website](https://zingolabs.org/) - [Github](https://github.com/zingolabs) - [X/Twitter](https://x.com/ZingoLabs) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/zingolabesp/)
ZingoLabs is a team of visionaries dedicated to enhancing the human experience. We believe that technology should benefit humanity and that we thrive through consensual interactions. We are identifying the patterns that make this possible.
Zingo Lab Cyan operates as a Shielded DAO. We store our funds in a treasury where every member has a view key. Funds are spent from the treasury when members vote in favor of a proposal.
## Projects
### Zingo! Wallet ([Github](https://github.com/zingolabs/zingo-mobile))
Zingo Wallet is a fully featured Zcash wallet designed for user friendliness, although it includes some advanced features for more advanced users. It supports transparent, Sapling and Orchard pools, has an address book for recurrent payments and is available in various languages. It was the first wallet to support Orchard and to implement NU5 formats.
One of the main features of Zingo! is its ability to use the Memo field to offer valuable insights about your transactions.
Zingo! is available for mobile devices and PCs. You will find all downloads [here](https://zingolabs.org/)
### Zingolib ([Github](https://github.com/zingolabs/zingolib))
An API and test-app that exposes zcash functionality for app consumption. Zingolib provides both a library for zingo-mobile, as well as an included cli application to interact with zcashd via lightwalletd called Zingo-cli, a command line lightwalletd-proxy client.
### Zaino Indexer ([Github](https://github.com/zingolabs/zaino))
Zaino is an Indexer developed in Rust by the Zingo team, that aims to replace lightwalletd and to push forward the zcashd deprecation project.
Zaino offers essential features for both light clients, such as wallets and applications that do not require the full blockchain history, and full clients or wallets. It also supports block explorers, granting access to both the finalized blockchain and the non-finalized best chain and mempool managed by a Zebra or Zcashd full validator.
### ZLN (zcash-local-net) ([Github](https://github.com/zingolabs/zcash-local-net))
A set of utilities that launch and manage Zcash processes. This is used for integration testing in the development of:
- lightclients
- indexers
- validators
Its goal is to offer a highly adaptable and sturdy testing environment for core nodes (validators) such as zcash and zebra, indexers like lightwallet and zaino, minimally, zingo-cli as a light client wallet.
This repository is designed to compare the functionality of various validators (like Zcashd and Zebrad) and indexers (such as Lightwalletd and Zaino) to facilitate the migration during the Zcashd deprecation process.
In addition to providing tools to start, cache, and load Zcash chain data (for mainnet, testnet, and regtest), zcash-zocal-net includes a series of tests to compare the capabilities of Lightwalletd and Zaino across all Lightwallet RPC services. These tests can be executed directly from Zaino (see [https://github.com/zingolabs/zaino/blob/dev/docs/testing.md](https://github.com/zingolabs/zaino/blob/dev/docs/testing.md)]) to assess the Lightwallet RPC services hosted in Zaino.
---
# Zgo Payment Processor
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/zgo-payment-processor
# ZGo Payment Processor: Accepting Zcash Without Custody
ZGo is a non-custodial payment processor for Zcash. A customer pays in ZEC from their own wallet, ZGo monitors the Zcash blockchain for the transaction, and the funds arrive directly in the merchant's wallet through a shielded transfer. ZGo never holds the money in between.
This guide explains how the payment flow works, how to set up an account, and how to integrate ZGo with Xero and WooCommerce. It also covers the two mistakes that cause most first-time setup problems.
## On this page
1. [Why use ZGo](#why-use-zgo)
2. [How ZGo works](#how-zgo-works)
3. [Setting up an account](#setting-up-an-account)
4. [ZGo with Xero](#zgo-with-xero)
5. [ZGo with WooCommerce](#zgo-with-woocommerce)
6. [Features](#features)
7. [Common mistakes](#common-mistakes)
8. [Conclusion](#conclusion)
9. [Resources](#resources)
## Why use ZGo
Most cryptocurrency payment processors are custodial. Funds first land in the processor's account and are forwarded to the merchant later, which means a third party temporarily controls the money and can freeze, delay, or report on it.
ZGo takes the opposite approach. Payments move from the customer's wallet directly to the merchant's wallet through a Zcash shielded transaction. The processor only generates the invoice and watches the blockchain for confirmation. There is no intermediary balance, no withdrawal flow, and no third party that can hold up settlement.
For a merchant, this means three practical things: full custody of incoming ZEC, shielded transaction privacy by default, and no dependency on a centralized provider staying online or solvent.
## How ZGo works
The payment flow is the same regardless of whether ZGo is used standalone, through Xero, or through WooCommerce:
1. The merchant generates a payment request in ZGo, which renders as a QR code with the amount, the invoice ID, and a Zcash receiving address.
2. The customer scans the QR with a Zcash wallet (Orchard, Sapling, and Transparent address types are all supported on the WordPress plugin) and approves the payment.
3. The transaction is broadcast to the Zcash network as a shielded transfer from the customer's wallet to the merchant's wallet.
4. ZGo monitors the Zcash blockchain for the transaction.
5. After five confirmations, ZGo marks the payment as final and notifies any connected integration (Xero, WooCommerce, or a webhook).
The five-confirmation threshold is the key number. Anything earlier is a payment in progress, not a payment received. Order fulfilment, inventory updates, and any irreversible action on the merchant side should wait for step 5.
ZGo runs in any modern browser on desktop or mobile, with no install on either side. The customer needs a Zcash wallet; the merchant needs a Zcash wallet and a ZGo account.
## Setting up an account
To create a ZGo account, a Zcash wallet with a small amount of ZEC is required. The small ZEC balance covers the on-chain fee for the account-initialization transaction. Any major Zcash wallet works for this; see [ZecHub Wallets](https://zechub.wiki/wallets) for current options.
The basic setup:
1. Open [zgo.cash](https://zgo.cash/) in a browser.
2. Create an account using a Zcash wallet under the merchant's control. This wallet must hold the keys. An exchange deposit address will not work (see [Common mistakes](#common-mistakes)).
3. Verify the wallet by sending the small initialization transaction.
4. Configure the receiving address. All payments processed through this account will land in this wallet.
Once the account is active, the same merchant can use ZGo for one-off payments (a single QR code at a pop-up event) or wire it into a permanent setup through Xero or WooCommerce.
## ZGo with Xero
[Xero](https://www.xero.com/) is a cloud accounting platform used by many small and mid-size businesses. The ZGo–Xero integration lets a merchant issue an invoice in Xero, have the customer pay it in ZEC, and have Xero automatically mark the invoice as paid once the transaction confirms.
How it works:
1. The merchant creates an invoice in Xero as usual.
2. ZGo attaches a Zcash payment option to the invoice.
3. The customer pays in ZEC through their wallet.
4. ZGo monitors the [Zcash blockchain](https://z.cash/) for the transaction.
5. After five confirmations, ZGo reports the payment back to Xero, which marks the invoice as settled.
The ZEC lands in the merchant's wallet, not in any ZGo-controlled or Xero-controlled account. The accounting record in Xero stays in sync with the on-chain settlement automatically.
For first-time setup, follow the dedicated walkthrough: [Xero Integration Configuration](https://hedgedoc.vergara.tech/s/4iXC67fmb).
## ZGo with WooCommerce
For online shops running on [WooCommerce](https://woocommerce.com/) and [WordPress](https://wordpress.org/), ZGo provides a dedicated plugin. The plugin adds Zcash as a payment method at checkout and handles the order state automatically when the payment confirms.
End-to-end flow inside a WooCommerce store:
1. The customer reaches checkout and selects Zcash as the payment method.
2. The plugin generates a payment request and shows the QR code on the checkout page.
3. The customer pays from their wallet.
4. The transaction broadcasts to the Zcash network and ZGo begins monitoring it.
5. After five confirmations, ZGo reports the payment as final to the plugin.
6. The plugin marks the WooCommerce order as paid and updates the order database.
The order is only paid when step 6 completes. Earlier states (broadcast, first confirmations) can be shown to the customer as "payment received, awaiting confirmation," but inventory, fulfilment, and any downstream automation should wait for the final state.
The plugin also installs an administrative dashboard inside WordPress, where the merchant can monitor orders and incoming ZEC payments alongside the normal WooCommerce order view. The plugin supports all current Zcash address types: Orchard, Sapling, and Transparent. Customers paying from any compliant wallet can complete the transaction.
## Features
**Non-custodial.** Payments move directly from the customer's wallet to the merchant's wallet through shielded transactions. ZGo never holds the funds in between, and the merchant retains full control throughout.
**Flexible deployment.** ZGo can be used for a single afternoon at a pop-up market, for a permanent point-of-sale setup, or as the backend for an online store through the Xero or WooCommerce integrations.
**Browser-based.** No install on either the customer or the merchant side. ZGo runs in any modern browser on desktop or mobile.
**Wallet compatibility.** Major Zcash wallets, including those supporting Orchard, Sapling, and Transparent address types, can pay a ZGo invoice without extra configuration on the customer's side.
**Integrations.** Direct integrations with Xero (accounting) and WooCommerce (e-commerce) cover the two most common merchant workflows out of the box.
## Common mistakes
**Treating the order as paid before five confirmations.** A broadcast transaction is not the same as a confirmed payment. The transaction can still fail to confirm or be replaced. Only after five confirmations does ZGo report the payment as final, and only then should the order be marked paid downstream. If a merchant configures inventory or fulfilment to trigger on the broadcast event, fraudulent or failed payments will cause real losses.
**Pointing ZGo at an exchange deposit address.** It looks like a Zcash address, but exchange deposit addresses are controlled by the exchange, not the merchant. The exchange holds the keys, which means the exchange holds the funds, which defeats the reason for using a non-custodial processor. The wallet address configured in ZGo must be a wallet whose seed phrase the merchant controls directly.
**Treating ZGo as a wallet.** ZGo is a payment processor, not a wallet. It does not store keys, hold balances, or let the merchant spend funds. A separate Zcash wallet under the merchant's control is required to receive the money that ZGo routes.
## Conclusion
ZGo gives merchants a way to accept Zcash payments without giving up custody, without depending on an intermediary, and without exposing transaction details on a public chain. The two integrations (Xero and WooCommerce) cover the most common merchant workflows; for everything else, ZGo can be used standalone from any browser.
For setup, the path is short: get a Zcash wallet, create an account at [zgo.cash](https://zgo.cash/), and either start generating payment requests directly or install the relevant integration.
## Resources
- [ZGo official website](https://zgo.cash/)
- [Xero Integration Configuration walkthrough](https://hedgedoc.vergara.tech/s/4iXC67fmb)
- [WooCommerce](https://woocommerce.com/) and [WordPress](https://wordpress.org/)
- [Xero](https://www.xero.com/)
- [Zcash project homepage](https://z.cash/)
- [ZecHub Wallets](https://zechub.wiki/wallets), the list of compatible Zcash wallets
- [ZecHub Payment Processors overview](https://zechub.wiki/payment-processors), ZGo in context of other Zcash payment options
- [BTCPayServer Zcash Plugin](https://zechub.wiki/guides/btcpayserver-zcash-plugin), the related ZecHub guide for a self-hosted alternative
---
# Free2z Live
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/free2z-live
[](https://github.com/zechub/zechub/edit/main/site/guides/Free2z_Live.md)
# Free2z: Account setup + Livestream tutorial
## Introduction
Free2Z is a platform for creators and supporters to connect and achieve their goals. Free2Z provides tools for creators to showcase their talents and raise funds for their projects without compromising privacy. Supporters can find and support causes they believe in.
## Create your account
Currently, there are two ways to create your account on Free2Z:
1. Choose a username and password.
2. Connect your Twitter account.
To create an account or log in, visit https://free2z.cash/ and click the 'CREATE' button.
The login/signup form will appear in your browser. Choose your username and a strong password - this will be your login information. Solve the captcha and click the 'Enter' button to create your account.
Alternatively, you can create a Free2Z account by connecting your Twitter account. To do this, click on the Twitter logo next to 'Login With', and you will be asked to connect your Twitter account.
Click **Authorize app** to connect your Twitter account to Free2Z.
## Personalize your profile
After your account is created, you will be redirected to your Free2Z profile page. If you created your account by connecting your Twitter, most of the fields will be automatically filled. If you created an account by entering a username and password, you should input your information here. You can use a pseudonym instead of your real name.
It's quite boring right now, so let's make it more interesting by setting up an avatar and a banner. The Free2Z interface makes this step very easy using the upload button (the up arrow on the right).
You can see the result at the top of the page.
Ah, much better! If you have some artistic skills, you can make your Free2Z profile page look amazing! Write a nice description for your page. You can talk about yourself or describe the type of content that others can expect from you. (Tip: Use markdown syntax to personalize your description!)
Don't forget to provide your Zcash shielded address, so supporters can donate directly to you!
The last step to complete your page setup is to set a 'Member Price'. This is the price in 2Zs (Tuzies) that other users will pay to subscribe to your page! (More on 2Zs later).
Finally, click the 'Update Profile' button to finalize your profile setup!
## Subscriptions and 2Zs
Free2Z allows users to subscribe to their favorite creators and get access to exclusive features and members-only content. The creator should configure a minimum amount of 2Zs for a subscription.
2Zs or Tuzies are in-app digital credits used in Free2Z for many purposes, including:
1. Subscribing to creators
2. Boosting the visibility of a Free2Z page
3. Making donations to creators
You can see your 2Zs credits in the header of your profile page.
You can buy more 2Zs with Zcash by clicking on your 2Zs balance. The minimum amount for buying is 0.05 ZEC, and the current conversion rate is 0.05 ZEC = 10 2Zs.
## Donating and subscribing
Once you find a creator you like, you can show your appreciation by donating and subscribing to them. All donations go directly to the creator's wallet. As an example, let's subscribe to [Free2Z's own page](https://free2z.cash/free2z).
To subscribe to a page, all you need to do is click on the subscribe icon on the page header.
You will see the minimum amount for subscribing. Verify if you have enough tuzis and click subscribe.
### Donate using 2Zs or Zcash
You can donate directly on their page, by clicking the Fund creator icon.
Or, from inside a post, look for the floating plus button. From here, you can donate to the creator or promote the post on Free2Z.
## Live Streaming
The Free2z platform offers an awesome feature called Free2z Live. With this tool, creators can start live streams for subscribed members. Some key features of Free2z Live include:
- Audio and video
- Screen sharing
- Collaborative code editing
- Chat
- Whiteboarding
- And much more!
### What can you do with Free2z Live
Free2z Live is a powerful tool, allowing creators to stream any type of content. Here are a few examples of the type of content you can stream with Free2z Live:
- Tutorials and demonstrations
- Performances and events
- Collaborative projects
- Live reporting and journalism
- Your creativity is the limit!
### How to go live
It is very easy to start a live stream with Free2z Live. But there are a few requirements before you can start your stream.
1. The creator **must** have a minimum **member price** of 10 2Zs.
2. The creator **must** have a balance of at least 150 2Zs in their account.
If the creator meets **both** of the conditions above, an icon named **Go Live** will be available to them on their profile page.
To start a live stream, just click the **Go Live** button, and the Free2z app will ask for permission to use your microphone and webcam (if you have one). After you grant the necessary permissions, Free2z will ask you to enter a nickname that you want to use during the live stream. Once you have selected a nickname, click **Join** to start your live stream.
And done! When you start a live stream, your profile will show an icon indicating that you are live, so your subscribers can join the live stream.
When people join the live stream, they can chat, ask to join the stage, interact by voting in polls, and more.
_(Example of Free2z Live session)_
Free2z Live is versatile and powerful. In the next section, I’ll provide an overview of its functionalities and tools.
### Exploring Free2z Live
This wiki-doc is not intended to be an in-depth guide to Free2z or Free2z Live. But here is a general overview of its tools.
In the bottom left of the screen, we see a few buttons.
A nice function here is the ability to share your screen so other users can see what you're doing.
At the bottom we can find the live stream options.
Some of the key options here are:
- Mute / unmute microphone
- Enable / disable webcam
- Leave the stage
- Mute all speakers
- Leave
To end a live stream, you should click the 'Leave' button, and then click 'End meeting for all' to stop the meeting for all participants.
The bottom right buttons contain functions related to the live stream interaction, such as:
- **Chat**: This allows participants to chat with each other and the host during the live stream.
- **Polls**: This allows the host to create polls and gather feedback from participants.
- **List of participants**: This shows the list of participants in the live stream.
- **Plugins**: This allows the host to add plugins and extensions to enhance the live stream experience.
It's not the purpose of this wiki-doc to explain all the plugins, but I really encourage you to try every one, as they all offer great interaction value between creators and viewers. To launch a plugin, simply click the 'rocket' button on the right.
## Conclusion
In conclusion, Free2z is a versatile platform for creators to showcase their abilities, share knowledge and raise funds for their projects, and engage with their supporters through the powerful tool of Free2z Live.
----
### Resources
[Free2z](https://free2z.cash/)
[Free2z documentation](https://free2z.cash/docs/)
[2Z Overview](https://free2z.cash/docs/2Zs/)
[Creating a profile](https://free2z.cash/docs/creators/creating-a-profile)
[What is Free2z Live?](https://free2z.cash/docs/creators/free2z-live)
[Free2z for Supporters](https://free2z.cash/docs/category/for-supporters)
---
_Written by James Katz for Zechub._
---
# Keystone Zashi
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/keystone-zashi
# Keystone Zashi User Guide
Twitter Guide: => [Zashi x Keystone Hardware Wallet Integration Twitter Guide](https://x.com/zashi_app/status/1869793574880973144)
This integration marks a significant evolution in Zcash usability by enabling cold storage of shielded ZEC. The Zcash community has faced setbacks with other hardware wallet platforms in the past, but Keystone emerged as a collaborative partner willing to push boundaries and innovate alongside the Electric Coin Company. The Keystone team received a ZCG grant to fuel their side of the work.
## Keystone X Zashi Tutorial
## Preparation
[Order & Receive Your Keystone 3 Pro or Keystone 3](https://keyst.one)
Battery Level: Ensure your keystone device has a battery level above 20%.
USB Cable or SD Card:
- USB cable for firmware Update (included).
- Micro SD card (under 1 TB) for upgrades (purchase separately).
Access to Keystones official website for Verification and Firmware Update.
Zashi app setup on your mobile device.
## [Step by Step Guide(Keystone Device)](https://keyst.one/get-started)
**Choose Your Language**
-Device Verification(via QR): Device Verification is crucial to detect potential contamination during transportation, prevent supply chain attacks, and ensure the safety of installed firmware.
- Visit the Device Verification page on the Keystone website.
- Click on Scan QR Code on the official website.
- Use your Keystone camera to scan the QR code shown on the website.
- A verification code will appear on your Keystone screen.
- Enter this code on the website to complete the verification process.
- **Firmware Update:**
- Update via MicroSD card
- Make sure your Keystone wallet has at least 20% battery charge.
- Insert the SD card into your computer and format it as FAT32.
- Download the latest Cypherpunk firmware version from the [Keystone Firmware Update page](https://keyst.one/firmware) and save the keystone3.bin file to the root of your MicroSD card.
- Place the SD card with the firmware into your Keystone wallet.
- Access the "Upgrade" option on your Keystone wallet, then follow the on-screen instructions to initiate the update process.
- **Update via USB Cable**
- If your firmware version is below 1.0.4, you will need to perform the initial update using a MicroSD card before you can proceed with USB updates.
- Ensure your Keystone wallet has at least 20% battery charge.
- Tap on via USB and use the USB cable to connect your Keystone wallet to your computer. Tap [Approve] to grant your Keystone wallet USB access, as it might otherwise only allow charging.
- Open your computers web browser and go to the [Keystone Firmware Update page](https://keyst.one/firmware)
- On the update page, click the Install Update button and follow the provided instructions to install the latest firmware.
- **Create Wallet:**
- Secure Password: Choose a strong PIN or password to protect your wallet.
- Name Your Wallet (Optional): Optionally, give your wallet a name for easy identification or skip this step.
- Select Create New Wallet if you are setting up a wallet for the first time.
- Your device will generate a 24 word seed phrase.
- Write down this seed phrase and store it securely.
- Confirm the seed phrase by verifying the words in the correct order as displayed on the screen.
- **Connect Zashi + Keystone Wallet:**
- On the Keystone device: Tap … on the main page
- Tap Connect Software Wallet and choose Zashi. The QR code for connection to Zashi will appear.
- In Zashi App: Tap zashi dropdown (top left of screen)
- Tap Connect Hardware Wallet
- Tap Ready to Scan
- Scan the QR displayed on Keystone Device
- In Zashi App: Confirm Keystone Wallet Account by tapping displayed account
- Tap Connect on bottom of screen
## Extra Help
## What is Maya Protocol?
Maya is a [decentralized exchange](https://nym.com/blog/what-is-dex) (DEX) system that enables trading of cryptocurrencies across different blockchains. You can, for example, swap Bitcoin (BTC) on the Bitcoin blockchain with Ethereum (ETH) on the Ethereum blockchain in an easy way, without holding the assets or involving any centralized authorities or Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures.
Maya Protocol was developed using the Cosmos Software Development Kit (Cosmos SDK) and operates on a Proof of Bond (PoB) consensus mechanism. The protocol is upheld by "Node Operators," who stake capital into the system and earn returns as a reward for their contribution and efforts. Essentially, nodes are computers running software that validates user swaps and oversees assets in designated addresses across different blockchains.
To complete a swap, the supported cryptocurrency must be received in one of Maya's addresses, sent by a user, and then an equivalent amount is sent from another of Maya's addresses on a different blockchain. This process is managed and approved by at least two-thirds of the nodes, particularly ensuring that the funds are properly received.
In this manner, users can send one type of token on one blockchain and receive a different type on another blockchain, all natively and without using wrapped tokens.
## What is Proof of Bond?
Proof of Bond (PoB) is a consensus mechanism where node operators must commit a bond (usually in the form of the network's native token) to participate in the network. This bond acts as a form of economic security, ensuring that nodes act honestly and maintain the network's integrity2. If a node tries to act maliciously or fails to perform its duties, its bond can be slashed, meaning a portion of it is taken away as a penalty.
In Maya Protocol, this mechanism helps to produce economic value from the staked resources of node operators, increasing capital efficiency. Similarly, in Thorchain, node operators bond RUNE (the native token) to secure the network and ensure cooperation among participants.
## Differences between Maya and THORChain
Maya is a fork of THORChain but loaded with a few new features and functionality that serves as a great alternative. The most important ones are
### Liquidity Nodes
Rather than following the Pure Bond Model, Maya is contemplating a shift to a Liquidity Nodes model. In this system, nodes are enabled to directly contribute liquidity, bonding it to the network. This approach means node operators face a significant risk: if they misuse funds, they incur losses, acting as a powerful deterrent. As a result, node operators use Liquidity Units from Liquidity Pools, which simultaneously provide liquidity and bolster network security.
### Impermanent Loss Protection
A system that protects liquidity providers from the temporary loss (LPs) they may experience when providing liquidity, due to the constant fluctuations in the prices of crypto assets.
ILP holds 10% of the $CACAO supply (10 million $CACAO) and is continuously replenished by 10% of the protocol fees. ILP becomes active 50 days after a liquidity deposit, with coverage capped at 100%.
The duration of ILP coverage depends on the performance of the ASSET and $CACAO. Full coverage is achieved after 150 days if ASSET performs better, and after 450 days if $CACAO performs better. ILP is both paid out and reset upon complete withdrawal but is not affected by partial withdrawals. For top-ups, ILP is reset but not paid out.
### A different allocation model
The Liquidity Auction was a 21-day event designed to distribute $CACAO tokens among participants. During the event, users deposited supported assets to a specific address. At the conclusion of the auction, 90% of the $CACAO tokens were allocated to participants in proportion to their liquidity contributions, while the remaining 10% was allocated to the ILP reserve. The participants became liquidity providers, with their deposited assets and $CACAO tokens placed into Maya's pools, enabling them to earn a share of the generated fees.
### A different way of handling reserves
At the genesis of Maya Protocol, the available CACAO reserves were only 10% of the total supply, compared to 44% for THORChain, and were primarily intended for Impermanent Loss Protection (ILP). Maya does not have block emissions; and if Protocol Owned Liquidity and Lending are implemented, they will feature a different design, as in THORChain, these aspects are closely integrated with the Reserves.
Still, despite its differences, Maya also serves as a complementary solution to THORChain, offering redundancy, extension and validation, and integrating new networks not existing in the current THORChain implementation.
Also, Maya's goal is to become a *backend* for other services to build upon, in hopes of seeing plenty of new *frontends*, or DEX services built upon Maya's infraestructure.
## Maya protocol wallet integration
Acting as a *backend*, Maya needs to be supported by different UI's and wallets to be used.
Here's a list with some of the services already supporting Maya:
[Thorwallet DEX](https://www.thorwallet.org/): Ledger, XDEFI, Metamask, Keystore
[El Dorado](https://www.eldorado.market/): XDEFI, Keystore
[CacaoSwap](https://cacaoswap.app/): Keystore, MetaMask, XDEFI, Keplr, Leap
[Asgardex](https://www.asgardex.com/): Keystore, Ledger
[DefiSpot](https://www.defispot.com/t): XDEFI, Metamask, Keplr, Phantom, Walletconnect, Leap Wallet, Argeentx, Braavos, Trustwallet, and Rabby.
[XDEFI](https://www.xdefi.io/): a multi-ecosystem self-custody wallet with support for 30+ native blockchains, and all EVM and Cosmos chains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, THORChain, Maya Protocol, TRON, and more.
[KeepKey ](https://keepkey.com/): A hardware wallet for securely storing digital assets.
---
# Nym VPN
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/nym-vpn
# Nym VPN
Nym is an evolving mix network (mixnet), a type of computer network infrastructure for privacy that masks user metadata, separating source and destination IP addresses. It anonymizes various types of communication, including messaging, files transfers, payments transactions, and web browsing on basic websites. The project is built on free and open-source software and is decentralized, maintained by a distributed set of independent nodes worldwide.Nym VPN & Mixnet accepts payment in shielded ZEC!
[Nym Blog Post](https://nym.com/blog/nymvpn-with-zcash) | [Download Nym VPN](https://nym.com)
## Tutorial
### Access geo restricted content
Bypass geo-restrictions to access streaming services, websites, or content unavailable in your region.
### Enhance your security on public WiFi
Protect your data from hackers when using public Wi-Fi in cafes, airports, or hotels.
### Advanced Privacy In One
Protect your privacy
Encrypt your internet connection to hide your online activities from ISPs, advertisers, and data trackers.
### Be anonymous online
Mask your IP address to remain anonymous while browsing, avoiding profiling or targeted ads.
### Avoid bandwidth throttling
Prevent ISPs from slowing down your internet connection when streaming or gaming.
### Prevent surveillance and censorship
Bypass censorship and access blocked websites or social media in restrictive countries.
### Secure online banking
Protect sensitive financial information when accessing online banking or making payments.
### Avoid dynamic pricing
Hide your location to avoid price discrimination based on location for flights, hotels, or products.
### Protect your crypto transactions
Protect your cryptocurrency activities with NymVPN's unlinkable payments and advanced metadata protection.
## Nym VPN Installation Guides:
[iOS](https://vimeo.com/1083490444/81e95709b0)
[MacOS](https://vimeo.com/1080779573/78844dc8db)
[Windows](https://vimeo.com/1085710809/52876930a6)
[Android](https://vimeo.com/1096218590?share=copy)
Learn about [Nym x Zcash integration](https://nym.com/blog/zcash-ltgt-nym)
---
# Using ZEC in DeFi
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/using-zec-in-defi
# Using Zcash in DeFi
## Near Intents
Zcash and NEAR Intents have been integrated, allowing users to swap Zcash (ZEC) with other top altcoins, including Bitcoin, Solana, NEAR, and XRP, without paying any fees. This integration is part of NEAR Protocol's efforts to create an infrastructure of autonomous and verifiable AI bots, which also brings benefits to Zcash by enabling AI-powered payment rails. Zcash users are now capable of accessing smart contracts and wider [DeFi applications](https://nym.com/blog/what-is-defi) while preserving their privacy via [Near Intents](https://app.near-intents.org).
---
## Maya Protocol
Maya Protocol has integrated Zcash to enhance its decentralization, liquidity, and transaction privacy. This integration allows Zcash users to benefit from decentralized swaps, giving them greater flexibility and liquidity while preserving privacy. Learn More: [https://www.mayaprotocol.com/blog-maya-academy/zcash-integrates-maya](https://www.mayaprotocol.com/blog-maya-academy/zcash-integrates-maya)
**Note**: It is also possible to bridge any ETH you already have to private store as Shielded Zcash using the "Release" Tab & entering your Transparent address. You may then use the 'Autoshield' in your mobile/desktop wallet. For this application to remain private it is recommended not to swap from ZEC > ETH and back from ETH > ZEC.
---
## Innovation around Zcash DeFi
**Layer 1 Solution**
Options are currently being explored to enable DeFi applications within the Zcash ecosystem using the current Layer 1. This could be possible by perofrming most of the contract operations off-chain with a sequencer & have the validation of those actions done on chain. A version of this was created in partnership with JP Morgan on their enterprise blockchain. As of NU5 a mechanism exists (TZE) to add this type of extension to Zcash.
**zkEVM**
This would bring native programmability to Zcash with an EVM-compatible virtual machine that supports zero-knowledge proof computation. This would allow Zcash to find growth through a more diverse developer community and foster an ecosystem of privacy preserving applications and tokens. This would make it comparable to other existing L2 privacy solutions.
Continuing research into Proof-of-Stake & the Cosmos Interblockchain Communication Protocol is led by the ECC. Next steps are being assessed along with the success of the Ethereum Merge to PoS with any issues that may arise.
**ZSA/UDA's**
Zcash Shielded Assets / User Defined Assets have been in development with the assistance of a dedicated team. Following the NU5 protocol upgrade they are significantly closer to fruition. Mechanisms for trustless & private cross-chain bridging of these assets enabling interoperability are currently in the works. A link to the Zcon3 presentation on this below.
### Resources:
[Zcon3 Private Cross-Chain Transfers](https://youtu.be/vCvMk2-CJN8)
[Zcon3 QEDIT Presentation on Defi](https://youtu.be/EGjcYhovty0) / [Drawing Board](https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVOhuveHo=/)
[Ian Miers on ZSA's & Stablecoins](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJMWE3zLIcs)
[Proof-of-Stake Research](https://electriccoin.co/blog/proof-of-stake-research-overview-1/)
__
The unequivocal advantage Zcash has over other existing smart contract platforms is it's natively private Layer 1. This completely removes any possibility of information leakage while using any Layer 2 applications. Allowing for a fundamentally simpler and more secure application layer that can permission access to information much easier.
---
# Using ZEC Privately
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/using-zec-privately
# Using ZEC, privately
#### Shielded (Private) vs. Transparent
As it currently stands, there are two addresses and transaction types in Zcash, shielded and transparent. The difference between shielded and transparent ZEC is very simple. Shielded ZEC keeps your money and your transactions private, as where transparent ZEC operates like Bitcoin, completely transparent. This means that someone can view your balance and all of your transactions if they know your address.
When people first start using ZEC, they might not realize which type of address they are using. This is because not all exchanges support shielded ZEC and/or shielded ZEC withdrawals.
So, for example, if someone uses Coinbase and they buy ZEC, they would buy transparent ZEC and only be able to withdraw that ZEC to a transparent address in a wallet. Wallets like [Zodl](https://zodl.com/) can shield funds sent to a transparent address to solve this, but not everyone is aware of that. A lot of people, simply put, use ZEC in the way their exchange or primary wallet allows them to.
#### Making sure your ZEC is shielded
We recommend that everyone self-custodies their ZEC. Meaning, move your ZEC from an exchange to a wallet. The best way to know if you're using shielded, a.k.a private, ZEC is by looking at the address the balance sits in. If the address starts with a "z" or "u1" , then your balance is shielded. If the address starts with a "t", then the balance is transparent.
There are generally two paths to get to shielded ZEC.
From an exchange that supports **shielded** withdrawals:
1. Buy ZEC in an exchange
2. Start the withdrawal process in the exchange
3. Open your shielded ZEC wallet and make sure the receiving address starts with a "u1" or "z"
4. Run the withdrawal from your exchange
From an exchange that supports **transparent** withdrawals:
1. Buy ZEC in an exchange
2. Start the withdrawal process in the exchange
3. Open your autoshielding ZEC wallet and use the transparent receiving address
4. Run the withdrawal from your exchange
5. Wait ten confirmations, and then shield the ZEC from your transparent address to shielded address
Here's a tutorial for how to withdraw ZEC from an exchange. Note that this is a shielded withdrawal.
---
Here's a tutorial for how to shield your ZEC from a transparent address to a shielded address.
---
Here's a tutorial for how to buy ZEC on Coinbase and send to Zodl.
#### Transactions
After ensuring that your ZEC is in a shielded wallet that supports shielded addresses, you can now decide if you'd like to transact with that ZEC. Transacting with ZEC is super easy. You can send ZEC to either shielded or transparent addresses depending on the person's preference. As with any monetary transaction, there are small chances that people can leak data. ZEC is the best at fighting against data leakeage, but that doesn't mean you should use it care free. Here are some things you'll want to avoid when transacting with ZEC.
- Disclosing your shielded address
- Using a shielded address as a pass through for t-addresses (a.k.a "mixing")
- Running, and disclosing your running of, a high number of shielded to transparent transactions
- Regularly letting people know where you spend shielded ZEC
Essentially, the best thing to do with your ZEC is hold it in a shielded wallet, transact between shielded addresses, and be careful about how you use ZEC in public (ie. a coffee shop). Ensuring privacy comes with a level of responsibility.
#### Resources
[Zcash transactions](https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/transactions)
---
# Raspberry Pi Zcashd Node
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/raspberry-pi-4-full-node
# Run a Full Node on a Raspberry Pi 4 (Zebra + Zallet)
*Migrated from the original zcashd-based guide. zcashd reached its automatic End-of-Support halt on July 18, 2026, so this guide now uses **Zebra** (the current full node, maintained by the Zcash Foundation) and **Zallet** (the wallet built to replace zcashd's built-in wallet).*
## What you'll learn
- How to flash and configure Ubuntu Server 22.04+ (64-bit) on a Raspberry Pi 4 for headless use
- How to install and run Zebra, either via Docker or a pre-built binary
- How to install, configure, and initialize Zallet, including wallet encryption setup
- How to optionally migrate an existing zcashd config/wallet into Zallet
## What changed from the old guide
The previous version of this guide walked through compiling **zcashd** natively on a Pi 4 — a single-threaded compile that took 3–4 hours because the Pi 4 doesn't have enough memory for a parallel (`-j$(nproc)`) build. Zebra and Zallet both now ship **official pre-built ARM64 binaries and Docker images**, so in most cases you no longer need to compile anything from source on the Pi itself.
## Prerequisites
- A Raspberry Pi 4 (4 GB RAM or more recommended)
- A microSD card (32 GB+) for the OS
- An external SSD/HDD with USB 3.0 support — **Zebra needs roughly 300 GB for cached Mainnet data**, growing over time, so don't try to run this off the microSD card alone
- A computer with a microSD card slot (to flash the OS image)
- A wired Ethernet connection or Wi-Fi
- Basic comfort with the command line over SSH
## Step 1: Flash Ubuntu Server 22.04+ (64-bit)
Zebra's and Zallet's pre-built binaries and Docker images require **glibc 2.34+**, which means **Ubuntu Server 22.04 or newer (64-bit/aarch64)**.
1. Install the Raspberry Pi Imager on your main computer.
2. Insert your microSD card.
3. Choose **Other general-purpose OS → Ubuntu → Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS (64-bit)** (or newer).
4. Use the Imager's advanced options (gear icon) to pre-configure hostname, enable SSH, and set Wi-Fi credentials if needed, for a headless first boot.
5. Write the image, insert the card, power on the Pi.
6. SSH in: `ssh @`
## Step 2: Attach and mount external storage
1. Connect your external SSD/HDD via USB 3.0.
2. Identify the device: `lsblk`
3. Format (if new) and mount it, e.g. to `/mnt/zcash-data`, with a standard `mkfs`/`fstab` setup so it auto-mounts on reboot.
## Step 3: Update the system
```bash
sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y
sudo reboot
```
## Step 4: Install and run Zebra
### Option A — Docker (recommended)
```bash
sudo apt install -y docker.io
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER # log out/in after this
docker run -d \
--name zebra \
-p 8233:8233 \
-v /mnt/zcash-data/zebra:/home/zebra/.cache/zebra \
zfnd/zebra:latest
```
Check progress: `docker logs -f zebra`
### Option B — Pre-built binary via cargo binstall
```bash
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
source "$HOME/.cargo/env"
cargo install cargo-binstall
cargo binstall zebrad
zebrad start
```
This installs a pre-built `aarch64` binary — no compiling required.
**On sync time:** expect this to take a while — commonly-cited first-sync figures (roughly 2 hours) come from reference hardware that is more powerful than a Pi 4's CPU, so your actual sync time on real Pi 4 hardware will likely run longer.
## Step 5: Install Zallet
Zallet is currently in **alpha** — expect breaking changes, and don't treat it as production-ready custody for significant funds yet.
### Option A — Docker (recommended)
```bash
docker pull zodlinc/zallet:latest
```
This image supports ARM64 (via a Nix-based build) and runs from a minimal, shell-less filesystem — pass configuration and data paths explicitly via `--datadir` and volume mounts (see Step 6).
### Option B — Build from source
```bash
# Requires Rust 1.85+ (see Step 4B for rustup install)
sudo apt install -y clang libclang-dev protobuf-compiler
cargo install --locked --git https://github.com/zcash/wallet.git
```
Zallet's crates aren't yet published to crates.io during the alpha phase, so installing from the git repo directly is the supported non-Docker method.
## Step 6: Configure Zallet
Create `zallet.toml` in your chosen datadir (e.g. `/mnt/zcash-data/zallet`):
```toml
[builder.limits]
[consensus]
network = "main"
[database]
[external]
[features]
as_of_version = "0.0.0"
[features.deprecated]
[features.experimental]
[indexer]
validator_address = "127.0.0.1:8232" # Zebra's JSON-RPC endpoint
[keystore]
[note_management]
[rpc]
bind = ["127.0.0.1:SOMEPORT"]
```
Adjust `validator_address` if Zebra runs on a different host/port, and configure `validator_cookie_auth`/`validator_user`/`validator_password` under `[indexer]` to match your Zebra RPC auth setup.
**Migrating from zcashd?** If you still have an old `zcash.conf`:
```bash
zallet migrate-zcash-conf --datadir /path/to/old/zcashd/datadir -o /mnt/zcash-data/zallet/zallet.toml
```
## Step 7: Set up wallet encryption
Zallet encrypts all key material using `age`/`rage`:
```bash
cargo install rage
rage -p -o /mnt/zcash-data/zallet/encryption-identity.txt <(rage-keygen)
```
This prints a public key and an autogenerated passphrase — **save the passphrase; you cannot recover the identity file without it.**
## Step 8: Initialize and start the wallet
```bash
zallet -d /mnt/zcash-data/zallet init-wallet-encryption
zallet -d /mnt/zcash-data/zallet generate-mnemonic
```
**Only run `generate-mnemonic` once** unless you deliberately want multiple independent spending roots.
```bash
zallet -d /mnt/zcash-data/zallet start
```
## Step 9: Migrating an existing zcashd wallet (optional)
```bash
zallet -d /mnt/zcash-data/zallet migrate-zcashd-wallet --zcashd-datadir /path/to/old/zcashd/datadir
```
This requires the `db_dump` utility (built against Berkeley DB 6.2.23) — from a system install or a local source-build of zcashd. If you no longer have zcashd installed, this is the one migration step that isn't fully self-contained in Zallet yet.
## Step 10: Verify everything works
```bash
zallet -d /mnt/zcash-data/zallet help
```
Confirm the wallet responds, and once Zebra finishes syncing, that balances/addresses match expectations.
## Troubleshooting
- **Zebra build/runtime issues on ARM:** if building from source, install the Rust ARM toolchain — running x86_64 build tools on ARM hardware will run noticeably slower, per Zebra's own documentation.
- **Storage filling up:** Zebra's ~300 GB footprint keeps growing — plan headroom.
- **Docker permission errors:** log out/back in after adding your user to the `docker` group, or use `sudo` in the meantime.
- **Zallet container has no shell:** the official `zodlinc/zallet` image is from-scratch by design — always pass `--datadir` explicitly and mount your data directory as a volume.
## Hardware notes vs. the old zcashd guide
Zebra and Zallet are generally lighter on CPU during setup than compiling zcashd was, since you're running pre-built binaries/containers. 4 GB RAM is a reasonable starting point; monitor with `htop` and consider the 8 GB Pi 4 variant if you see heavy swapping.
## Additional resources
- [Zebra Book](https://zebra.zfnd.org) — official Zebra documentation
- [Zallet Book](https://zcash.github.io/wallet) — official Zallet documentation
- [zcashd End-of-Support notice](https://z.cash/support/zcashd-deprecation)
---
*If you found this guide useful, consider supporting ZecHub: [insert current ZecHub donation shielded address from zechub.wiki/donation — not included here since I couldn't verify it's still current].*
---
# Raspberry pi5 Zebra Lightwalletd Zingo
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/raspberry-pi5-zebra-lightwalletd-zingo
# RPi5 Zebra Lightwalletd with Zingo
## Video Tutorial
## Dependecies
```bash
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
sudo apt install libclang-dev clang pkg-config openssl protobuf-compiler npm
```
## Compile Zebra
[Zebra Github](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra)
* `time cargo install --git https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra --tag v3.1.0 zebrad`
## Configure zebrad.toml
add:
`listen_addr = '127.0.0.1:8232'`
`cache_dir = "/media/zebra5/zebra/"`
## Sync Zebra
* `zebrad start`
## Compile lightwalletd
* install go
```bash
wget https://go.dev/dl/go1.25.5.linux-arm64.tar.gz
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go && sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf go1.25.5.linux-arm64.tar.gz go/
export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin
```
* install lightwalletd
```bash
git clone https://github.com/zcash/lightwalletd
cd lightwalletd
make
make install
export PATH=$PATH:~/go/bin/`
```
## Sync lightwalletd
* notice the data-dir change
`lightwalletd --zcash-conf-path ~/.config/zcash.conf --data-dir /media/zebra5/zebra/.cache/lightwalletd --log-file /dev/stdout --no-tls-very-insecure`
## Install NodeJS
```bash
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_23.x -o nodesource_setup.sh
sudo -E bash nodesource_setup.sh
sudo apt update
sudo apt install nodejs
```
If you experience any errors, [here](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-node-js-on-ubuntu-22-04) are some alternative ways to install NodeJS.
## Install Yarn
`corepack enable`
## Install Zingo
```bash
git clone https://github.com/zingolabs/zingo-pc.git
cd zingo-pc
yarn install
sudo apt install libopenjp2-tools protobuf-compiler openssl libssl-dev libfuse2
export USE_SYSTEM_FPM="true"
sudo apt-get install ruby-dev build-essential && sudo gem i fpm -f
yarn dist:linux
```
## Start Zingo-PC
* Can use appimage, or binary in unpacked folder
* Enjoy! :)
# Sources
```markdown
https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra
https://github.com/zcash/lightwalletd
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1278447/installing-fpm-on-ubuntu-20-04
https://github.com/oxen-io/session-desktop/issues/1635
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1363783/cant-run-an-appimage-on-ubuntu-20-04
https://www.beekeeperstudio.io/blog/electron-apps-for-arm-and-raspberry-pi
https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/issues/3901
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1278447/installing-fpm-on-ubuntu-20-04
https://yarnpkg.com/getting-started/install
https://pimylifeup.com/raspberry-pi-nodejs/
https://go.dev/dl/#stable
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1177492/openssl-installed-but-no-openssl-pc-needed-by-pkg-config
```
---
# Avalanche RedBridge
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/avalanche-redbridge
# Zcash Avalanche RedBridge
The Zcash Avalanche RedBridge is a decentralized bridge that enables interoperability between the Zcash (ZEC) and Avalanche (AVAX) blockchains. This bridge is designed to facilitate the seamless transfer of ZEC onto the Avalanche blockchain, leveraging the high throughput, low fees, and ecofriendly consensus mechanisms of Avalanche while preserving the privacy centric features of Zcash.
The RedBridge supports a wide array of use cases, including crosschain decentralized finance (DeFi), private transactions, and liquidity sharing, empowering Zcash holders with expanded accessibility to the Avalanche ecosystem. This bridge is operated through a set of decentralized nodes and an oracle, known as **ZavaX**, which ensures reliable data transfer and price verification between Zcash and Avalanche.
### Key Features
Privacy Preserving Interoperability: Allows Zcash users to maintain privacy while utilizing DeFi applications on Avalanche.
Decentralized Oracle ZavaX: Integrates an oracle system to ensure accurate ZEC/AVAX price data, allowing trustless crosschain operations.
Scalable and Eco Friendly: Utilizes Avalanches consensus model, providing high speed transactions with minimal environmental impact.
Support for DeFi and DApps: Zcash holders can now participate in various DeFi platforms on Avalanche without compromising on privacy.
### Technical Components
**Decentralized ZavaX Oracle**
Description: The ZavaX oracle is crucial to the bridge, providing crosschain price feeds and enabling trustless ZEC to AVAX conversions.
[Link to Oracle](https://zavax-oracle.red.dev)
**Cross Chain Bridge Contract**
Description: The smart contract architecture supporting the Zcash Avalanche bridge, handling deposits, conversions, and withdrawals of ZEC.
**Privacy Layer Integration**
Description: Ensures that Zcash privacy features are preserved throughout the bridging process, allowing for private crosschain transactions.
## Deliverables and Documentation
**Zcash Elastic Subnet Bridge on Avalanche**: [Grant Proposal](https://zcashgrants.org/gallery/25215916-53ea-4041-a3b2-6d00c487917d/36243580/)
Below are the key deliverables and technical resources completed for the Zcash Avalanche RedBridge project:
Deliverable 1.1: Preliminary PoC that supports querying testnet Zcash transactions from a testnet Avalanche subnet with a CLI, published on Github and with a one node subnet on the Avalanche testnet. https://github.com/red-dev-inc/zavax-oracle
Deliverable 2.1: [Architecture](https://github.com/red-dev-inc/zavax-bridge/tree/main/Architecture)
### Milestone 3 March 31, 2024
Deliverable 3.1 is complete, presenting our analysis on adopting FROST over BLS for threshold signatures in the ZavaX bridge. This shift leverages audited libraries from the Zcash Foundation and facilitates better integration and security. https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/frost
Deliverable 3.2 UX and UI design for GUI completed, detailing our security enhancements for the ZavaX Oracle subnet, supported by penetration testing results. For more details, including server configuration and testing outcomes [Security Assesment](https://github.com/red-dev-inc/zavax-oracle/blob/main/security/deployment-notes.md)
[Audit Report](https://github.com/red-dev-inc/zavax-oracle/blob/main/security/pen-testing-report-2024-09.md)
Additionally, the team rebranded from ZavaX to redbridge and changing our staking token from ZAX to RBR.
### Milestone 4 April 30, 2024
Deliverable 4.1 Fully functional deployment to Zcash and Avalanche testnets, with a 3 validator Subnet, with CLI support
### Milestone 5 May 31, 2024
Deliverable 5.1 GUI: bridge integration into Core or Webapp
Milestone 6 June 30, 2024
Deliverable 6.1 Successful pass of software audit
Deliverable 6.2 Publishing of the audited source code to a public Github repo
Take a look at the [Github repo](https://github.com/red-dev-inc/zavax-bridge/tree/main/Architecture)
For more technical details, users are encouraged to review the repository and documentation for the RedBridge project to [explore](https://zcashgrants.org/gallery/25215916-53ea-4041-a3b2-6d00c487917d/36243580/) the integration specifics, testing frameworks, and security protocols.
* Deliverables:
In Q1 2025, the team announced the launch of the [red·bridge demo website](https://redbridge-demo.red.dev/index.html), where anyone can try the user experience, give feedback, and suggest improvements. It also serves as an easy way to introduce non-technical people to the project.
* The team used Zebra for the final version of red·bridge. To test it, they upgraded two of the three nodes in their test blockchain, ZavaX Oracle, which runs on Avalanche's Fuji testnet. The last node was upgraded successfully, now [Zavax Oracle](https://zavax-oracle.red.dev/) now runs on ZEBRA!
* In Q1 of 2025, the red.bridge website was coded to offer four views from red, Dark, Light, and Zebra as opposed to the initial version, which was red.
* Another point is that the team will activate the red·bridge L1 live on the Avalanche mainnet in December 2025. Initially, it will serve as an oracle for the Zcash blockchain and then, soon after, for Bitcoin as well. Wherein, each request will cost 0.001 AVAX in gas token. This build will enable any L1 or smart contract on Avalanche to inexpensively query data from Zcash and Bitcoin in a decentralized manner.
* In Q2, the team submitted a milestone ACP-77 (known as Avalanche9000) to the Avalanche Foundation to make the running of a red.bridge guardian earlier and more affordable for everyone. Initially, validators needed to stake around 2000 AVAX; however, with the Avalanche9000costs, validators only needed 1 AVAX (month). Additionally, this milestone also finalizes the plan to use ZF's FROST implementation, which gives each Guardian a signing share for secure, distributed control of the bridge wallet.
* Come Q1 and Q2 of 2026, red.bridge would host its RBR token (formerly ZAX) airdrop for the Zcash and Avalanche community members. According to the founder of red.dev, they shall host an incentivized testnet where users will have a chance to earn RBR while helping to test out the bridge.
---
# Zkool Multisig
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/zkool-multisig
# Zkool Multisig Guide
This guide provides a step by step walkthrough on how to perform multisig transactions using Zkool. It includes creating accounts, sending or receiving funds, and setting up distributed key generation (DKG) for multisig. Screenshots are included for each major step.
## Tutorial
## 1. Creating an Account
1. Open the **Zkool app** and go to **New Account**.
3. Enter an **Account Name** (eg Anabelle).
4. Optionally toggle **Use Internal Change** or **Restore Account** if needed.
5. After creation, the account will appear in your **Account List**.
## 2. Receiving Funds
Each account generates multiple address types:
**Unified Address**
**Orchard only Address**
**Sapling Address**
**Transparent Address**
Select the type you want to use and share it to receive funds.
## 3. Sending Funds
1. Go to the **Recipient** section.
3. Enter the **recipients address**.
4. Specify the **amount** and optional **memo**.
5. Review the transaction details and **confirm**.
Once complete, the balance updates in your account list.
## 4. Performing Multisig Transactions: Setting Up Distributed Key Generation (Multisig)
Multisig in Zkool uses **Distributed Key Generation (DKG)** to ensure multiple participants control a shared account.
### Step 1: Initiate DKG
Choose a **Name** for the shared wallet (eg Anabelle).
Set the **Number of Participants**.
Choose your **Participant ID**.
Define the **Number of Signers Required (Threshold)**.
Select the **Funding Account**.
### Step 2: Add Participant Addresses
- Enter each participants **Unified Address** (recommended).
**Note:** If you use an Orchard only or Sapling only address, the multisig will be limited to that pool only (Orchard or Sapling).
This means the shared wallet cannot receive funds from other pools.
For maximum compatibility and flexibility, always use **Unified Addresses**.
### Step 3: Run DKG Rounds
Wait for all participants to exchange **round 1** and **round 2** packages.
### Step 4: Finalize Shared Address
Once complete, a **shared address** is generated.
## Conclusion
Using Zkool, you can: create accounts, send and receive funds, and set up a **multisig wallet** using Distributed Key Generation. This ensures **enhanced security** and **collaborative and private fund management**.
---
# Ywallet FROST Demo
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/ywallet-frost-demo
# Ywallet FROST demo
## Compile FROST bins
[Github link](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/frost-zcash-demo/tree/update-zcash-sign)
Use the above repo and follow directions on compiling:
```bash
cargo build --bin trusted-dealer
cargo build --bin dkg
cargo build --bin coordinator
cargo build --bin participants
```
Bins will be the the target folder.
## Create FROST UA
`./generateFROST_UA.sh`
## Import UFVK into Ywallet
Accounts -> Click + and paste ufvk from step above
## Create a transaction with Ywallet
Paste in any UA and send a tx. Save the file.
## Start the FROST signing proceedure
`./signFROST_tx.sh rawtxs/mytx signedtxs/mysignedtx`
first input is the location of the raw tx from the step above
second input is the location and name of the signed tx you want to broadcast
This is part where you tell FROST which transction you want everyone to sign
## Start Coordinator
`./runCoordinator.sh`
This coordinates each participants signature and creates a group signature
## Have each Participant sign for this transaction
```bash
./participantSign.sh key-package-1.json
./participantSign.sh key-package-2.json
```
## Finalize signed Transaction
In the coordinator window, copy the group signature that is output and paste it into the FROST signing window.
This will complete the FROST signing and output 'mysingedtx'
## Broadcast your Transaction with Ywallet
Click 'More' on bottom right side of Ywallet and find 'Broadcast'. Find 'mysignedtx' and click ok.
If everything works you will get a transaction ID :)
---
# Blockchain Explorers
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/blockchain-explorers
# Blockchain Explorers
## Introduction
In the traditional business world every transaction includes a receipt for proof of purchase. Similarly, in the blockchain world a user receives a digital receipt in the form of a transaction id for every transaction completed. Most wallets will provide this for you. Blockchain explorers are simply tools that allow one to visualize what has already happened on a blockchain. They take for inputs: transaction id's, addresses, or block hashes, and visually output what took place.
## Examples
#### Notice with Zcash how the second transaction has all important details hidden, this is important and has great implications in a digital world.
## Blockchain Maps
So we have this long string of characters as a digital receipt, what now? This is where we use a [blockchain explorer](https://nym.com/blog/using-blockchain-privately), or map, to help us digest what happened on the blockchain. Notice how each chain has its own version of [blockchain explorer](https://nym.com/blog/using-blockchain-privately) above. It's important to understand that all these blockchain projects are examples of open source software. That is, anyone can contribute to and or fork the code to their liking. With that understanding, each project specializes in different areas and customizes the blockchain explorer to fit the needs of said project.
### Blocks
Transactions are placed into *blocks*. When a block is mined/validated every transaction inside that block is confirmed and a block hash is created. Any hash created can be input into a block explorer. You may have seen CEX's needing a number of *confirmations* before they release your funds, this is the metric they are using to make sure your transaction is
sufficiently finalized. How does the blockchain determine which transactions get into the next block? Complex topic of research, but most modern chains use the idea of *fees* to determine who gets into the front of the line. The higher the fee, the higher the chance you move up to the front of the queue.
### Addresses
A fun way to visually learn [blockchain explorers](https://nym.com/blog/using-blockchain-privately) is to input the address of any random transaction. Then you can move backward in time and see where the funds originated! Each transaction has both an input and output address. Armed with this information, one can readily move both forward and backward from any transaction that has been spent. For those that like puzzles, this is the digital equivalent of a huge financial puzzle, and could be used for transparency purposes. Using a blockchain explorer makes this not only much easier to visualize, it *also highlights* the need for transaction privacy. Unless you're using shielded Zcash, you can do this with *any* transparent blockchain: BTC, ETH, ATOM, DOGE, VTC, etc ... . This point is critical for anyone using the blockchain safely moving into a digital only future.
### Amounts
Similar to addresses above, any transaction on a public blockchain has the amounts publicly available on full display. This includes amounts on both the input and output addresses for any transaction. One exception to this is when you choose to use Shielded Zcash -- then all amounts are hidden. For small business owners who necessarily need privacy for *fair trade*, this is a huge benefit!
### What an explorer can and cannot see on Zcash
#### TL;DR
- Transparent (`t`) addresses are fully visible on an explorer, just like Bitcoin
- Fully shielded (z to z) transactions hide the amount, the addresses, and the memo
- The fee is still visible, even on a fully shielded transaction
- Shielding (moving `t` to shielded) and deshielding (shielded back to `t`) are partly visible, because one side is transparent
- Privacy holds only while funds stay inside the shielded pools
Zcash has more than one kind of address, and an explorer treats them very differently.
Transparent addresses, starting with `t`, work like Bitcoin. An explorer shows the sender, the receiver, the amount, and the trail back to where the funds came from.
Shielded addresses are the private side. Funds in the Sapling or Orchard [shielded pools](https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/shielded-pools#content) are protected by zero knowledge proofs. Look up a fully shielded transaction and the explorer cannot show the amount, the addresses, or the memo. It can confirm only that a valid transaction happened and was recorded in a block. This is the hidden private example shown near the top of this page.
One detail does stay visible even for fully shielded transactions: the fee. Zcash consensus rules require the transparent fee to be stated explicitly, so an explorer can always show it, even when the amounts are masked. For that reason it is good practice to use the standard wallet fee, so your transaction does not stand out by paying an unusual amount.
The explorer can also see when funds cross between the transparent and shielded sides. Moving `t` funds into a pool is shielding, moving them back out is deshielding. Those crossings are partly visible because one side is transparent. Only fully private z to z activity, which never touches a `t` address, keeps everything but the fee hidden.
The takeaway: privacy depends on staying inside the shielded pools. Once funds touch a `t` address, that part of their history is as public as Bitcoin. To prove your own shielded activity to someone you choose, such as an accountant, share a viewing key instead of making it public. See the [Viewing Keys](https://zechub.wiki/zcash-tech/viewing-keys#content) page.
### Visual Guide
Here are four good examples of different blockchain explorers:
* [Mempool.space](https://mempool.space)
* [Ethscan](https://etherscan.io/)
* [Zcash Block Explorer](https://mainnet.zcashexplorer.com)
* [Mintscan](https://hub.mintscan.io/chains/ibc-network)
---
# Brave Wallet
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/brave-wallet-guide
# How to Send and Receive Shielded Zcash (ZEC) with Brave Wallet: A Step-by-Step Privacy Guide
Brave Wallet is a secure, native crypto wallet built directly into the Brave browser - no extensions required.
## Why Shielded ZEC Support Matters
Zcash is one of the only cryptocurrencies offering privacy by default with shielded transactions.
Brave Wallet now supports Orchard shielded ZEC, enabling private transactions without third-party software.
Users can now send/receive ZEC without revealing balances or metadata - all within the Brave browser.
## Tutorial
## Part 1: Setting Up Brave Wallet
**Steps covered:**
1. Open Brave Browser (desktop only for now)
2. Click on the Wallet icon or go to brave://wallet
3. Set up your wallet (create or import)
4. Access the crypto dashboard
## Part 2: Adding Zcash (ZEC) to Brave Wallet
**Steps covered:**
1. In the Wallet dashboard, click "Manage Assets"
2. Search for ZEC and enable it
3. ZEC now appears in your wallet
## Part 3: Receiving Shielded ZEC (Unified Address)
**Steps covered:**
1. Click ZEC in your assets
2. Select "Receive"
3. Brave generates a Unified Address (UA) - one address that supports both shielded and transparent transactions
4. Copy or scan the QR code
5. Share your UA with the sender
## Part 4: Sending Shielded ZEC Privately
**Steps covered:**
1. Select ZEC -> Send
2. Paste the recipient's Unified Address or shielded address
3. Enter amount
4. Confirm the transaction details
5. Click Send - funds are now transferred privately, using the Orchard pool
## Address Types
Here's an explanation for each Zcash address type:
**t-addr (t1...)** - Transparent addresses work like Bitcoin addresses, meaning transactions are public on the blockchain. They are easier to use with non-Zcash wallets but do not provide privacy.
**z-addr (zs...)** - Shielded addresses use Zcash's privacy tech (Sprout/Sapling) to hide the sender, receiver, and amount. Only view keys or the owner can reveal details.
**UA (u... or QR)** - Unified Addresses combine multiple address types (transparent, shielded, Orchard) into one. This allows maximum compatibility while preferring privacy where possible.
## Advanced
## Conclusion: Privacy Made Practical
With Brave Wallet and shielded ZEC, privacy is now accessible to everyone - no special software or advanced knowledge needed.
Ideal for journalists, activists, or privacy-conscious individuals.
Try your first shielded transaction today inside Brave!
**Stay private. Stay free. Send ZEC privately with Brave Wallet.**
---
# BTCPayServer Zcash Plugin
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/btcpayserver-zcash-plugin
# BTCPay Server with Zcash Support: Full Installation and Integration Guide
BTCPay Server allows online businesses to accept cryptocurrency payments directly, without intermediaries or custodians. This guide walks you through the complete process of setting up BTCPay Server with native support for Zcash shielded payments.
> This documentation focuses on integrating Zcash into your BTCPay Server instance.
> It supports both **full node (Zebra)** and **lightwalletd-based setups**.
---
## Table of Contents
- [Why Use BTCPay Server with Zcash](#Why-Use-BTCPay-Server-with-Zcash)
- [How BTCPay Server Works](#How-BTCPay-Server-Works)
- [Where Are Funds Stored? Who Controls the Private Keys?](#Where-Are-Funds-Stored-Who-Controls-the-Private-Keys)
- [How to Set Up BTCPay Server for Accepting Zcash](#How-to-Set-Up-BTCPay-Server-for-Accepting-Zcash)
- [Deploying BTCPay Server with Zcash Support](#Deploying-BTCPay-Server-with-Zcash-Support)
- [Running Your Own Zcash Full Node (Zebra + Lightwalletd)](#Running-Your-Own-Zcash-Full-Node)
- [Connecting to an External lightwalletd Node (Custom Configuration)](#Connecting-to-an-External-Lightwalletd-Node)
- [Hosting BTCPay Server at Home with Cloudflare Tunnel](#Hosting-BTCPay-Server-at-Home-with-Cloudflare-Tunnel)
- [Configuring the Zcash Plugin in the BTCPay Server Web Interface](#Configuring-the-Zcash-Plugin-in-the-BTCPay-Server-Web-Interface)
- [Integrating BTCPay Server with Your Website](#Integrating-BTCPay-Server-with-Your-Website)
- [API Integration](#API-Integration)
- [Generating an API Key](#Generating-an-API-Key)
- [Example: Creating an Invoice via API](#Example-Creating-an-Invoice-via-API)
- [Setting Up a Webhook](#Setting-Up-a-Webhook-Optional)
- [CMS Integration](#CMS-Integration)
- [Payment Button or Iframe](#Payment-Button-or-Iframe-No-CMS-or-API-Needed)
- [Conclusion](#Conclusion)
- [Resources](#Resources)
---
## Why Use BTCPay Server with Zcash
Online commerce increasingly accepts cryptocurrency. It's fast, global, and works without banks. This benefits both merchants and customers. But there's an important detail that many overlook.
When placing an order, the customer typically provides personal information: name, shipping address, and phone number. If the payment is made using a public blockchain - such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or stablecoins on Ethereum or Tron - the transaction becomes permanently visible for analysis.
Anyone, even without knowing what was ordered, can:
- see when and how much was paid
- trace where the funds came from and where they went
- link a cryptocurrency address to a real person if there's any point of correlation (for example, a leaked email or shipping name)
This means that a single purchase may reveal a customer's entire financial history.
And it works the other way as well. If a merchant's address has ever appeared on-chain, they become exposed. Competitors and third-party observers can track payment volumes, supplier activity, and the structure of business flows.
### The combination of BTCPay Server and Zcash can solve this.
BTCPay Server is a free and decentralized system for receiving cryptocurrency payments.
It is not a payment intermediary and does not hold any funds. All payments go directly to the merchant's wallet.
This can be a personal wallet or a multisig setup within an organization.
The server handles coordination tasks:
- generates a unique address for each order
- tracks when payment is received and links it to the order
- issues receipts and notifications
- provides a payment interface for the customer
Everything runs under the control of the store owner, without relying on third-party services.
Zcash is a cryptocurrency built on zero-knowledge proofs. It supports a fully private transaction model.
When using shielded addresses (hereafter simply called “addresses”), the sender, the recipient, and the transaction amount are not revealed on the blockchain.
For online stores, this means:
- The buyer can complete the payment without revealing their financial history
- The seller receives payment without exposing their address, sales volume, or transaction structure
- No external observer can link the payment to the order or to customer data
### Practical Example
A user places an order and selects Bitcoin or USDT as the payment method.
The website generates a payment address and displays the amount.
After the payment is made, this address is stored on the blockchain and becomes public.
An attacker only needs to link one order to the address to gain long-term visibility into its entire transaction history.
Now imagine the same situation with Zcash.
BTCPay Server generates a shielded address. The buyer sends the payment.
From the blockchain's perspective, nothing happens. There is no public data to analyze.
The server receives confirmation, links it to the order, and completes the process.
For any outsider, it looks like nothing occurred.
All logic remains between the store and the customer - as it should.
This solution doesn't compromise automation or usability.
Everything works the same as with other cryptocurrencies, just without the risk of data leaks.
## How BTCPay Server Works
BTCPay Server acts as a payment processing bridge between your e-commerce platform and the blockchain. Here's how the flow works:
1. **The customer places an order** on your website (e.g. WooCommerce, Magento, or any platform with BTCPay integration).
2. **The store requests a payment invoice** from BTCPay Server. The server generates a unique invoice with:
- The order amount
- A countdown timer
- A Zcash Unified Address (UA) - e.g., `u1...` - which includes an Orchard (shielded) receiver by default.
3. **The customer sees the payment page** and sends ZEC to the provided address.
4. **BTCPay Server monitors the blockchain**, checking the payment against:
- The expected amount
- The receiving address
- The invoice timestamp
5. **Once the transaction is detected and confirmed**, BTCPay notifies the store.
6. **The customer receives a payment confirmation.** Optionally, the server can send a receipt via email.
This entire process happens **automatically**, with no intermediaries or custodians.
BTCPay Server does **not hold any funds** - it simply connects the order system to the blockchain securely and privately.
## Where Are Funds Stored? Who Controls the Private Keys?
BTCPay Server is **not** a wallet and does **not require private keys**.
All funds go **directly** to the merchant's wallet. Security is ensured by using a **viewing key-based architecture**.
### How It Works
- **The wallet is created in advance.**
The merchant uses a Zcash wallet that supports viewing keys - such as [YWallet](https://ywallet.app/installation) or [Zingo! Wallet](https://zingolabs.org/).
A full list is available at [ZecHub.wiki](https://zechub.wiki/wallets).
- **BTCPay Server connects via a viewing key.**
A viewing key is a **read-only key**: it can detect incoming payments and generate new receiving addresses,
but it cannot spend funds. The server does not store seed phrases or private keys.
- **Blockchain data is accessed through a `lightwalletd` server.**
You can use a public node like `https://zec.rocks`, or run your own `Zebra + lightwalletd` stack for full sovereignty.
- **Each order gets a unique address.**
Viewing keys allow the server to derive new Zcash shielded addresses for every invoice,
enabling secure payment tracking and preventing address reuse.
- **You retain full control over the funds.**
Even if the server is compromised, no one can steal your money - only payment metadata could be exposed.
This design separates **infrastructure** from **asset control**.
You can update, migrate, or reinstall BTCPay Server without putting any funds at risk.
## How to Set Up BTCPay Server for Accepting Zcash
In the previous sections, we explained how BTCPay Server works with Zcash and why it matters for privacy-preserving payments. Now it's time to get hands-on.
Your exact setup will depend on several factors:
- Do you already have a BTCPay Server instance?
- Do you want to use a public lightwalletd or run your own full node?
- Will the server run on a VPS or at home?
This chapter covers all current configuration scenarios - from minimal setups to fully sovereign deployments.
We'll walk through the following:
- How to deploy everything from scratch on a VPS, including the full node (Zebra)
- How to run BTCPay Server at home while keeping your IP hidden using **Cloudflare Tunnel**
- How to enable and configure Zcash support inside the BTCPay Server web interface
- How to integrate BTCPay with your website or online store
## Deploying BTCPay Server with Zcash Support
Let's move on to the actual setup. In this section, we'll install BTCPay Server with Zcash support - either on a fresh VPS or by adding ZEC support to an existing instance.
If you already have BTCPay Server running (e.g. for BTC or Lightning), you don't need to reinstall everything - just enable the ZEC plugin.
We'll walk through various configurations, from minimal setups using a public `lightwalletd` node to fully sovereign installations with your own full node.
The best option depends on your server location and how much independence you want from external infrastructure.
> Official plugin documentation:
> [https://github.com/btcpay-zcash/btcpayserver-zcash-plugin](https://github.com/btcpay-zcash/btcpayserver-zcash-plugin)
>
> **Warning - one wallet per instance:**
> The Zcash plugin uses **one shared wallet** across **all stores** in the BTCPay instance.
> If you host multiple independent stores on one instance, they will share the same Zcash wallet.
> Use separate instances if you need strict wallet isolation.
---
### Recommended VPS Configuration
Before installing, make sure you have:
- A VPS with **Ubuntu 22.04+**
- A domain name pointing to your server's IP address (via DNS)
- `git`, `docker`, and `docker-compose` installed
- SSH access to the server
---
## Preparing Your Server (hidden part)
Click to expand
To deploy BTCPay Server with Zcash support, you will need the following:
### 1. VPS with Ubuntu 22.04 or newer
We recommend using a minimal installation of **Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS**.
Any VPS provider that offers a dedicated IP address will work.
**Minimum requirements**:
- 2 CPU cores
- 4 GB RAM
- 40 GB disk space
This setup is sufficient if you're using lightwalletd for Zcash.
If you plan to run a **full Zcash node**, you'll need **at least 300 GB** of free disk space.
---
### 2. Domain name pointing to your server
In your DNS provider's dashboard, create an `A` record for a subdomain
(e.g. `btcpay.example.com`) that points to your VPS IP address.
This domain will be used to access BTCPay Server from the browser
and to automatically generate a **free SSL certificate** via Let's Encrypt.
---
### 3. SSH access to the server
To install BTCPay Server, you must connect to your VPS via SSH.
From your terminal, run:
`ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP`
If you use macOS, Linux, or WSL on Windows, SSH is already available in the terminal.
On plain Windows, use an SSH client like **PuTTY**.
---
### 4. Install Git, Docker, and Docker Compose
Once connected via SSH, update your system packages and install the required components:
```
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install git curl docker.io docker-compose-plugin -y
sudo systemctl enable docker
```
> On Ubuntu 22.04 and newer, `docker-compose` from APT is deprecated.
> The recommended package is `docker-compose-plugin`, which provides the `docker compose` command (note the space instead of a dash).
Your server environment is now ready for installing BTCPay Server.
---
### Step 1: Clone the Repository
Create a working directory and download the BTCPay Server Docker deployment:
```
mkdir BTCPayServer
cd BTCPayServer
git clone https://github.com/btcpayserver/btcpayserver-docker
cd btcpayserver-docker
```
---
### Step 2: Export Environment Variables
Replace `btcpay.example.com` with your actual domain:
```
export BTCPAY_HOST="btcpay.example.com"
export NBITCOIN_NETWORK="mainnet"
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO1="btc"
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO2="zec"
export BTCPAYGEN_REVERSEPROXY="nginx"
export BTCPAYGEN_LIGHTNING="none"
```
> If you plan to add Monero or Litecoin later, you can include them now:
```
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO3="ltc"
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO4="xmr"
```
You can add new coins at any time by exporting the appropriate variables and rerunning the setup script:
`. ./btcpay-setup.sh -i`
For this guide, we'll focus on **Zcash only**.
---
### Step 3: Run the Installer
Run the setup script to build and launch the server:
`. ./btcpay-setup.sh -i`
The script will install dependencies, generate the `docker-compose.yml`, start services, and configure `systemd`.
This takes about 5 minutes.
Once complete, your BTCPay Server instance will be available at:
`https://btcpay.example.com`
> If you're modifying an existing installation (e.g. adding ZEC), be sure to stop and restart the server with new settings:
```
cd ~/BTCPayServer/btcpayserver-docker
btcpay-down.sh
. ./btcpay-setup.sh -i
```
Then proceed to the next section to configure Zcash in the BTCPay Server web interface.
## Running Your Own Zcash Full Node
If you prefer **not** to rely on public `lightwalletd` nodes, you can deploy your own full Zcash node along with Lightwalletd on the same server.
This gives you **full autonomy** - no external dependencies, no trust required.
---
### Step 1: Ensure Sufficient Disk Space
A full Zcash node (Zebra + Lightwalletd) currently requires **300+ GB** of disk space, and it continues to grow.
Breakdown:
- The Zebra blockchain database: ~260-270 GB
- Lightwalletd indexing: ~15-20 GB
#### Recommended storage:
- **400 GB+** if the server is used **only** for Zcash payments
- **800 GB+** if the server also runs BTCPay Server, PostgreSQL, Nginx, etc.
> Ideally use an SSD/NVMe disk with **1 TB capacity**, especially if you don't plan to prune data regularly.
---
### Step 2: Set Environment Variables
Append the following to your environment setup to activate the full node configuration:
```
export BTCPAYGEN_EXCLUDE_FRAGMENTS="zcash"
export BTCPAYGEN_ADDITIONAL_FRAGMENTS="zcash-fullnode"
```
This will include the `zcash-fullnode` fragment, which launches both `zebrad` and `lightwalletd` inside BTCPay Server.
---
### Step 3: Re-run the Installer
`. ./btcpay-setup.sh -i`
The script will:
* Download the Docker images for Zebra and Lightwalletd
* Set up the services inside the BTCPay stack
* Link the Zcash plugin to the **local** `lightwalletd` instance
> **Full blockchain sync may take several days**, especially on low-resource VPS servers.
> Until synchronization completes, shielded payments will not be available.
## Connecting to an External Lightwalletd Node
In most cases, full autonomy isn't required - and merchants may not want to spend time and disk space running a full Zcash node.
By default, BTCPay Server connects to a public `lightwalletd` node to handle shielded payments without downloading the entire blockchain.
The default endpoint is:
`https://zec.rocks:443`
However, you can configure BTCPay Server to connect to **any external `lightwalletd` node**, such as:
`https://lightwalletd.example:443`
This section shows how to do that using a **custom Docker fragment**.
> A complete config example with all environment variables is available in the [plugin repository](https://github.com/btcpay-zcash/btcpayserver-zcash-plugin/blob/master/docs/zcash-lightwalletd.custom.yml).
> The steps below show a minimal working setup.
---
### Step 1: Create a Custom Docker Fragment
In your BTCPayServer project directory, create a custom fragment file:
```
cd ~/BTCPayServer/btcpayserver-docker
mkdir -p docker-compose-generator/docker-fragments
nano docker-compose-generator/docker-fragments/zcash-lightwalletd.custom.yml
```
Add the following content:
```
exclusive:
- zcash
```
The `exclusive` directive ensures that only one fragment with the same label (`zcash` in this case) can be active at a time.
This prevents configuration conflicts - for example, you cannot run both the `zcash-fullnode` fragment and this custom external `lightwalletd` fragment simultaneously.
By marking it as `exclusive: zcash`, BTCPay Server will automatically disable the default `zcash-fullnode` and internal `lightwalletd` containers, allowing you to connect to your own external node instead.
---
### Step 2: Set Environment Variables
In the terminal:
```
export BTCPAYGEN_EXCLUDE_FRAGMENTS="$BTCPAYGEN_EXCLUDE_FRAGMENTS;zcash"
export BTCPAYGEN_ADDITIONAL_FRAGMENTS="$BTCPAYGEN_ADDITIONAL_FRAGMENTS;zcash-lightwalletd.custom"
```
---
### Step 3: Define the External Node Address
Open your `.env` file:
`nano .env`
Add the following line, replacing the URL with your chosen endpoint:
`ZCASH_LIGHTWALLETD=https://lightwalletd.example:443`
You can use:
* A **public node**, such as `https://lightwalletd.zcash-infra.com`
* Your own self-hosted node, deployed separately from BTCPay Server
> If the external `lightwalletd` becomes unavailable or overloaded, shielded payments will fail.
> For critical services, choose a **stable and proven endpoint** (like the default `zec.rocks`).
> Want to self-host `lightwalletd`?
> You can use the `docker-compose.lwd.yml` from the [Zebra repository](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra/blob/main/docker/docker-compose.lwd.yml).
> **Warning:** This setup is not officially documented and requires manual TLS setup, port forwarding, and firewall configuration - recommended for advanced users only.
---
### Step 4: Re-run the Installer
`. ./btcpay-setup.sh -i`
BTCPay Server will apply your custom config and connect to the specified `lightwalletd` node.
From now on, the Zcash plugin will use that external endpoint for handling shielded transactions.
## Hosting BTCPay Server at Home with Cloudflare Tunnel
Want to accept Zcash payments while hosting BTCPay Server on a home device - like a Raspberry Pi 5 or any local server **without a static IP**?
You can securely expose your instance to the internet using **Cloudflare Tunnel**.
This method avoids port forwarding and hides your real IP address from the public - while keeping your server accessible over HTTPS.
It also helps you **avoid the cost of renting a VPS**, which is ideal if cryptocurrency payments are an optional feature rather than the core of your business.
---
### Step 1: Install Cloudflare Tunnel
1. Create an account at [cloudflare.com](https://www.cloudflare.com) and add your domain.
2. On your **home server**, install Cloudflare Tunnel:
```
sudo apt update
sudo apt install cloudflared --legacy
```
3. Authenticate with Cloudflare:
`cloudflared tunnel login`
This command will open a browser window. Log in and authorize access to your domain.
Cloudflare will automatically create a `credentials` file with a token on your server.
4. Create a new tunnel (you can name it `btcpay` or anything else):
`cloudflared tunnel create btcpay`
This generates a `btcpay.json` file containing the tunnel ID and credentials - you'll need it in the next step.
---
### Step 2: Create Tunnel Configuration File
Create the configuration directory (if it doesn't exist) and open the config file:
```
sudo mkdir -p /etc/cloudflared
sudo nano /etc/cloudflared/config.yml
```
Paste the following configuration:
```
tunnel: btcpay # your tunnel name
credentials-file: /root/.cloudflared/btcpay.json
ingress:
- hostname: btcpay.example.com # your domain
service: http://127.0.0.1:80
- service: http_status:404
```
#### Explanation:
* `tunnel` - name of the tunnel you created earlier
* `credentials-file` - path to the token file generated during `cloudflared tunnel login`
* `hostname` - your domain registered with Cloudflare (e.g. `btcpay.example.com`)
* `service` - local address of your BTCPay Server (usually `http://127.0.0.1:80` for Nginx)
> Cloudflare will proxy traffic securely to your local server, without exposing your home IP.
### Step 3: Add a DNS Record for Your Tunnel
After creating the tunnel, Cloudflare will usually **automatically add a CNAME DNS record** for your domain. It should look like this:
`btcpay.example.com -> .cfargotunnel.com`
If it doesn't appear automatically, add it manually:
1. Go to your [Cloudflare Dashboard](https://dash.cloudflare.com/)
2. Navigate to the **DNS** section
3. Add a new CNAME record:
- **Name**: `btcpay`
- **Target**: `.cfargotunnel.com`
You can find the exact value in your `btcpay.json` file or by running:
`cloudflared tunnel list`
- **Proxy status**: Enabled (orange cloud)
> This record ensures that all requests to `btcpay.example.com` are routed through the Cloudflare Tunnel, hiding your real IP address from the public.
---
### Step 4: Enable Tunnel on System Startup
To make the tunnel run automatically at boot, install it as a system service:
`sudo cloudflared service install`
Then enable and start the service:
```
sudo systemctl enable cloudflared
sudo systemctl start cloudflared
```
Check the status:
`sudo systemctl status cloudflared`
You should see a message like `Active: active (running)` and confirmation that `btcpay.example.com` is online.
> From now on, the tunnel will start automatically on every reboot, and your BTCPay Server will be publicly accessible - without port forwarding and without exposing your real IP.
---
### Step 5: Finalize BTCPay Server Setup
If you're about to install BTCPay Server for the first time, set your domain before running the setup script:
`export BTCPAY_HOST="btcpay.example.com"`
This ensures the correct domain is used when generating the **Nginx configuration** and **SSL certificates**.
If BTCPay Server is already installed and you're just adding the tunnel:
```
cd ~/BTCPayServer/btcpayserver-docker
. ./btcpay-setup.sh -i
```
The setup will regenerate configs and apply the new domain.
You should now be able to access your server at:
`https://btcpay.example.com`
> Whether you're using a public `lightwalletd` or your own full node, this does not affect the tunnel.
> All that matters is that BTCPay Server is listening on `127.0.0.1:80` locally.
## Configuring the Zcash Plugin in the BTCPay Server Web Interface
> **Important for multi-store setups:**
> The Zcash wallet configured here is **global** to the instance. All stores will use this wallet unless you run separate BTCPay instances.
After successfully deploying your BTCPay Server instance, you'll need to perform some basic configuration via the admin web interface.
The official documentation provides full instructions in English - here, we'll walk through the essential steps and focus specifically on configuring the Zcash plugin.
---
### Step 1: Log in to the Web Interface
Visit your instance at:
`[https://btcpay.example.com](https://btcpay.example.com)`
- Enter your administrator login and password.
- If this is your first time logging in, you'll be prompted to create an account.
- The first account you register will automatically be assigned admin privileges.
---
### Step 2: Install the Zcash Plugin
1. In the main menu, go to:
`Plugins -> Browse Plugins`
2. Locate the **Zcash (ZEC)** plugin. Use the search bar if needed.
3. Click **Install** and confirm.
> Repeat this process for any other altcoins you enabled during server configuration.
After installation, click **Restart Server** to reload the interface with the active plugins.
### Step 3: Connect Your Wallet via Viewing Key
After installing the plugin, a new **Zcash** section will appear in the settings menu.
1. Go to:
`Zcash -> Settings`
2. Paste your **Unified Full Viewing Key (UFVK)** - BTCPay will derive a Unified Address for each invoice and detect incoming shielded payments.
> **Note:** Legacy Sapling viewing keys are supported, but to use Orchard/Unified Addresses you should provide a **UFVK**.
Example format:
`uview184syv9wftwngkay8d...`
3. Enter a value in the Block height field
* **First-time setup with a new wallet (new seed phrase):** enter the current Zcash block height (you can check it at 3xpl.com/zcash) - this speeds up initial scanning.
* **Migrating on the same server from a legacy Sapling-only setup to Unified Addresses / Orchard:** leave this field empty.
* **Moving your store to a new server with the same wallet/UFVK:** optionally enter the birth height - an approximate height of your store's first paid order (match the order date on 3xpl to narrow the scan). If unsure, leave it empty.
> Not all wallets support **Unified Full Viewing Key (UFVK)** export yet.
> Recommended options:
> – [**YWallet**](https://ywallet.app/installation)
> – [**Zingo! Wallet (version for PC)**](https://zingolabs.org/)
> In both apps, look for UFVK export in the backup/export section.
These keys support **automatic address rotation**, meaning:
- Every customer gets a **unique** payment address
- You see a **single, unified** balance
You can find a broader compatibility list on [ZecHub -> Wallets](https://zechub.wiki/wallets).
Once all fields are filled out, click **Save**.
---
### Test Your ZEC Payment Flow
Congratulations - your Zcash wallet is now connected to BTCPay Server.
Let's run a test:
1. Go to:
`Invoices -> Create New`
2. Generate a test invoice for a small amount in ZEC.
3. Send funds from **a different wallet** (not the one connected to BTCPay).
4. Once the transaction is detected, the invoice page will display a visual celebration.
5. Confirm that the invoice status changes to **Paid**.
If everything works - you're ready to integrate ZEC payments into your website using the API or CMS plugins.
## Integrating BTCPay Server with Your Website
Once your Zcash wallet is connected to BTCPay Server, you can integrate the payment system into your website.
There are several ways to do this - from direct API access to ready-to-use plugins for popular CMS platforms.
---
### Integration Options
- **API Integration**
Ideal for custom-built websites or systems without a CMS.
Gives you full control over invoice creation, payment tracking, and notifications - all within your own interface and logic.
Requires basic programming knowledge, so this task is best handled by your developer.
- **CMS Plugins**
Available for platforms like **WooCommerce**, **PrestaShop**, and others.
These plugins allow you to accept payments in just a few minutes - no coding required.
- **Payment Button or Iframe**
The simplest method.
Perfect for landing pages, personal websites, or any site where you just want to embed a donation link or checkout widget.
---
### API Integration
If you're using a custom platform (or no CMS at all), the API is the best option.
It gives you complete flexibility: you can create invoices, track their status, receive notifications, and fully control the user experience.
> Note: Even some CMS plugins use the API under the hood, so creating an API key is often the **first required step**, regardless of your integration method.
Next step: generate an API key for your store and start using the [Greenfield API](https://docs.btcpayserver.org/API/Greenfield/v1/) to build your integration.
### Generating an API Key
To integrate BTCPay Server with your website or app, you'll need to generate an API key.
1. Log in to BTCPay Server and open the **user menu** (top-right corner)
2. Go to **API Keys**
3. Click **Create a new API key**
4. Enter a name for your key
5. In the **Permissions** section, enable:
- `Can create invoice`
- `Can view invoice`
- *(Optional)* `Can modify store settings` - only if you need store-level management
6. Click **Generate**. Your personal API key will be displayed - copy and store it securely.
> This key grants access to your store's invoices.
> Do **not** share it publicly or expose it in client-side code.
---
### Example: Creating an Invoice via API
**Endpoint:**
```
POST /api/v1/stores/{storeId}/invoices
Authorization: token {apiKey}
Content-Type: application/json
```
**Request body:**
```
{
"amount": 5,
"currency": "ZEC",
"checkout": {
"speedPolicy": "HighSpeed",
"paymentMethods": ["Zcash"]
}
}
```
**Response:**
You'll receive a JSON object with:
* `invoiceId`
* A payment URL that you can embed on your website or send to the customer
See full documentation:
[Greenfield API – Create Invoice](https://docs.btcpayserver.org/API/Greenfield/v1/#operation/CreateInvoice)
---
### Setting Up a Webhook (Optional)
To receive real-time notifications when invoice statuses change (e.g. when a payment is received):
1. Go to your store settings -> **Webhooks**
2. Add the URL of your backend endpoint that will handle `POST` requests from BTCPay Server
3. BTCPay will automatically send notifications when an invoice is paid or expires
Webhook payloads and retry logic are described in the [official webhook documentation](https://docs.btcpayserver.org/FAQ/General/#how-to-create-a-webhook-).
> Example integrations are available for various programming languages in the BTCPay docs and GitHub repositories.
### CMS Integration
BTCPay Server supports plugins for popular content management systems (CMS).
The most mature and widely used integration is with **WordPress + WooCommerce**, making it easy to accept ZEC payments **without writing code**.
---
#### WooCommerce (WordPress)
BTCPay Server officially supports a plugin for WooCommerce.
Steps to integrate:
1. Install the **BTCPay for WooCommerce** plugin from the WordPress plugin directory or from GitHub.
2. In your WordPress admin panel, go to:
`WooCommerce -> Settings -> Payments`
3. Find **BTCPay** in the list and click **Set up**
4. Enter your BTCPay Server URL and follow the authorization instructions
(automatic API key generation is recommended)
5. Enable the payment method and save your settings
> Detailed instructions, video tutorials, and troubleshooting guides are available in the plugin documentation.
You'll also find other CMS integration options in that same section of the BTCPay docs.
---
### Payment Button or Iframe (No CMS or API Needed)
If you don't use a CMS and don't want to work with APIs, the easiest way to accept ZEC payments is to **embed a payment link or widget** directly on your website.
This method is ideal for:
- Landing pages
- Portfolio sites
- Blogs or static pages
- Projects without a backend server
---
#### Option 1: Payment Button (Link)
1. In BTCPay Server, manually create an invoice in the **Invoices** section
2. Copy the payment link, e.g.:
`[https://btcpay.example.com/i/abc123](https://btcpay.example.com/i/abc123)`
3. Add the link to your HTML:
```
Pay with ZEC
```
---
#### Option 2: Embedded Invoice (Iframe)
To display the invoice directly on your site, use an iframe:
``
> You can style the button or iframe container to match your site's design - BTCPay Server allows flexible theming of the invoice page.
## Conclusion
This guide was long - but it only covers the foundational aspects of integrating Zcash payments with BTCPay Server.
The BTCPay Server interface offers far more functionality than we've shown here. Luckily, the UI is available in multiple languages (including Russian), making it easy to explore and experiment further.
BTCPay is a highly flexible tool. You can:
* Host multiple independent stores on a single instance
* Define custom roles and permissions for team members - from order view-only to full admin
* Use your own domains and branding
* Set up webhooks, fallback wallets, and even Tor access
* Configure advanced settings such as tax rules, discount codes, checkout page customization, payment method restrictions, and more
BTCPay was built as an open-source alternative to centralized payment providers. If you're looking to accept private ZEC payments with no intermediaries, this platform is absolutely worth your attention.
We wish you success exploring the BTCPay ecosystem and making your payments truly yours.
## Resources
* [BTCPay Server Official Website](https://btcpayserver.org/)
* [BTCPay FAQ](https://docs.btcpayserver.org/FAQ/)
* [BTCPay Server GitHub Repository](https://github.com/btcpayserver/btcpayserver)
* [BTCPay Server Mainnet Demo](https://mainnet.demo.btcpayserver.org/login?ReturnUrl=%2F)
* [Zcash Plugin for BTCPay (GitHub)](https://github.com/btcpay-zcash/btcpayserver-zcash-plugin)
* [Zcash Plugin Installation Guide](https://github.com/btcpay-zcash/btcpayserver-zcash-plugin/blob/master/docs/installation.md)
* [Custom zcash-lightwalletd.custom.yml Example](https://github.com/btcpay-zcash/btcpayserver-zcash-plugin/blob/master/docs/zcash-lightwalletd.custom.yml)
* [Lightwalletd Docker Compose File (Zebra)](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra/blob/main/docker/docker-compose.lwd.yml)
* [BTCPay API Key Docs (Greenfield API)](https://docs.btcpayserver.org/API/Greenfield/v1/#tag/API-Keys)
* [Create a Cloudflare Tunnel](https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/connections/connect-networks/get-started/create-remote-tunnel/)
* [Zcash Wallet Compatibility List (ZecHub)](https://zechub.wiki/wallets)
* [Zebra + Lightwalletd on Raspberry Pi 5 (ZecHub)](https://free2z.com/ZecHub/zpage/zcash-101-zebra-lightwalletd-sync-journal-on-raspberry-pi-5)
---
# Visualizing the Zcash Network
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/visualizing-the-zcash-network
# Visualizing the Zcash Network
The following is a guide on how to run the Ziggurat 3.0 Crawler for Zcash as well as the associated programs Crunchy and P2P-Viz on Ubuntu 22.04 for gathering and visualizing Zcash network information.
The linked video below follows the same process.
----------------
## Install Requirements:
Rust -> [https://rustup.rs/](https://rustup.rs/)
## Optional:
jq -> [https://jqlang.github.io/jq/download/](https://jqlang.github.io/jq/download/)
(for displaying json information in the terminal)
curl -> [https://everything.curl.dev/get/linux](https://everything.curl.dev/get/linux)
(for querying the crawler RPC)
npm (with nvm) -> [https://medium.com/@iam_vinojan/how-to-install-node-js-and-npm-using-node-version-manager-nvm-143165b16ce1](https://medium.com/@iam_vinojan/how-to-install-node-js-and-npm-using-node-version-manager-nvm-143165b16ce1)
(for displaying P2P-Viz in the browser)
----------------
----------------
Ziggurat 3.0 Repository | [https://github.com/runziggurat](https://github.com/runziggurat)
Crawler Repo | [https://github.com/runziggurat/zcash.git](https://github.com/runziggurat/zcash.git)
Crunchy Repo | [https://github.com/runziggurat/crunchy.git](https://github.com/runziggurat/crunchy.git)
P2P-Viz Repo | [https://github.com/runziggurat/p2p-viz.git](https://github.com/runziggurat/p2p-viz.git)
----------------
Begin by applying normal updates.
> Run the following commands:
```bash
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
```
----------------
## Zcash Network Crawler
The Zcash Crawler lives inside of a folder named 'zcash' so it may be advisable to create a new directory before cloning the crawler (runziggurat/zcash repo).
> From the /Home directory, Run the following commands:
```bash
mkdir runziggurat
cd runziggurat
git clone https://github.com/runziggurat/zcash.git
cd zcash
```
Navigate in browser to
[https://github.com/runziggurat/zcash/blob/main/src/tools/crawler/README.md](https://github.com/runziggurat/zcash/blob/main/src/tools/crawler/README.md)
Or open the readme at
'/runziggurat/zcash/src/tools/crawler/README.md'
This page contains information about specific usage.
----------------
```bash
$ cargo run --release --features crawler --bin crawler -- --help
OPTIONS:
-c, --crawl-interval
The main crawling loop interval in seconds [default: 5]
-h, --help
Print help information
-r, --rpc-addr
If present, start an RPC server at the specified address
-s, --seed-addrs ...
A list of initial standalone IP addresses and/or DNS servers to connect to
-n, --node-listening-port
Default port used for connecting to the nodes [default: 8233]
-V, --version
Print version information
```
`--seed-addrs` \ `--dns-seed` is the only required argument and needs at least one specified address for it to run.
----------------
The command 'cargo run --release --features crawler --bin crawler -- --help' is the literal run command and will print the help menu shown.
> Run the command
```bash
cargo run --release --features crawler --bin crawler -- --help
```
This will compile the program and ensure everything is working properly.
To run the Crawler, it is required to add a '--seed-addrs' flag to the start command, containing at least one, valid, Zcash node IP address. The crawler should be allowed to run for a reasonable amount of time to get an accurate result. Some sample node IP addresses can be found on [https://zcashblockexplorer.com/nodes](https://zcashblockexplorer.com/nodes).
To get information from the Crawler while its running, it is required to add the '--rpc-addr' flag to the start command. This isn't required to only run the crawler itself but will otherwise require stopping the crawler (ctrl+c or SIGKILL) to display any information at all.
> Run the command
```bash
cargo run --release --features crawler --bin crawler -- --seed-addrs 157.245.172.190:8233 194.135.81.61:8233 35.233.224.178:8233 --rpc-addr 127.0.0.1:54321
```
The crawler will begin communicating with the network (default every 20 secs) and gathering network data.
Information from the Crawler can be displayed by using curl to query the node (this requires jq for displaying that info).
The Crawler RPC address in this example is set to '127.0.0.1:54321'
> In another Terminal, Run the command
```bash
curl --data-binary '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "id":0, "method": "getmetrics", "params": [] }' -H 'content-type: application/json' http://127.0.0.1:54321/ | jq .result.protocol_versions
```
This will display the current collected '.protocol_version' data contained within the '.result' field. The '.result' field is very large so it is useful to call specific portions of it instead. Other useful data types are '.num_known_nodes', '.num_good_nodes', '.user_agents' etc. See the metrics section [Here](https://github.com/runziggurat/zcash/tree/main/src/tools/crawler#metrics)
----------------
----------------
To run Crunchy and P2P-Viz, it is required to pipe the '.result' into a .json file.
> Run the command
```bash
curl --data-binary '{"jsonrpc": "2.0", "id":0, "method": "getmetrics", "params": [] }' -H 'content-type: application/json' http://127.0.0.1:54321/ > latest.json
```
This will create a 'latest.json' file in the current directory.This 'latest.json' file will be used with Crunchy.
At this point, the Crawler may be stopped with 'ctrl+c' if no more data is required. The Crawler will output a report to the terminal of useful information.
----------------
## Crunchy
Crunchy is required to aggregate the output json file for use with P2P-Viz.
To build Crunchy, navigate to your '/runziggurat' folder
> To clone into the Crunchy repo, Run the following commands
```bash
git clone https://github.com/runziggurat/crunchy.git
cd crunchy
```
Copy and paste the 'latest.json' file into the 'crunchy/testdata/' folder.
> Run the following commands
```bash
cargo run --release -- -i testdata/latest.json -o testdata/state.json -g testdata/geoip-cache.json -f Zcash
```
This will create a Zcash node filtered 'state.json' file in the 'crunchy/testdata/' folder to be used with P2P-Viz.
----------------
## P2P-Viz
To build P2P-Viz, it is required to have npm.
> To install npm with nvm, run the following commands:
```bash
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.35.3/install.sh | bash
```
Close and restart the terminal.
> Run the command:
```bash
nvm install --lts
```
navigate to your '/runziggurat' folder
> To clone into the P2P-Viz repo and start, Run the following commands
```bash
git clone https://github.com/runziggurat/p2p-viz.git
cd p2p-viz
npm i
npm run build
npm run start http
```
----------------
Open a browser at [http://localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000).
Select 'Geolocation' and then select 'Choose state file'.
From the file explorer pop-up, select the 'state.json' file.
The node explorer World Map will populate with the file data. See the readme [Here](https://github.com/runziggurat/p2p-viz#build-and-run-the-app) for more details on usage options and settings.
----------------
TIPS!
You can set the Crawler on a timed crawl simply with the 'timeout' command which will issue a specific kill command after a set amount of time. Run 'timeout --help' for more info.
The following command will start and also automatically stop the crawler after 50 mins.
> Run the command
```bash
timeout --signal=2 50m cargo run --release --features crawler --bin crawler -- --seed-addrs 157.245.172.190:8233 194.135.81.61:8233 35.233.224.178:8233 --rpc-addr 127.0.0.1:54321
```
----------------
TIPS!
The 'latest.json' can be called and written into the '/testdata' so you don't have to manually copy and paste it.
----------------
TIPS!
IP Address information can be gathered from the output and then used to reseed the Crawler at start (--seed-addrs). This will reduce the time required to conduct a full crawl!
---
# Visualizing Zcash Addresses
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/visualizing-zcash-addresses
# Visualizing Zcash Addresses
If you're learning about Zcash for the first time you will immediately realize there are two types of [transactions](https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/transactions) that can occur: *transparent* and *shielded*.
Furthermore, if you have been keeping up with the latest developments in the Zcash ecosystem, you may have learned about [Unified Addresses](https://electriccoin.co/blog/unified-addresses-in-zcash-explained/), or UA's.
When folks in the Zcash industry talk about *shielded* transactions, they mean transactions that involve addresses that are encoded for either the sapling or orchard protocols.
UA's are designed to unify *any* type of shielded or transparent transaction into a single address. This generalization is the key to simplifying the UX moving forward. The purpose of this guide is to supplement understanding of UA's with concrete visual examples.
## Types of Zcash addresses
Currently there are three main types of addresses in use to date. These include
* transparent
* sapling
* Unified Address (Full)
First thing to notice is how the length of each type of address is different. You can see this visually by the number of characters in the address string *or* by looking at the associated QR codes. As length of the address increases, the QR code tends to zoom out and fit more data into the square.
* `t1goiSyw2JinFCmUnfiwwp72LEZzD42TyYu` is 35 characters long
* `zs1cpf4prtmnqpg6x2ngcrwelu9a39z9l9lqukq9fwagnaqrknk34a7n3szwxpjuxfjdxkuzykel53` is 78 characters long
* `u1ckeydud0996ftppqrnpdsqyeq4e57qcyjr4raht4dc8j3njuyj3gmm9yk7hq9k88cdkqfuqusgpcpjfhwu3plm2vrd32g8du78kzkm5un357r4vkhz4vhxd4yfl8zvszk99cmsc89qv4trd7jzkcs8h6lukzgy25j8cv76p0g603nrrg6yt6cxsh2v8rmkasskd69ylfyphhjyv0cxs` is 213 characters long
Second thing to notice is the prefix of each address string -- transparent start with a *t*, sapling with a *zs*, and finally UA's with a *u1*.
It is important to note:
#### "Orchard payment addresses do not have a stand-alone string encoding. Instead, we define "unified addresses" that can bundle together addresses of different types, including Orchard. Unified addresses have a Human-Readable Part of "u" on Mainnet, i.e. they will have the prefix "u1". "
## Unified Address receivers
As discussed [here](https://medium.com/@hanh425/transaction-privacy-78f80f9f175e) one can build UA's with different receivers -- some combination of transparent,sapling, and orchard address types.
Besides a full UA, here are the most common that you will find in the wild:
* transparent + sapling
* transparent + orchard
* sapling + orchard
* orchard
First thing to note is that each of these UA's are from the same private key! Second thing to note is the lengths of each type of UA:
* t+s `u13qutpuktq026dwczvxmnh8mxdacsjx3kg2rrhzgns8zsty53t9y0hqp5d440zc9w7z7zkkjqw8dq0uuc0mkt883464mq8mkys7l4xjnhylh7u3u02ukknurm5yxerqlf500y2atq28e` 141 characters
* t+o `u1yvwppp7ann6n3pgkysdu0spvr50w4jf4jwgme3c8x8fp4av59rupgvdd3fddc3f2cwrk3ghs5lxt87ggj8cvjuzcrf4jkejwlu9pc83gk2vtx03ucqcc3ed0furcuypqs6d6swu3nws` 141 characters
* s+o `u1dq8kg78fgpjsc7dn2ynpdzc8xu99wra0jec4jy30rjqk5frsj62qtgqcu9nn0j8g352phlwprshancgxcuhdcclx0wxtvqylhmuegas7ul8hwnwggy727l05pyujuywtnn4nkfznctaelpkcrqcm9cxhkgv3t9jtrvgym7la5varrmzc` 178 characters
* o `u1cysntkxwt0h4sahp7rhj7u27pgc2ga7685ekf65g0d5ht5glkfm4zkumhvkd2zg2pdrgv3mrwq2x3vw2yl5u7zef3cr2nqwrzu7v2dsa` 106 characters
Third thing to note is how visually each UA is slightly different! The power of UA's is the *choice* they allow for end users. If in the future a new protocol is needed, UA's will be ready to roll.
## Sources
https://zcash.github.io/orchard/design/keys.html
https://medium.com/@hanh425/transaction-privacy-78f80f9f175e
---
# Zcash Devtool
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/zcash-devtool
# The Zcash Devtool
[What is the Zcash-Devtool?](https://github.com/zcash/zcash-devtool?tab=readme-ov-file)
The Zcash Devtool is a platform for hacking on Zcash. It is built by developers, for developers, for testing & development of new Zcash functionality; and should not be considered production-ready. The command line API that this tool exposes can & will change at any time and without warning. DO NOT commit significant funds to the management of the zcash-devtool embedded wallet.
### Video tutorial of Zcash Devtool:
Kris Nuttycombe (@nuttycom) presented this tool during ZconVI.
---
For a step by step guide for how to get started using these tools, see [this walkthrough](https://github.com/zcash/zcash-devtool/blob/main/doc/walkthrough.md). It documents a full walkthrough of how to set up and use the zcash devtool tooling. It is intended to serve as a guide for how to get setup and how to add your own functionality to the tool.
**Security Warnings:**
DO NOT USE THIS IN PRODUCTION!!!
The app has not been written with security in mind. It does however have affordances such as encryption of the mnemonic seed phrases that should make it viable for small scale experimentation, at your own risk.
### Advanced (librustzcash tutorial )
[view video here](https://free2z.cash/uploadz/public/ZcashTutorial/librustzcash-a-rust-crates.mp4)
---
# Zcash Improvement Proposals
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/zcash-improvement-proposals
# Zcash Improvement Proposals
# What is ZIP
A Zcash Improvement Proposal (ZIP) is a design document providing information to the Zcash community, or describing a new feature for Zcash or its processes or environment. The ZIP should provide a concise technical specification of the feature and a rationale for the feature.
We intend ZIPs to be the primary mechanism for proposing new features, for collecting community input on an issue, and for documenting the design decisions that have gone into Zcash. The Owner(s) of the ZIP (usually the authors(s)) are responsible for building consensus within the community and documenting dissenting opinions.
Because the ZIPs are maintained as text files in a versioned repository, their revision history is the historical record of the feature proposal.
-> [zips.z.cash](https://zips.z.cash)
## ZIP Editors
For every ZIP that comes in, it must undergo the review process. ZIP editors are tasked with ensuring the format and content of any ZIP adequately describes terms, rationale and technical changes made.
```markdown
* Jack Grigg, Kris Nuttycombe and Daira-Emma Hopwood associated with the ECC.
* Conrado, and Arya, associated with the ZF.
* Sam and Mark, associated with SL.
```
## Notable Current ZIPs
Statuses and titles below were checked against the ZIP index at [zips.z.cash](https://zips.z.cash/#index-of-zips) on 18 August 2026. A ZIP's status changes over time, so treat the index as the source of truth.
> Draft: [Transparent Zcash Extensions](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0222)
> Draft: [Transfer and Burn of Zcash Shielded Assets](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0226)
> Draft: [Issuance of Zcash Shielded Assets](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0227)
> Withdrawn: [Withdrawn Version 6 Transaction Format](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0230) — obsoleted by ZIP 229, which now defines transaction version 6. See the NU6.3 list below.
> Draft: [Transaction Identifier Digests & Signature Validation for Transparent Zcash Extensions](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0245)
> Draft: [Standardized Memo Field Format](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0302)
> Draft: [Sapling Address Signatures](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0304)
> Draft: [Light Client Protocol for Payment Detection](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0307)
> Draft: [Security Properties of Sapling Viewing Keys](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0310)
> Active: [Defining an Address Type to which funds can only be sent from Transparent Addresses](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0320)
> Draft: [Wallet.dat format](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0400)
## NU6.3 (Ironwood) ZIPs
NU6.3 is described in ZIP 258, together with the additional ZIPs listed here. The full candidate set is published on the [ZIP index](https://zips.z.cash/#nu6-3-candidate-zips).
> Draft: [Deployment of the NU6.3 Network Upgrade](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0258)
> Draft: [Version 6 Transaction Format](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0229)
> Draft: [Orchard to Ironwood Migration](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0318)
> Draft: [NU6.3 Consequences for Wallets](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0326)
> Proposed: [Ironwood Quantum Recoverability](https://zips.z.cash/zip-2005)
> Reserved: [Restricting Transfers into the Orchard Pool](https://zips.z.cash/zip-2006)
Three earlier ZIPs are also updated for NU6.3: [ZIP 209](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0209), [ZIP 213](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0213) and [ZIP 317](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0317).
---
# Zingolib and Zaino Tutorial
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/zingolib-and-zaino-tutorial
# Z3: (zebrad)(zaino)(zingo-cli)
**zebrad** : zcash full node
**zaino** : zcash blockchain indexer
**zingo-cli** : zcash command line zaino-proxy client (subset of Zingolib)
## Video
## Big Picture
[System Architecture](https://github.com/zingolabs/zaino/blob/dev/docs/zaino_live_system_architecture.pdf)
- Zcash User Installs/Compiles Zingolib Which gives access to zingo-cli. They can send/recieve ZEC as needed.
- Zingo-cli connects to zaino either locally or via a secure channel online (Zcash user doesnt care how this works!)
- Zaino allows access to either zebrad or zcashd
- Fully synced zebrad is source of truth (no more wallets here!)
## Installation
You will need to intall 3 things for this to work correctly. I also recommend screen or something similar to help with screen management
`sudo apt install screen`
### zebrad
```
git clone https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra.git
cd zebra
cargo install --git https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra --tag v2.0.1 zebrad
```
*optional* (create a screen session for zebrad)
```
screen -S zebra
zebrad start
```
note: this will need to fully sync!
### zaino
```
git clone https://github.com/zingolabs/zaino.git
cd zaino
cargo build --release
PATH=$PATH:~/Desktop/zaino/target/release/
```
*optional* (create a screen session for zaino)
```
screen -S zaino
cd ~/zaino/zainod
nano zindexer.toml => Adjust port to 8232 for mainnet
zainod --config zindexer.toml
```
### zingo-cli
```
git clone https://github.com/zingolabs/zingolib.git
cd zingolib
cargo build --release --package zingo-cli
```
*optional* (create a screen session for zingo-cli)
```
screen -S zingo
./zingo-cli --server http://127.0.0.1:8137 --data-dir /media/zebra5/zebra/.cache/lightwalletd
```
note: this will need to fully sync, just like lightwalletd did. I recommend using an external drive to save time :)
## Running
If your running these in screens, `screen -r` will list each screen for you to move to as needed
---
# Zenith Installation
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/zenith-installation
# Zenith GUI Full Node Wallet Installation
## Video Tutorial
---
## Install Haskell
> curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://get-ghcup.haskell.org | sh
## Install Rust
> curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
## Install Zebra
> sudo apt install libclang-dev
> cargo install --git https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra --tag v2.1.0 zebrad
> zebrad generate -o ~/.config/zebrad.toml
> nano ~/.config/zebrad.toml
#### listen for RPC queries on localhost
> listen_addr = "127.0.0.1:8232"
#### automatically use multiple CPU threads
parallel_cpu_threads = 0
enable_cookie_auth = false
## Install Zenith
**Download tar.gz and untar into your home directory**
> wget https://code.vergara.tech/Vergara_Tech/zenith/archive/0.7.2.0-beta.tar.gz
> tar -C ~ -xvzf 0.7.2.0-beta.tar.gz
> cd zenith
> rmdir zcash-haskell
> git clone https://git.vergara.tech/Vergara_Tech/zcash-haskell.git
### Install Depedencies
> sudo apt install libssl-dev libgmp-dev libsecp256k1-dev libtinfo-dev libsdl2-dev libfreetype-dev libglew-dev gdk-pixbuf-tests raspi-config
> cargo install cargo-c
> stack install c2hs
> mousepad ~/.bashrc
> export PATH="/home/zebra5/.local/bin:$PATH"
> source ~/.bashrc
### Adjust source for aarch64
> nano configure
**change triple to: "aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu" on both lines.**
> nano Setup.hs
**Modify Setup.hs in both the zcash-haskell folder and zenith folder**
### Compile
- ./configure
- cabal build
- mkdir ~/Zenith
- cd ~/Zenith
- mkdir assets
- cp ~/zenith/dist-newstyle/build/aarch64-linux/ghc-9.6.5/zenith-0.7.2.0/build/zenith/zenith ~/Zenith
- cp ~/zenith/zenith.cfg ~/Zenith
- cp -r ~/zenith/assets ~/Zenith/assets
### Adjust zenith.cfg
nodeUser = yourusername
nodePwd = superSecret
nodePort = 8234
dbFileName = zenith.db
zebraHost = 127.0.0.1
zebraPort = 8232
> cd ~/Zenith
## Raspi-config
> [download latest gldriver-test](https://archive.raspberrypi.org/debian/pool/main/g/gldriver-test/)
> sudo dpkg - gldriver-test_0.15_all.deb
> sudo raspi-config
**go to advance and select opengl => GL (Full KMS)**
**reboot**
## Run zenith
./zenith gui
or
./zenith tui
or
./zenithserver
## RPC's
[howto](https://github.com/ZecHub/zechub/blob/main/site/tutorials/zenithserver/zenithBeta.md)
---
# Zero Knowledge vs Decoy Systems
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/zero-knowledge-vs-decoys
# Zero Knowledge vs Decoy based Systems
"Cryptocurrency exposes all your spending activities to the public since it's just like a Twitter to your Bank account and this is a great issue that must be solved by adopting on chain privacy." - Ian Miers at [Devcon4](https://youtube.com/watch?v=9s3EbSKDA3o&feature=share9).
Certain crypto projects have gained recognition for their privacy-centric approaches. Zcash is renowned for employing Zero Knowledge Proofs (ZK) to protect transaction amounts and addresses. Monero stands out for its utilization of a Decoy-based sender obfuscation in combination with other encryption schemes to attain user privacy on the blockchain.
## Understanding ZK Proofs and Decoy Based Systems
Zero Knowledge Proofs are cryptographic systems that allow one party (the prover) to demonstrate to another party (the verifier) the validity of a statement without revealing *any underlying information about the statement itself*. In the context of Zcash, ZK proofs are employed to verify the validity of a transaction without disclosing transaction details such as the SENDER, RECEIVER or transaction AMOUNT.
**This ensures that user privacy is preserved as the transaction remains confidential while still being validated. This technology is designed to ensure the confidentiality of financial transactions on the Zcash network.**
In the Decoy-based systems such as [RingCT](https://twitter.com/ZecHub/status/1636473585781948416), multiple transactions are combined making it challenging or difficult to trace the actual source and destination of funds. The algorithm introduces decoy inputs and outputs in transactions also employing encryption of the addresses used as inputs & using Range proofs to validate the amount transferred is spendable.
This approach obfuscates the transaction trail. The use of decoy inputs makes it challenging for anyone analyzing the blockchain to identify the real sender, receiver, or transaction amount.
**Important Note**: This method of on-chain privacy preserving transaction still explicitly reveals (encrypted) inputs to all user transactions. Metadata such as the *FLOW OF TRANSACTIONS* between different users on the network can still be gathered. If an adversary actively participates in generating transactions on the network, it effectively deanonymises the decoy inputs of other users.
## Advantages of ZK Over Decoy Based Systems
Both Zcash and Monero are privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, but they achieve privacy in different ways.
Here are some advantages of Zcash's zero-knowledge proofs (ZK) over Monero's decoy system:
1) **Selective Disclosure**: With Zcash ZK feature set, users have the option to reveal transaction details to specific parties [Read ECC Blog on Selective Disclosure](https://electriccoin.co/blog/viewing-keys-selective-disclosure/). In Zcash, shielded transactions' encrypted contents allow individuals to selectively reveal data from a particular transfer. Additionally, a viewing key can be provided to disclose all transactions associated with a specific shielded address. This feature allows for regulatory compliance and auditability without compromising the overall privacy of the network.
While Monero's decoy algorithm (ring signature) helps in providing privacy, it does not offer *selective* disclosure in the same way.
2) **Optional Visibility**: Zcash allows users to choose between transparent (non-private) and shielded (private) transactions. This connotes that Zcash offers users the flexibility to either keep their financial information private (shielded) or make it transparent and publicly available similar to most other blockchains as explained on [Zcash official website](https://z.cash/learn/what-is-the-difference-between-shielded-and-transparent-zcash/). This opt-in privacy allows for greater flexibility and business/organisational relevant use cases, as some transactions may require less privacy for public scrutiny, while others benefit from enhanced privacy.
3) **Anonymity Set**: The [anonymity set](https://blog.wasabiwallet.io/what-is-the-difference-between-an-anonymity-set-and-an-anonymity-score/) of zero knowledge shielded pools comprises all transactions that have *ever* occurred. This is significantly larger than most other on-chain techniques for achieving transaction unlinkability. Note: this only applies to transactions within the same shielded pool.
The use of decoys does increase the anonymity set. However this approach is dependent entirely on the number of *real* users on the network.
4) **No Trusted Setup**: Zcash's Sprout & Sapling setup utilized a multi-party computation known as the "trusted setup ceremony". The recent NU5 upgrade did not require any Trust in the integrity of the zero knowledge circuit's setup. [Read ECC Blog on NU5](https://electriccoin.co/blog/nu5-activates-on-mainnet-eliminating-trusted-setup-and-launching-a-new-era-for-zcash/).
5) **Data Privacy**: The [zk-SNARK technology](https://wiki.zechub.xyz/zcash-technology) used in Zcash's shielded pools allows for significantly enhanced security for users. The reduction of metadata leakage on-chain means that users are safe from adversaries such as potential hackers or oppressive state bodies.
There are a number of instances in which bugs have been identified in Monero's decoy selection algorithm. These bugs had the potential to reveal user spends according to a report from [Coindesk](https://coindesk.com/markets/2021/07/27/bug-found-in-decoy-algorithm-for-privacy-coin-monero).
In summary what really matters the most is to reduce or eliminate the leak of user information and data as explained by Zooko at the [Orchid (priv8) AMA live session](https://youtube.com/watch?v=XpRzKqEfpP4&feature=share9)
____
***Reference Links***
https://z.cash/learn/
https://www.getmonero.org/get-started/what-is-monero/
https://youtu.be/9s3EbSKDA3o
https://electriccoin.co/blog/nu5-activates-on-mainnet-eliminating-trusted-setup-and-launching-a-new-era-for-zcash/
https://youtu.be/XpRzKqEfpP4
https://electriccoin.co/blog/zcash-evolution/
https://electriccoin.co/zcash-metrics/
https://electriccoin.co/blog/viewing-keys-selective-disclosure/
---
# Buying ZEC
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/buying-zec
# Obtaining Zcash
## TL;DR
- Buy ZEC on an exchange that supports **shielded withdrawals** (Gemini, BitcoinVN, Flyp.me) when possible
- Most major centralized exchanges (Coinbase, Kraken, Binance) support **transparent withdrawals** only — shield your ZEC after receiving it
- Decentralized exchanges allow non-custodial swaps but typically withdraw to transparent addresses
- You do **not** need to buy a full ZEC — fractions work fine
---
In order to use Zcash in private (shielded) transactions, you need to have ZEC. To get ZEC, you'll need to buy it. You can buy ZEC from a number of different exchanges, which we will list below. It is recommended that you use an exchange that supports shielded withdrawals.
_You can also mine ZEC, but that is usually not possible for average consumers. More on that [here](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/mining-to-shielded-addresses-community-mining-pool/50281) and [here](https://zec.suprnova.cc/StartMining)_.
## Exchanges that support shielded withdrawals
**[Gemini](https://www.gemini.com)**
Gemini is a regulated cryptocurrency exchange, wallet, and custodian that makes it simple and secure to buy ZEC, Ether, and other cryptocurrencies. You can buy ZEC with fiat or other cryptocurrencies.
**[BitcoinVN](https://bitcoinvn.io)**
BitcoinVN is a non-custodial instant exchange that supports shielded (z-address) deposits and withdrawals for ZEC — one of very few exchanges globally with full z-address support. Operating since 2014, you can swap BTC, ETH, USDT, and other cryptocurrencies for ZEC directly to your shielded wallet.
**[Flyp.me](https://flyp.me)**
Flyp.me is a no sign-up crypto exchange. It was one of the safest and most private ways to exchange 30+ cryptocurrencies straight to your wallet. You can buy ZEC with other cryptocurrencies.
## Exchanges that support transparent withdrawals
Most major exchanges support Zcash. See here for a detailed list: [here](https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/custodial-exchanges).
**[Coinbase](https://www.coinbase.com)**
## Decentralized Exchanges that support transparent withdrawals
These exchanges support transparent withdrawals. This means when you withdrawal ZEC to your wallet, you need to send it to your transparent address, your public ZEC address.
Click [here](https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/non-custodial-exchanges) for me details.
When doing this, we recommend using one of the following [wallets](https://zechub.wiki/wallets).
## Common Mistakes to Avoid
- **Withdrawing to a transparent address** when the exchange supports shielded withdrawals — always use your z-address if available
- **Skipping the shielding step** after receiving to a transparent address — use your wallet's "Shield Funds" feature immediately
- **Buying more than needed initially** — start small to learn the flow before larger purchases
---
## Related Pages
- [Wallets](/using-zcash/wallets) — Choose a wallet before withdrawing from an exchange
- [Non-Custodial Exchanges](/using-zcash/non-custodial-exchanges) — Full list of DEXes supporting ZEC
- [Custodial Exchanges](/using-zcash/custodial-exchanges) — Full list of CEXes supporting ZEC
- [Shielded Pools](/using-zcash/shielded-pools) — Why shielded withdrawals matter
- [New User Guide](/start-here/new-user-guide) — Full onboarding checklist for new Zcash users
---
# Faucets
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/faucets
# Faucets
Faucets are services that dispense small amounts of cryptocurrency for free. They are often used by developers to experiment with cryptocurrency and by users to earn small amounts of cryptocurrency without having to buy it. They typically limit the amount of cryptocurrency that an user can receive for a given amount of time.
Mainnet: zecfaucet
Testnet: testnet.zecaucet.com
Testnet: fauzec.com
Testnet: zcashfaucet.jinolabs.xyz
---
# Metamask Snap
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/metamask-snap
# MetaMask Zcash Snap Integration Guide
For a full walkthrough and visual explanation, watch this [**YouTube guide**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJh9Ilkohdw):
MetaMask now supports **shielded Zcash (ZEC)** via the **ChainSafe-developed Zcash Snap**, allowing you to send, receive, and manage private ZEC directly in your browser wallet. Audited by **Hacken** and listed in the **official MetaMask Snaps Directory**, it requires **no separate Zcash software** - only MetaMask and the Snap.
---
## **Prerequisites**
> [**MetaMask Extension**](https://snaps.metamask.io/snap/npm/chainsafe/webzjs-zcash-snap/) (desktop only) - Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.
> MetaMask Account - Seed phrase secured; Snap derives Zcash keys from it.
> Stable Internet Connection - For syncing with the Zcash network.
> Funds - ETH to swap for ZEC or ZEC from an exchange.
> **Tip:** Protect your MetaMask recovery phrase - it controls both ETH and ZEC.
---
## **1. Install the Zcash Snap**
1. Go to the [**MetaMask Snaps Directory**](https://snaps.metamask.io/snap/npm/chainsafe/webzjs-zcash-snap/).
2. Search for [**"Zcash Shielded Wallet"**](https://snaps.metamask.io/snap/npm/chainsafe/webzjs-zcash-snap/) or [**"WebZjs Zcash Snap"**](https://snaps.metamask.io/snap/npm/chainsafe/webzjs-zcash-snap/).
3. Click **Install/Add to MetaMask**.
4. Approve permissions such as:
```
Manage Zcash accounts
Store data on your device
```
---
## **2. (Optional) Add Zcash Network**
In MetaMask, choose **Add Network** and enter:
For **BNB SmartChain**;
```markdown
- Name: BNB Smart Chain
- RPC URL: https://bsc-dataseed.binance.org
- Chain ID: 56
- Symbol: BNB
- Block Explorer URL: https://bscscan.com
```
This enables network info and explorer links.
For **Zcash Mainnet**;
```markdown
- Name: Zcash Mainnet
- RPC URL: https://mainnet.lightwalletd.com:9067
- Symbol: ZEC
```
---
## **3. Connect to ChainSafe WebZjs Wallet**
1. Visit [webzjs.chainsafe.dev](https://webzjs.chainsafe.dev).
2. Click **Connect MetaMask Snap**.
3. Approve the connection.
4. View your Zcash account summary, including:
- Unified addresses and Transparent address
5. Wait for synchronization to complete.
---
## **4. Fund Your Wallet**
> **Swap ETH -> ZEC** - Use services like **LeoDex** and send to your shielded address.
> **Exchange Withdrawal** - Withdraw purchased ZEC to your WebZjs shielded address.
> => Use shielded (z) addresses for **full privacy**.
---
## **5. Send / Receive ZEC**
1. In **WebZjs**, go to **Transfer Balance**.
2. Enter:
```
- Shielded recipient address
- Amount
```
4. Confirm transaction in MetaMask (sign the transaction).
5. Received funds will appear in WebZjs after confirmation.
---
## **6. Verify / Troubleshoot**
> Check **WebZjs** for updated balances **(MetaMask has not listed ZEC directly)** .
> If issues occur:
```
- Confirm you have the official ChainSafe Snap.
- Check correct network settings.
- Ensure correct address format.
- Reconnect via **Connect Snap** if needed.
```
> **Security Tip:** Only install the **audited ChainSafe Snap**; review permissions before approval.
---
## **7. Check Address Components**
1. Go to the **Receive** section - your Unified Address will be displayed by default.
2. Copy the Unified Address and visit the [Zcash Block Explorer](https://mainnet.zcashexplorer.app/).
3. Paste your Unified Address into the search bar.
4. You will now see all the components of the Unified Address, which include:
```
Orchard Address
Sapling Address
Transparent Address
```
---
## **Additional Notes**
> Use the [**latest MetaMask version**](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/metamask/nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn?hl=en) - public release supports Snaps.
> Shielded proofs may take time, WebAssembly handles computation in-browser.
> Recovery is simple,install MetaMask and the Snap, then import your existing seed.
> The Snap defaults to **shielded ZEC**, transparent addresses are **not the focus**.
> Use [zcashblockexplorer.com](https://zcashblockexplorer.com) for transaction confirmations.
---
# Block Explorers
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/blockchain-explorers
# Blockchain Explorers
## What is an Explorer?
Blockchain explorers are simply tools that allow one to visualize what has already happened on a blockchain. They take for inputs: transaction id's, addresses, or block hashes, and visually output what took place.
## List of Zcash Block Explorers:
- [Zcash Block Explorer](https://mainnet.zcashexplorer.app/)
- [Blockchair](https://blockchair.com)
- [3xpl](https://3xpl.com/zcash)
- [Bitquery](https://explorer.bitquery.io/zcash)
---
# Shielded Pools
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/shielded-pools
# Zcash Value Pools
## TL;DR
- Zcash currently has **5 value pools**: Sprout (legacy), Sapling, Orchard (spend-only), Ironwood, and Transparent.
- **Ironwood** is the current primary shielded pool, live since the NU6.3 upgrade on 28 July 2026.
- **Orchard** is now **spend-only**: no new value can enter it, and existing funds migrate out into Ironwood.
- **Sapling** (z-addresses starting with `zs`) remains widely supported and continues to secure a significant amount of shielded ZEC.
- **Transparent** addresses (t...) provide no transaction privacy and operate similarly to Bitcoin.
- **Sprout** is a legacy shielded pool that has been retired from active use.
- The Orchard to Ironwood migration is **in progress** and is audited in public by the turnstile.
- For the strongest privacy guarantees, users should continue to prefer **shielded-to-shielded (z → z)** transactions whenever possible.
## Understanding Zcash Value Pools
Zcash separates funds into distinct accounting systems known as value pools. Each pool has its own cryptographic rules and privacy properties, while the protocol tracks the total value moving between them.
Today, the network contains five primary value pools:
- Transparent — Public and fully visible on-chain.
- Sapling — The first widely adopted modern shielded pool, still active.
- Orchard — The previous primary shielded pool, now spend-only.
- Ironwood — The current primary shielded pool, introduced by NU6.3.
- Sprout — The original shielded pool launched with Zcash in 2016.
As Zcash evolves, new shielded pools may be introduced to improve security, privacy, usability, and auditability while maintaining compatibility with existing funds.
Fig 1: A chart showing the current 4 pools as of October, 2025
## The Shielded Pools
1.
Ironwood Pool
Ironwood is the current primary shielded pool. It activated on 28 July 2026 at block 3,428,143 as part of the NU6.3 network upgrade, and is where new shielded value now lives.
It exists because a vulnerability was found in Orchard's proving system in May 2026. There is no evidence it was ever exploited, but the flaw meant the shielded supply could not be proven sound by the proofs alone. Rather than patch in place, the network created a fresh pool with a corrected circuit and moved value across a turnstile that counts every coin in public. That accounting is what restores the guarantee that the shielded supply is fully backed.
Ironwood reuses Orchard's Action model and Halo 2 proofs, so it behaves the same way day to day. Two things are new: transactions use the v6 format, and Ironwood notes are **quantum-recoverable** under [ZIP 2005](https://zips.z.cash/zip-2005), meaning a coin's on-chain record stays recoverable if a future quantum computer breaks today's cryptography. That is a recovery path, not quantum resistance, and it does not apply to older pools.
You do not need a new address. Unified addresses bundle several receivers, and wallets pick the right pool for you.
____
2.
Orchard Pool
Fig 2: A chart showing the Orchard pool as of October, 2025
The Orchard Shielded Pool was activated on May 31, 2022 as part of the NU5 network upgrade. Orchard introduced a new shielded protocol that eliminated the need for a trusted setup and became the primary shielded pool used by Unified Addresses (UAs).
Orchard significantly improved usability, efficiency, and privacy by reducing transaction metadata leakage and introducing a more flexible transaction model based on Actions rather than traditional shielded inputs and outputs.
Since the Ironwood upgrade activated on 28 July 2026, **Orchard is spend-only**. No new value can enter the pool. Funds already held there can still be spent, and are migrating out into Ironwood through the turnstile. Wallets handle this for you, though most give you some control over the pace.
If you hold Orchard funds, see [Ironwood](/zcash-tech/ironwood) for what the migration means in practice.
____
3.
Sapling Pool
Fig 3: A chart showing the Sapling pool as of October, 2025
[Zcash Sapling](https://z.cash/upgrade/sapling) was an upgrade to the Zcash protocol introduced on 28th of October, 2018. It is a major improvement over the earlier version of the known as Sprout which had some limitations in terms of privacy, efficiency and usability.
Some of the upgrades include improved performance for shielded addresses, Improved viewing keys to enable users view incoming and outgoing transactions without exposing user private keys and Independent Zero Knowledge keys for hardware wallet during transaction signature.
Zcash Sapling enables users to perform private transactions in just a few seconds when compared to the longer duration it took in Sprout Series.
Transaction shielding enhances privacy, making it impossible for third-parties to link transactions and determine the amount of ZEC being transferred. Sapling also improves usability by reducing the computational requirements for generating private transactions by making it more accessible to users.
Sapling wallet addresses begin with "zs" and this can be observed in all supported Zcash Shielded Wallet (YWallet, Zingo Wallet Nighthawk etc.) which has built-in Sapling addresses. Zcash Sapling represents a significant development in technology when it comes to privacy and efficiency of transactions which makes Zcash a practical and effective cryptocurrency for users who value privacy and security.
____
4.
Sprout Pool
Fig 4: A chart showing the Sprout pool as of October, 2025
Sprout was the first ever open permissionless Zero Knowledge privacy protocol ever launched. It was launched on the 28th of October, 2016.
Sprout addresses are identified by their first two letters which is always "zc". It was named "Sprout" for the major purpose of emphasising that the software was young, budding blockchain with great potential to grow and opened for development.
Sprout was used as an early tool for [Zcash slow start Mining](https://electriccoin.co/blog/slow-start-and-mining-ecosystem/) which brought about the distribution of ZEC and Block rewards for Miners.
As the Zcash ecosystem continued to expand with increasing number of shielded transactions, it was observed that the Zcash Sprout Series became limited and less efficient when it comes to user privacy, transaction scalability and processing. This led to the modification of the network and Sapling Upgrade.
---
5.
Transparent Pool
Fig 5: A chart showing the Transparent pool as of October, 2025
The Zcash Transparent pool is unshielded and non-private. Transparent wallet address on Zcash start with the letter "t", privacy is very low in using this address type for transactions.
Transparent transactions in Zcash are similar to Bitcoin transactions which supports multi-signature transactions and make use of standard public addresses.
The Zcash Transparent are mostly used by centralized exchanges to ensure there's high transparency and network confirmation when sending and receiving ZEC between users.
It's also important to note that while Zcash Shielded addresses provides high privacy during transactions, they also require more computational resources to process transactions. Therefore, some users may adopt Transparent addresses for transactions which doesn't require the same level of privacy.
## Pool Transfer Recommended Practice
When it comes to considering high level of privacy during transaction on the Zcash Network, it's recommended you follow the below practices;
Transaction occurring between "z to z" wallets on the Zcash blockchain are mostly shielded and it is sometimes called Private Transaction due to the high level of Privacy generated. This is usually the best and the most recommended way of sending and receiving $ZEC when privacy is required.
---
When you send ZEC from "Z-address" to "T-address", it simply connotes a form of Deshielding transaction. In this type of transaction, the privacy level is not always high as some information will be visible on the blockchain due to the effect of sending ZEC on a Transparent Address. Deshielding transaction is not always recommended when high privacy is required.
---
Transferring ZEC from a Transparent Address (T-address) to a Z-address is simply known as Shielding. In this type of transaction the level of privacy is not always high when compared to that of a z-z transaction but it is also recommended when privacy is required.
---
Sending ZEC from a Transparent Address (T-address) to another Transparent Address (T-address) on Zcash Network (T-T transaction) is very similar to that of Bitcoin transaction and this is why T-T transactions on Zcash are always called Public transactions because both the sender and the receiver transaction details becomes visible to the public which makes the level of Privacy very low in such transaction.
Most Cryptocurrency Centralized exchanges make use of Transparent Address ("T-address) when it comes to transacting on the Zcash blockchain but this type of transaction (T-T) will not have any private properties.
## The Orchard to Ironwood Migration
The migration is happening now. Orchard is sealed to new deposits, and the value still sitting there is moving into Ironwood a transaction at a time. You can watch the totals at [ironwood.live](https://ironwood.live/).
What this means depends on where your funds are:
1. **New shielded activity** goes into Ironwood automatically. Nothing to do.
2. **Existing Orchard funds** need to migrate. Maintained wallets do this for you, usually in stages rather than all at once.
3. **Sapling is unaffected** and still accepts funds. Only Orchard was sealed.
4. **The turnstile counts everything** crossing between pools, which is what proves no coin was invented along the way.
> **One privacy caveat worth knowing.** The turnstile publishes the *amount* that crosses between pools, along with the block height. Sender and receiver stay hidden as always, but a distinctive amount can be linked back to you. This is why wallets migrate in stages using standard denominations instead of moving your balance in one recognisable lump. Let your wallet pace itself, and consider using Tor or a VPN so your IP is not tied to the amounts you move.
See [Ironwood](/zcash-tech/ironwood) for the upgrade itself, and [The Turnstile](/zcash-tech/the-turnstile) for how the accounting works.
## Common Mistakes to Avoid
- **Sending from t-address to t-address** — fully public, no privacy. Always shield funds first.
- **Assuming Orchard still accepts funds** — it is spend-only since 28 July 2026. Value can leave, but nothing new goes in
- **Confusing Sapling and Unified addresses** — Sapling addresses start with `zs`. Unified addresses start with `u1` and bundle several receivers, so the pool your payment lands in depends on which receivers that address carries
- **Leaving funds in the Sprout pool** — Sprout has been deprecated for years; move those funds out
- **Expecting a migration to be completely invisible** — the amount crossing the turnstile is public, even though sender and receiver are not
- **Assuming t → z (shielding) is fully private** — the act of shielding itself is visible on-chain; the contents are not
---
## Related Pages
- [Ironwood](/zcash-tech/ironwood) — The upgrade that created the current pool
- [The Turnstile](/zcash-tech/the-turnstile) — How value moving between pools is audited
- [Wallets](/using-zcash/wallets) — Which wallets are maintained and Ironwood ready
- [Transactions](/using-zcash/transactions) — How to send shielded transactions
- [Buying ZEC](/using-zcash/buying-zec) — Acquiring ZEC before using it in pools
- [ZK-SNARKs](/zcash-tech/zk-snarks) — The cryptographic foundation of shielded pools
- [What is ZEC and Zcash](/start-here/what-is-zec-and-zcash) — Background on Zcash privacy
---
# Transparent Exchange Addresses
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/transparent-exchange-addresses
# What Are Zcash TEX Addresses?
Zcash TEX addresses represent a unique type of receiving address. An acronym for "Transparent Exchange" address, it is a **Unique**, Unified-type (bech32m) encoding of a single p2pkh Transparent address.
Its sole purpose is to inform a compatible wallet to make a Transparent-Only (T -> T) transaction.
The logic is as follows: Upon detecting a TEX Address, a compatible wallet decodes it to obtain the Transparent receiver it contains. The wallet then sends the required funds for the tx from the Shielded pool to a seperate, user-controlled, ephemeral Transparent address (Z -> T). It then sends those funds to the decoded Transparent receiver of the TEX address (T -> T).
The technical proposal for TEX addresses is outlined in Zcash [ZIP 320](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0320), which defines an address type exclusively for receiving funds from Transparent Addresses.
Although TEX addresses not are broadly adopted, Zcash users may be required to use them eventually.
## When Do I Need a TEX Address
### You **Need** a TEX address when sending funds to a Transparent address using a wallet that does not support sending directly to a Transparent address.
Certain wallets simply don't allow for sending directly to a Transparent address and **the recipient may not provide a TEX equivalent**. So, **Converting** from a Transparent to a TEX address may be required at times. This can be achieved manually by running the reference implementation outlined in zip-320. A hosted instance of a **Transparent-to-TEX-Converter** can be found [HERE](https://690e9524c66a3ecac5d54eff--jade-brioche-873777.netlify.app/).
### You Need a TEX address when sending funds to a centralized exchange that **REQUIRES those funds come from a Transparent source**.
Currently, [Binance](https://www.binance.com/) is the only Centralized Exchange using TEX addresses (and they are the primary reason for TEX creation).
TEX addresses inform a compatible wallet that all the funds sent to that address must be transparent and exclude every shielded value from being sent to said address.
If an exchange like Binance rejects the sent value, it has the necessary means to return that value back to the address it came from. It also helps entities like Binance to comply with the laws and regulations imposed by governments or other authorities.
## Which wallets support TEX Addresses?
You can view the most up to date list on our [wallets](https://zechub.wiki/wallets) page. Use the **TEX Address Filter.**
---
# Transactions
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/transactions
# Transactions
ZEC is a widely-used digital asset for payments, offering strong privacy features that make it suitable for various transactions like paying friends, making purchases, or donating. To maximize privacy and security, it is essential to understand how different types of transactions work within Zcash.
## TL;DR
- Zcash supports two kinds of transaction: **shielded**, which keeps the details private, and **transparent**, which records them publicly.
- Shielded addresses begin with `u` or `z`. Transparent addresses begin with `t` and behave much like a Bitcoin address.
- The choice is yours on every payment. Privacy is an option Zcash gives you, not a setting someone else decides for you.
- Withdrawing from an exchange is the most common place people lose privacy. If the exchange only supports transparent withdrawals, shield the funds yourself once they arrive.
- Fees follow [ZIP 317](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0317) and grow with the size of the transaction. Wallets still sending the old flat fee can see their transactions delayed.
- Most Zcash transactions have an expiry height under [ZIP 203](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0203). If a transaction expires before it is mined, it cannot confirm after that expiry height and may need to be sent again.
## Shielded Transactions
---
Shielded transactions occur when you move ZEC into your shielded wallet. Your shielded wallet address starts with a `u` or `z`. When sending shielded transactions, you and the people you transact with can keep a level of privacy not possible on public-by-default payment networks.
Sending a shielded transaction is easiest when you use a wallet that supports the current Zcash network and current shielded pools. Before relying on a wallet for privacy, check whether it supports shielded sending, shielded receiving, and the pool you plan to use. When withdrawing ZEC from an exchange, check whether the exchange supports shielded or transparent withdrawals. If it only supports transparent withdrawals, move the funds into a shielded-capable wallet after they arrive.
Using shielded transactions to send and receive funds is the best way to preserve privacy and reduce the risk of leaking payment data.
## Transparent Transactions
Transparent transactions work similarly to Bitcoin transactions. Transaction details are publicly visible on the blockchain, including transparent addresses and transparent values. Transparent transactions should be avoided when privacy is a priority.
Transparent addresses are still useful in some situations, especially when an exchange or service does not support shielded addresses. If you receive ZEC to a transparent address, consider shielding it before making later payments.
## A Simple Way to Picture It
A transparent transaction is a postcard. The postman delivers it, but anyone who handles it along the way can read the message, see who sent it and see who receives it.
A shielded transaction is a sealed envelope. The postal service still confirms that a real letter with real postage passed through the system, and nobody can forge one or send the same letter twice. What the envelope contains stays between sender and recipient.
The important part is that Zcash lets you decide which one to send, payment by payment.
## Zcash Fees
Zcash does not use Ethereum-style gas units. Zcash transaction fees are paid in ZEC, usually measured in **zatoshis**. One ZEC equals 100,000,000 zatoshis.
[ZIP 317](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0317) defines a conventional fee mechanism that scales with transaction complexity. Instead of every transaction using the old 1,000-zatoshi flat fee, the conventional fee is based on "logical actions" such as inputs, outputs, and shielded actions. Simple transactions commonly start around 10,000 zatoshis, or 0.0001 ZEC, and more complex transactions can require more.
In most current wallets, users should not need to manually calculate ZIP 317 fees. The wallet should choose an appropriate fee automatically. If a wallet still uses the old flat fee or lets you set a fee far below the ZIP 317 conventional fee, the transaction may be delayed, deprioritized, dropped by some nodes, or fail to relay reliably.
## Troubleshooting Stuck Transactions
A Zcash transaction is not final just because it appears in your wallet. It becomes final for ordinary use after it is mined into a block and receives enough confirmations for your situation. Exchanges and services may require more confirmations than a wallet shows by default.
Use this decision tree before resending:
1. **Does your wallet show a transaction ID?**
- If no, the wallet may not have created or broadcast the transaction yet. Check sync status, internet connection, wallet version, and any wallet error message.
- If yes, copy the transaction ID and continue.
2. **Is the transaction confirmed in a block?**
- If yes, wait for the number of confirmations required by your wallet, exchange, merchant, or service.
- If no, continue.
3. **Has the transaction reached its expiry height?**
- If no, do not manually resend the same payment yet. The original transaction may still confirm.
- If yes, the transaction cannot be mined after that expiry height. Your wallet may mark it as expired or failed, and you may need to create a new transaction.
4. **Does the transaction appear on one server or explorer but not another?**
- Treat this as a network visibility issue, not proof that the transaction failed. Different nodes can have different mempool views.
- Wait, resync your wallet, or switch to another trusted server if your wallet supports that.
5. **Did the transaction disappear after appearing confirmed?**
- A short chain reorganization can temporarily remove a transaction from the best chain.
- Wait for more blocks. If the transaction returns, continue waiting for confirmations. If it does not return and later expires, create a new transaction.
6. **Is the wallet asking you to resend?**
- Follow the wallet's current guidance only after checking that the previous transaction is expired, failed, or no longer valid.
- If you are unsure, ask support before sending again.
## Pending, Expired, Dropped, and Reorged
- **Pending** means the transaction has been created or broadcast but has not yet been mined into a block.
- **Expired** means the transaction's expiry height has passed. Under ZIP 203, a transaction with an expiry height cannot be mined after that height.
- **Dropped** means one or more nodes no longer keep the transaction in their mempool. This can happen because of expiry, low fees, mempool policy, restart behavior, or relay differences.
- **Reorged** means a block that previously contained the transaction is no longer part of the best chain. The transaction may be mined again later, or it may return to pending if it is still valid.
## When Not to Resend
Do not resend immediately just because a transaction is pending, slow, or missing from one explorer. Resending too early can cause confusion and, depending on how the wallet builds the new payment, could risk paying twice.
Wait or get support first when:
- The transaction has a transaction ID and has not expired.
- One server shows it while another does not.
- It was recently mined but lost confirmations after a possible reorg.
- The receiving service has not finished counting confirmations.
- Your wallet is still syncing.
It is usually safer to resend only after the wallet clearly marks the transaction as expired or failed, or after support confirms that the original transaction cannot confirm.
## Privacy-Safe Checks
You can check basic transaction status without exposing more information than necessary:
- Check whether your wallet is fully synced.
- Check whether the wallet app is up to date.
- Check whether the transaction has a transaction ID.
- Check whether the transaction is confirmed, pending, expired, or failed.
- Check the current block height and compare it with the transaction expiry height if your wallet shows it.
- For transparent transactions, a block explorer can show the public transaction, addresses, values, and confirmations.
- For shielded transactions, a block explorer can show that a transaction exists, but it cannot show shielded sender, recipient, amount, or memo details.
## What Not to Share Publicly
Never post these in public chat, social media, or an issue tracker:
- Seed phrase or recovery phrase
- Spending key, private key, or wallet backup
- Full viewing key
- Screenshots showing balances, full addresses, memos, QR codes, or exchange account details
- Personal identity documents or account recovery records
A transaction ID is public on the chain, but it can still connect your support question to your identity. If privacy matters, share it only with a trusted support channel.
## What Support Teams Need
When asking wallet, exchange, or service support for help, share only the minimum useful information:
- Wallet or service name
- App version and operating system
- Whether the transaction is shielded, transparent, or between shielded and transparent addresses
- Transaction ID, if you are comfortable sharing it
- Approximate time sent
- Whether the wallet is fully synced
- Current status shown by the wallet
- Exact error message, with private data removed
- Screenshot with balances, addresses, memos, and account details hidden
Support teams do not need your seed phrase, spending key, private key, or full viewing key.
## Common Mistakes
- **Assuming that any wallet listing ZEC can send it privately.** A number of multi-coin wallets support the transparent side of Zcash only. Check the wallet's supported pools before you rely on it for privacy. The [Wallets](https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/wallets) page lists this for each option.
- **Withdrawing to a transparent address and leaving the funds there.** The withdrawal itself is public, and every later movement from that address stays public too. Shield the funds once they arrive.
- **Treating privacy as something you turn on once.** Each transaction is a separate choice. Sending shielded today does not undo a transparent payment you made last week.
- **Reusing a transparent address for everything.** Because transparent activity is permanently visible, a single reused address gradually links payments that had no reason to be connected.
- **Sending with an outdated default fee.** Wallets that have not adopted ZIP 317 may still send the older flat fee, which can leave a transaction sitting unconfirmed.
- **Resending before expiry.** A pending transaction can still confirm until it expires. Check expiry status before creating another payment.
## Note
Please note that the safest way to use ZEC is using shielded transactions whenever the sender, recipient, wallet, and service all support them. Some wallets and exchanges support [unified addresses](https://electriccoin.co/blog/unified-addresses-in-zcash-explained/#:~:text=The%20unified%20address%20(UA)%20is,within%20the%20broader%20Zcash%20ecosystem.), which can combine multiple Zcash receiver types into one address.
## Resources
- [ZIP 203: Transaction Expiry](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0203)
- [ZIP 317: Proportional Transfer Fee Mechanism](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0317)
- [Zcash ZIPs](https://zips.z.cash/)
## Related Pages
- [Wallets](/using-zcash/wallets) - which wallets support shielded sending, and which are transparent only
- [Shielded Pools](/using-zcash/shielded-pools) - Sapling and Orchard, the pools your shielded funds live in
- [Memos](/using-zcash/memos) - encrypted messages that can travel with a shielded transaction
- [Transparent Exchange Addresses](/using-zcash/transparent-exchange-addresses) - TEX addresses and why exchanges use them
- [Custodial Exchanges](/using-zcash/custodial-exchanges) - which exchanges support shielded withdrawals
## ZEC to ZAT Converter
---
# Memos
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/memos
# Memos
#### Sending Encrypted Memos
When sending a Z2Z (shielded-to-shielded) transaction, you're able to include a memo (message) in the transaction. This memo can be used for a number of different things.
#### Signing Transactions
Memos are primarily used for singing payments. Since shielded transactions encrypt your data, you're not able to see who sent you ZEC, and what the ZEC might've been for. Users can use the memo field to sign their name or pseudonym to let their counterpart know who the transaction was from. They can also describe what the transaction was for.
#### Sending a Message
Another use case for the encrypted memo is to send a message to someone with a z-addr. These messages can be about anything, whether it be a [reminder to a friend](https://twitter.com/iansagstette/status/1542142468505870336), or a [sensitive message that needs to remain as private as possible](https://twitter.com/InsideZcash/status/1545800146352578560).
#### Love Notes on the Blockchain
There was a person who sent their partner a love note in one of the first blocks in the Zcash blockchain. Someone found that their partner had sent them a file via a Zcash memo. This file was a ticket to a special event, overseas, that she and her distant lover had been talking about attending together. The memo was a love note.
#### Advanced
Here is how to use Zcash Shielded Memos with the Magic-Wormhole CLI and zcashd to securely send files from one computer to another!:
#### Resources
[The Encrypted Memo Field](https://electriccoin.co/blog/encrypted-memo-field/)
---
# Mobile Top Ups
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/mobile-top-ups
# Mobile Top-up Using Zcash
In this guide, you'll learn how to buy airtime with ZEC.
## Follow these steps:
### 1. Create an account
Visit [Coinsbee.com](https://www.coinsbee.com/en/shop/mobile-top-ups/) and create an account.
### 2. Select your country and network
Scroll to the top left corner and select your country; then choose mobile phone credit and select the network that you'd like to top up (example: MTN).
### 3. Fill in details and purchase
Fill in the correct details and hit the "Buy Now" button. Open the cart to view your order, click continue, and confirm the purchase with $ZEC.
### 4. Payment details
The equivalent amount in $ZEC will be provided, along with a transparent address where the funds should be sent.
### 5. Send the payment
Copy and paste the amount and address carefully. In the memo field, add your YWallet address in case there will be a refund.
### 6. Processing
Once the funds have been sent, your request will be processed within a few minutes.
### 7. Confirmation
Hey… My line has been credited! You could also confirm your email during the payment process so you'll get notified via email once the transaction is completed.
---
### Other Places to Spend ZEC
Recently, Zcash has witnessed several new application areas, making it even more practical for everyday use. Many online stores and merchants accept ZEC as a payment method for goods and services, especially those prioritizing privacy-friendly transactions.
If you own a business and want to start accepting ZEC payments? With [PayWithZash](https://paywithz.cash/), your business could be added to the list of businesses that accept ZEC for the services they provide.
---
# Payment Request URIs
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/payment-request-uris
# Zcash Payment Request URIs
## Overview of Dynamic QR Codes
URI stands for Universal Resource Identifier. They are QR codes that act to prefill information about a transaction within a Zcash wallet. Wallets that recognize this format can construct transactions by either clicking links on web pages or scanning QR codes. Say you have an online coffee shop, your customers can make purchases by scanning these QR codes with their Zcash wallet with a prefilled price and order number.
## Use Cases of Payment Requests
- Online Shopping. Checkout Payment requests are initiated by customers during online purchases.
- Hotel and Accommodation Bookings. Various booking platforms leverage payment request URLs for hotel reservations.
- Online Bill Payments. Utility companies use payment request URLs to enable customers to offset their bills seamlessly.
- Event Ticket Purchases. Event organizers across borders use this mechanism to make ticket purchases easier.
- P2P Payments. Individuals can easily send payment requests to family and friends via messaging apps, with payment links embedded in the messages.
## Details
[ZIP 321](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0321) defines how to construct your own custom payment URI.
How to make Payment Requests with Zcash:
### Code Example
Adding a Zcash Donation Widget to your Website:
---
# Recovering Funds
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/recovering-funds
# Zcash Wallet Fund Recovery
**Why keep your private key?**
Private keys are the secret to the security of your digital assets. Keeping them safe and never sharing them with third parties is essential.
> In this context a **Seed Phrase** can be seen as the equivalent of a private key.
By maintaining control over your private keys, the recovery process is always possible. There are 2 types of Zcash private keys (transparent and shielded), you can easily import them into your wallet, whether by using the Sweep Funds function or importing them as a new account. By keeping control over your private keys, you maintain total control over your assets, ensuring ownership, security and peace of mind.
# Security and Responsibility
It is crucial for users to understand the risks involved in dealing with private keys and to keep these keys protected from unauthorized access. The security of funds depends on the user's responsibility to safeguard their private keys.
> **Before you start:** recovery guides used to point at Ywallet. Its developer has confirmed it will not be updated for the Ironwood (NU6.3) network upgrade, so it can no longer follow the chain. Use **Zkool**, which is by the same developer and is the maintained successor. See [Ywallet is no longer maintained](#ywallet-is-no-longer-maintained) at the bottom of this page.
## Fund Recovery with Zkool
[Zkool](https://github.com/hhanh00/zkool2/releases) is the successor to Ywallet, from the same developer, and supports both transparent and shielded recovery.
Two situations are covered here:
1. **Restoring an account** from a seed phrase, private key, or viewing key
2. **Sweeping funds** out of a wallet that only ever supported transparent addresses
### 1) Restoring an Account
1. Install Zkool from the [releases page](https://github.com/hhanh00/zkool2/releases) and open it
2. On the **Account Manager** (the main page), tap the **+** button to reach the **New Account** screen
3. Enter an **Account Name** to identify this account
4. Turn on **Restore Account?**. This reveals the key and birth height fields
5. Paste your key into **Key (Seed Phrase, Private Key, or Viewing Key)**. Zkool accepts a seed phrase, a Sapling secret key, a transparent extended key, or a viewing key
6. Enter a **Birth Height** if you know roughly when the wallet was first used. This tells Zkool where to start scanning, which saves a lot of time
> **No birth height?** Leave it blank and confirm the warning. Zkool will scan from the start of the chain, which is slower but will not miss anything. If your funds predate the Sapling upgrade of October 2018, leave it blank rather than guessing a later height, or the scan can skip your transactions entirely.
7. Save the account, then sync it
### Restoring a seed from a different wallet
If the seed came from another wallet and the balance looks wrong after syncing, the change address derivation is usually why.
Turn on the **Advanced Options** switch, further down the same New Account screen, and turn on **Use Internal Change** before saving.
Wallets do not all derive change addresses the same way. Restoring a ZODL seed into Zkool without this setting can show a balance that is missing your change notes, which looks like lost funds but is not. Zkool's tooltip for the switch still refers to Zashi, which is what ZODL used to be called.
Two more fields live under **Advanced Options**:
- **Extra Passphrase (optional)**, only if the original wallet used one
- **Account Index**, if the original wallet held several accounts on one seed. The funds may be under a different index
> **These two only appear once a valid seed phrase is in the Key field.** With the field empty, or holding a private or viewing key, Zkool shows just **Use Internal Change** and **H/W Ledger**. Paste the seed first, then open Advanced Options.
### 2) Sweeping Funds from a Transparent-Only Wallet
If your funds are in a wallet that never supported shielded addresses (Trust, Coinomi, Guarda and similar), restore the account first, then move the funds into the shielded pool.
1. Restore the account using the steps above
2. Open the account and go to the **Receive Funds** page
3. Tap the magnifying glass in the top bar (**Find other transparent addresses**). Wallets that rotate addresses, such as Ledger and Exodus, generate many transparent addresses from one seed, and this finds the ones holding funds
4. **Reset and sync the account afterwards.** The newly found addresses only pick up their balances on the next scan, so skipping this makes it look like the sweep found nothing
5. Go to the **Send** page. Near the balance you will find three icon buttons. They have no text labels, so hover or long press to see their names:
- **Shield One** (outlined shield) moves one transparent address at a time
- **Shield All** (solid shield) moves everything from every transparent address at once
- **Unshield All** (open padlock) goes the other way, into a transparent address
> **Shield One is the more private choice.** Shielding several addresses in one transaction publicly links them as belonging to the same person. Zkool warns about this itself before running Shield All.
6. Review the transaction and send it
Unshield All is useful when withdrawing to an exchange that only accepts transparent addresses. The shielding buttons only appear if the account has a shielded address, and Unshield All only if it has a transparent one.
## Recovered funds and the Ironwood pool
Since the Ironwood (NU6.3) upgrade activated on 28 July 2026, the Orchard pool is spend-only. No new value can enter it, and existing value leaves through the turnstile into Ironwood.
If your recovered funds are in Orchard, they will need to migrate before they behave normally. Open the account menu and choose **Note Migration**. The option only shows up when there is actually something to migrate.
The screen is titled **Orchard to Ironwood Migration** and runs in two phases. First it splits non-standard notes into standard denominations, then it moves those notes one at a time. **Migration Speed** is a slider from Ultra Fast to Slow that sets the random delay between steps. **Start Migration** runs the staged process in the background, and you can close the page and resume later. **One Shot** does it in a single pass.
Each step is its own transaction, so each one pays a fee.
> **Migration amounts are public.** When value crosses the turnstile, the amount and the block height are visible on chain, even though the sender and receiver stay shielded. Distinctive amounts can identify you, so prefer the staged migration at a slower speed over one shot, and consider routing your connection through Tor or a VPN first so your IP address is not linked to the amount you moved.
## Deep Recovery with ZExCavator
[ZExCavator](https://github.com/zingolabs/zexcavator) is a recovery tool from Zingo Labs for cases where a normal restore does not work, such as a damaged or partial wallet file.
> Its last update predates the recent network upgrades, so treat it as a last resort and verify any recovered keys in a maintained wallet before relying on the result.
## Ywallet is no longer maintained
Ywallet was the recommended recovery tool on this page for a long time, and many older guides still point at it.
Its developer has confirmed it will not be updated for Ironwood. A wallet that does not support the current consensus rules cannot build valid transactions, so it can no longer be used to move recovered funds. **Zkool**, by the same developer, is the maintained successor and is what this page now uses.
If you already have funds sitting in Ywallet, restore the same seed phrase into Zkool using the steps above.
## Related pages
- [Wallets](/using-zcash/wallets) - which wallets are maintained and their Ironwood readiness
- [Ironwood](/zcash-tech/ironwood) - what the upgrade changed and why funds migrate
- [Memos](/using-zcash/memos) - how encrypted memos work
- [Viewing Keys](/zcash-tech/viewing-keys) - read only access without spending power
---
# Arborist Calls
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/arborist-calls
# Arborist Calls
Zcash Arborist Calls are recurring protocol development meetings focused on network upgrade planning, consensus node implementation work, wallet and infrastructure dependencies, and protocol research.
The official Arborist Calls page is maintained by the Zcash Foundation:
**[https://zfnd.org/arborist-calls/](https://zfnd.org/arborist-calls/)**
## How to Join
The calls alternate between two recurring time slots so that contributors in different regions can participate. Use the official Zcash Foundation page for the current calendar files and Zoom links:
- **15:00 UTC** timeslot
The Foundation page is the source of truth for registration links, calendar files, and meeting access because meeting links can change.
## Notes, Agendas, and Recordings
- Full agendas and minutes: [arboretum-notes](https://github.com/ZcashCommunityGrants/arboretum-notes)
- Recent recordings: [Zcash Arborist Call playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40dyJ0UYTLJqD_3PE9qiJTxse-iHnn1G)
- Zcash R&D discussion: [Zcash R&D Discord](https://discord.gg/xpzPR53xtU)
- Long-form discussion: [Zcash Community Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/)
## Who Should Attend
Arborist Calls are useful for:
- Protocol engineers and researchers
- Node, wallet, SDK, and lightwallet infrastructure developers
- Grant recipients whose work touches consensus, network upgrades, or protocol dependencies
- Community members who want to follow technical decision-making in public
## Playlist
---
# Community Blogs
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/community-blogs
[](https://github.com/Zechub/zechub/edit/main/site/Zcash_Community/Community_Blogs.md)
# Community Blogs
Community members run many excellent blogs covering Zcash, privacy, cryptocurrency, and related topics.
Here are some of the active ones:
| Blog / Author | Description | Link |
|----------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|------|
| How Zcash works | Build a working model of Zcash | [Visit ->](https://community.pgpz.org/zec-shelf/how-zcash-works.html#top) |
| Max Desalle | Mastering Zcash | [Visit ->](https://maxdesalle.com/mastering-zcash/) |
| Mike Rosulek | The Joy of Cryptography | [Visit ->](https://joyofcryptography.com/) |
| James Katz | Personal writings and thoughts on Zcash and privacy | [Visit ->](https://free2z.cash/James_Katz/) |
| Thumbs' Update | Regular ecosystem updates and insights | [Visit ->](https://thumbsup.substack.com) |
| roomatemusing | Musings and community content | [Visit ->](https://free2z.cash/roommatemusing) |
| NerdBank Blog | Technical blog focused on Zcash development and tools | [Visit ->](https://blog.nerdbank.net/) |
| Thor Likes | News, opinions, and commentary on Zcash | [Visit ->](https://www.thorlikes.com/) |
| ZecMec | Zcash-focused articles on Medium | [Visit ->](https://zecmec21.medium.com/) |
| Ian Sagstetter | In-depth articles and newsletter | [Visit ->](https://iansagstetter.substack.com/) |
| Naomi Brockwell (NBTV) | High-profile interviews and content on privacy | [Visit ->](https://naomibrockwell.com/highprofileinterviews) |
| Sqribbles | Creative and community-driven Zcash content | [Visit ->](https://free2z.cash/sqribbles) |
| Str4d | Technical writings from Zcash core developer | [Visit ->](https://words.str4d.xyz/) |
| CipherScan Weekly | Weekly blog posts covering Zcash blockchain analytics | [Visit ->](https://cipherscan.app/) |
| Zcash Shielded News | Weekly privacy and ecosystem news digest | [Visit ->](https://zechub.substack.com/) |
| ZecHub DAO Blog | Articles and educational content from the ZecHub DAO community | [Visit ->](https://zechub.wiki) |
---
Here are some community-submitted blogs. If you would like ZecHub to feature one of your blog posts or add your own blog here, please create a Pull Request with the details!
---
# Community Links
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/community-links
# Zcash Community Links
The Zcash community is a vibrant group of people working towards making ZEC one of the most widely used privacy-preserving cryptocurrencies in the world. The community is made up of diverse individuals from all over the globe - developers, educators, advocates, and builders - united by a shared belief in financial privacy.
----
## Where you can find community members
### Telegram
The Zcash community is very active in its community Telegram. Join to talk about the day-to-day, discuss news and updates, and meet fellow community members: [t.me/Zcash_Community](https://t.me/Zcash_Community)
### Discord
- [Zcash Global](https://discord.gg/zcash) - Main community server
- [Zcash R&D](https://discord.gg/xpzPR53xtU) - Protocol and developer discussions
- [Zcash Foundation](https://discord.gg/na6QZNd) - Foundation updates and governance
- [ZecHub DAO](https://discord.gg/zcash) - Community DAO contributors
### Mastodon / Decentralized Social
- [ZecHub.Social](https://zechub.social/public/local) - Mastodon instance for the Zcash community
- [Bluesky @zcashesp.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/zcashesp.bsky.social) - Zcash en Espanol on Bluesky (moved from X after account suspension)
### Matrix
- [ZecHub Matrix](https://matrix.to/#/#zechub:matrix.org)
### Zcash Community Forum
The [Zcash Community Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/) is the hub for long-form discussions on Zcash - governance, grant proposals, technical debate, and ecosystem announcements. Now stewardship has transferred to the Zcash Foundation following ECC's transition to ZODL.
### X / Twitter
Zcash has an active global presence on X. Key accounts to follow:
| Account | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| [@Zcash](https://x.com/zcash) | Official Zcash account |
| [@ZecHub](https://x.com/zechub) | ZecHub DAO - community education and bounties |
| [@zodl_app](https://x.com/zodl_app) | ZODL wallet (formerly Zashi) |
| [@ZcashFoundation](https://x.com/zcashfoundation) | Zcash Foundation updates |
| [@zcashbrazil](https://x.com/zcashbrazil) | Zcash Brazil community |
| [@ZcashTR](https://x.com/ZcashTR) | Zcash Turkey |
| [@ZcashArabia](https://x.com/ZcashArabia) | Zcash Arabia |
| [@ZcashNigeria](https://x.com/ZcashNigeria) | Zcash Nigeria |
| [@ZcastEsp](https://x.com/ZcastEsp) | Zcast - Spanish language Zcash podcast |
| [@ZkAv_Club](https://x.com/ZkAv_Club) | ZK Audiovisual Club |
| [@cipherscan_app](https://x.com/cipherscan_app) | CipherScan blockchain explorer |
| [@zerodartz](https://x.com/Zerodartz) | Community memes and commentary |
----
## Regional Community Hubs
- [Zcash en Espanol](https://zcashesp.com) - Spanish-speaking community (also on Bluesky after X suspension)
- [Zcash Brazil](https://x.com/zcashbrazil) - Brazilian community
- [Zcash Turkey](https://x.com/ZcashTR) - Turkish community
- [Zcash Arabia](https://x.com/ZcashArabia) - Arabic-speaking community
- [Zcash Nigeria](https://x.com/ZcashNigeria) - Nigerian community
- [ruZcash](https://x.com/ruZCASH) - Russian-speaking Zcash community
- [Zcash Korea](https://x.com/zcash_korea) - Korean community
- [Zcash East Africa](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/privacy-has-landed-in-south-africa-join-in/55706) - South Africa and East Africa
- [genzcash](https://x.com/genzcash) - Youth-focused Zcash community
----
## Resources
- [Zcash Community Website](https://www.zcashcommunity.com/)
- [ZecHub Wiki](https://zechub.wiki)
- [Zcash Grants Hub](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/introducing-zcash-grants-hub-browse-zcg-coinholder-grants-apply-via-betther-ui-and-explore-zechub-dao-proposals/55267)
- [Zcash Global Ambassadors](https://zcashambassadors.com)
- [ZecHub DAO on Dework](https://app.dework.xyz/zechub-2424)
---
# Community Projects
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/community-projects
# Community Projects
Discover tools, wallets, applications, libraries, and ecosystem initiatives built by the Zcash community and the wider zero-knowledge ecosystem.
---
## Education, Media, and Community
### My First Zcash
Educational workbook created by the Zcash global community.
[Visit](https://github.com/massadoptionorg/My-First-Zcash)
### ZECPublish
Censorship-resistant, Zcash blockchain-powered social media. Includes a directory of Zcash users and an anonymous message board.
[Visit](https://www.zecpublish.com)
### ZK Radio
Online radio station to inform, educate, and entertain the Zcash community. Developed by Zcash en Español and the ZKAV Club.
[Visit](https://zcashesp.com/zk-radio/)
### ZShieldHer
Zcash education site for domestic violence survivors.
[Visit](https://zshieldher.com/)
### ZecForge
Creator forge for the Zcash ecosystem focused on onboarding, creator development, and content distribution.
[Visit](https://x.com/zec_forge)
### Mastering Zcash Video Series
Comprehensive educational series covering Zcash technology, cryptography, economics, and governance.
[Visit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWUzh_VtrR8)
### Zcast
Spanish-language Zcash podcast with the latest ecosystem updates.
[Visit](https://www.youtube.com/@ZcastEsp)
### Zero-knowledge Audiovisual Club (ZKAV)
Privacy-first audiovisual collective that trains, co-creates, and provides volunteer AV support for open-source and decentralized tech community events.
[Visit](https://zkav.club/)
### Zcash Network School
Structured educational content for new Zcash users and developers.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-network-school/55269)
### Zectastic
Interactive site featuring Zcash-themed games and live community events.
[Visit](https://zectastic.com/)
### Zec App
Mobile application that aggregates Zcash news, community activity, network information, wallets, exchanges, and ecosystem resources in one place.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zec-app-is-coming-soon/56605)
### PGPZ Community
Community hub for Pretty Good Policy for Zcash (PGPZ), a Washington D.C. policy initiative focused on privacy-preserving digital cash, practical compliance, and the public-interest role of Zcash.
[Visit](https://community.pgpz.org/)
### Gleyo
Community engagement and rewards platform designed for Zcash communities, Web3 projects, and Web2 organizations. It helps communities onboard and engage members through quests, chat, and rewards, while allowing users to earn and withdraw private shielded ZEC.
[Visit](https://gleyo.app/)
### Zcash Grants Hub
Community-focused grants dashboard designed to simplify how Zcash grants are discovered, tracked, and reviewed. It brings grant applications, milestones, budgets, discussions, and analytics into one place by pulling live data from the Zcash Community Grants GitHub repository. The platform aims to provide a clearer and more user-friendly experience for applicants, committee members, and community reviewers.
[Visit](https://staging.zgrantshub.com/)
---
## Wallets and Payment Tools
### Cipherpay
Private payments for the internet. Non-custodial, no KYC. Merchants receive ZEC directly to shielded addresses.
[Visit](https://www.cipherpay.app/en)
### Ezcash
Easy-to-use, fully-featured multiplatform Zcash wallet with autoshielding support.
[Visit](https://blog.nerdbank.net/ezcash-app)
### Nozy Wallet
Orchard-focused Zcash wallet built for Zebrad, supporting fully shielded transactions and secure key management.
[Visit](https://github.com/LEONINE-DAO/Nozy-wallet)
### Overpay.com
Payment gateway that lets users spend shielded ZEC on real-world purchases (currently in alpha).
[Visit](https://overpay.com)
### Zafu Wallet
Open-source privacy wallet for Zcash and Penumbra. Browser extension with client-side proving, verified light-client architecture, cold signing, FROST multisig, and no view key leaving the device.
[Visit](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/zafu-wallet-beta/bhlogefpcebekhjpomlodifcelldoimn)
### ZGo
Zcash Register that enables vendors and merchants to accept Zcash payments.
[Visit](https://zgo.cash)
### Zimppy
Machine Payment Protocol (MPP) for Zcash. Designed for AI agents and automated machine-to-machine workflows. Supports fully shielded Orchard payments.
[Visit](https://zimppy.xyz/)
### Dizzy Wallet
Discord bot providing seamless and secure access to Zcash transactions.
[Visit](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/dizzy-wallet-a-dedicated-zcash-wallet-for-discord/43988)
### ZODL
Flagship Zcash wallet from ZODL (formerly Zashi). Available on iOS and Android. Supports shielded ZEC and NU7 coinholder voting.
[Visit](https://zodl.app/)
### Noir Wallet
Privacy-focused Zcash wallet designed for simple and private ZEC transactions.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/first-look-at-noir-wallet/55667)
### ZecVault
Goal-based savings wallet built on Zcash shielded transactions.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zecvault-a-goal-based-savings-wallet-built-on-zcash-shielded-transactions/55464)
### Zkool
Successor to Ywallet supporting the latest Zcash protocol features including Orchard.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zkool-the-successor-to-ywallet/51139)
### MonteZecret
Experimental lightweight desktop wallet for Zcash written in Rust.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/montezecret-a-desktop-wallet-for-zcash-in-rust-instead-of-tweets/56164)
### Gem Wallet
Multi-chain, open-source, self-custodial wallet that supports sending, receiving, and swapping ZEC.
[Visit](https://gemwallet.com/)
### TIPZ
Live non-custodial tipping platform where every tip arrives as shielded ZEC. Supports cross-chain on-ramps via NEAR Intents.
[Visit](https://tipz.cash/)
### CYZE
A collaborative wallet and coordination platform that allows multiple team members to manage shielded Zcash funds together. It uses FROST threshold signatures, enabling groups to authorize Orchard transactions collectively without giving a single participant complete control over the wallet.
[Visit](https://github.com/USCMig/Cyze)
### Pendrake Watch
A watch-only desktop wallet designed for individuals and organizations that need to monitor shielded funds without having the ability to spend them. It supports transaction and balance monitoring, Orchard and Sapling notes, memo viewing, historical fiat valuation, transaction notifications, wallet encryption, and privacy-focused screen-sharing features.
[Visit](https://github.com/auzum197/pendrake-watch)
---
## Explorers, Data, and Network Dashboards
### CipherScan
Privacy-first Zcash blockchain explorer. Built with Next.js 15, TypeScript, and Rust/WASM. Lookups do not leak query metadata.
[Visit](https://cipherscan.app/)
### Exblo
Block explorer designed for testing transactions on the Zcash Testnet.
[Visit](https://testnet.exblo.app/)
### OpenZcash
Public transparency dashboard for the Zcash Dev Fund, including ZCG and FPF grant accounting, the Lockbox, governance, and disbursements.
[Visit](https://openzcash.org/)
### Zcash Block Explorer
Comprehensive Zcash block explorer from Nighthawk Apps.
[Visit](https://mainnet.zcashexplorer.app/)
### Zcash.Space
Browser-based Zcash Unified Address parser for inspecting Unified Addresses.
[Visit](https://zcash.space/)
### ZecMap
Global map of businesses and locations that accept Zcash.
[Visit](https://zecmap.com/)
### ZECping
Tool to check gRPC response times of Zcash Lightwalletd nodes.
[Visit](https://github.com/emersonian/zecping)
### ZecStats
Dashboard for real-time Zcash network statistics and shielding metrics.
[Visit](https://zecstats.com)
### zecprice
Tracking and data metrics tool for Zcash market price performance.
[Visit](https://zecprice.com)
### Zlink
Directory for finding links, tools, and information about the Zcash ecosystem.
[Visit](https://zlink.click)
### Zecmarket
The privacy-first marketplace of the Zcash ecosystem. Payments settle directly and the platform never holds your funds.
[Visit](https://zecmarket.org/)
### Zecsite
A privacy-focused static website that aggregates Zcash news, statistics, and educational content without using JavaScript.
[Visit](https://zecsite/org)
[Forum](https://free2z.cash/zCat/zpage/zecsite-static-javascript-free-website-generator-in-java-for-zcash-news)
### ZEC-OS
Aretro-style desktop interface that combines various Zcash ecosystem tools and information into one application. It includes a blockchain explorer, mempool viewer, network statistics, historical charts, shielded pool information, mining tools, a Unified Address decoder, calculator, games, terminal, and other utilities.
[Visit](https://www.zec-os.com/)
---
## Identity, Names, and User Experience
### ZcashNames
Human-readable names for Zcash shielded addresses (e.g. `alice.zec` resolves to a Unified Address).
[Visit](https://www.zcashnames.com/)
### Zapp / JustZappIt
Privacy-first messenger that connects ZEC chats to real-world payments.
[Visit](https://www.justzappit.xyz/)
### Zentat
Browser extension that converts fiat currency prices to ZEC in real time as you browse the web.
[Visit](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/zentat/lpndbahladndclecodadoljlplfaldac)
### Shielded Wall
Anonymous confession platform powered by Zcash privacy.
[Visit](https://shieldedwall.org/)
### Ztrash
Disposable email inbox paid for with shielded ZEC.
[Visit](https://ztrash.com/)
### LiveZEC
A privacy-focused tipping platform for streamers that enables viewers to send shielded ZEC directly to a streamer’s self-custodial wallet.
[Visit](https://zec.live/)
### ZecLedger
A privacy-preserving financial tracking and accounting tool for Zcash. It combines a public dashboard for transparent network data with local private accounting that uses viewing keys without exposing them, helping users track balances, transaction history, cost basis, and eventually budgeting and tax-ready reports while keeping their funds secure and private.
[Visit](https://zecledger-web.vercel.app/)
### Authentication with ZcashMe
A privacy-focused authentication system that uses shielded Zcash transactions as a login mechanism. Users scan a QR code and send a small authentication transaction.
[Visit](https://github.com/zcashme/zns-login)
---
## Developer, Testing, and Infrastructure
### Ziggurat
Network test suite for zcashd and Zebra developers. Includes a Zcash crawler.
[Visit](https://github.com/runziggurat/zcash)
### ZecDev
Linux-first toolkit that brings up a Zebra regtest network with faucet, Unified Address fixtures, and lightwalletd or Zaino, plus reusable GitHub Actions for shielded end-to-end flows.
[Visit](https://github.com/zecdev)
### Zebra Coverage-Guided Fuzzing Infrastructure
Systematic testing of Zebra’s parsing, networking, and cryptographic components against malformed inputs.
[Forum](https://github.com/ZcashCommunityGrants/zcashcommunitygrants/issues/234)
### Frost
Threshold signature scheme (FROST) work being advanced for broader adoption in the Zcash ecosystem.
[Paper](https://eprint.iacr.org/2020/852)
### MonteZcret Benchmark
Open-source performance-testing project that evaluates different methods of synchronizing Zcash blockchain data.
[Visit](https://github.com/openkoder/benchmarks_zcash/)
---
## Wider Applications Utilizing Zcash
### aftok
Cooperative, bottom-up business organization model built on Zcash.
[Visit](https://aftok.com)
### ZK Global Credit
Zcash-native credit and voting infrastructure for selective disclosure, settlement readiness, cross-border reputation, and shielded governance.
[Visit](https://voting.zkglobalcredit.tech/)
### Free2z
Tool for anonymous content creation and private donations powered by Zcash.
[Visit](https://free2z.cash)
### Rhea Finance
Zcash gateway providing a browser wallet and cross-chain DeFi access.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/rhea-finance-zcash-gateway-browser-wallet-cross-chain-defi/55073)
### BazaarSwap
Zcash-native DEX that brings shielded ZEC into Web3 DeFi via WalletConnect.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/introducing-bazaarswap-bringing-zec-to-web3-defi/55479)
### DCRDEX
Decred’s decentralized exchange that supports Zcash.
[Visit](https://dex.decred.org)
### Brave Wallet
Browser wallet with Zcash support.
[Visit](https://brave.com/wallet/)
### Nano-GPT
AI platform that provides access to multiple leading AI models while supporting cryptocurrency payments, including Zcash.
[Visit](https://nano-gpt.com/conversation/new)
### zk.poker
A peer-to-peer poker platform that combines end-to-end encryption, mental poker, and Zcash privacy technology. It is designed so that the operator does not need to know players' cards or directly hold the betting funds.
[Visit](https://zkbtc.org/)
---
## Organizations & Labs
### Shielded Labs
Independent, donation-funded Zcash support organization based in Switzerland. The first organization in the ecosystem that has never received Development Fund or block reward funding.
[Visit](https://shieldedlabs.net/)
### Cypherpunk
Company dedicated to privacy, self-sovereignty, and cypherpunk values. Builds tools for individuals who need to protect their digital lives.
[Visit](https://cypherpunk.com/)
---
# Zcash Global Ambassadors
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/zcash-global-ambassadors
# Zcash Global Ambassadors
The Global Ambassador Program identifies community members who make high-quality contributions to the Zcash ecosystem and empowers them to become leaders. Ambassadors grow the Zcash community, drive user adoption, and advance awareness of Zcash's privacy-preserving technology.
## What does an Ambassador do?
- Host physical or virtual meetup events
- Maintain an active presence on social media and create original content about Zcash
- Translate Zcash educational materials into local languages
- Onboard new users and developers to the Zcash ecosystem
- Represent Zcash at crypto conferences and community events
Ambassadors have creative freedom over the activities they plan, enabling them to tailor outreach to their local context.
## [Global Ambassador Website](https://zcashambassadors.com)
## Active Ambassador Communities (2026)
| Region | Community | Key Activity |
|--------|-----------|-------------|
| Latin America | [Zcash en Español](https://x.com/zcashesp1) | Spanish content, ZK AV Club, Zcast podcast |
| Brazil | [Zcash Brazil](https://x.com/zcashbrazil) | Workshops, meetups, Shielded Magazine |
| Turkey | [Zcash Turkey](https://x.com/ZcashTR) | Educational content, Istanbul Blockchain Week participation |
| Arabia | [Zcash Arabia](https://x.com/ZcashArabia) | Arabic educational content, AMAs |
| Ukraine| [Zcask Ukraine](https://x.com/Zcash_ua) | Ukraine |
| Nigeria | [Zcash Nigeria](https://x.com/ZcashNigeria) | Developer education, community onboarding |
| East Africa | [Zcash East Africa](https://x.com/ZcashEastAfrica) | East Africa, Uganda community growth |
| South Africa | [Zcash South Africa](https://twitter.com/Zcash_SA) | South Africa |
| Ghana | [Zcash Ghana](https://x.com/ZcashGH) | Ghana |
| Mexico | [zcashqro](https://x.com/zcashqro) | University outreach and developer onboarding |
| Russia | [ruZcash](https://x.com/ruZCASH) | Russian-language content and community |
| India | [Zcash India](https://x.com/ZcashIND) | Developer education and community growth |
| Korea | [Zcash Korea](https://x.com/zcashkorea) | Korean educational content |
## Apply to Become an Ambassador
You can also get involved by:
- Contributing to [ZecHub DAO](https://app.dework.xyz/zechub-2424) bounties
- Joining the [Zcash Global Discord](https://discord.gg/zcash)
---
# Zcash Media
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/zcash-media
# Zcash Media
"Our role in this collaborative effort is to educate, inspire, and excite current and future Zcashers, building a base of supporters that rivals the largest projects and beyond."
## Background
Produced by [37 LAINES](https://www.37laines.com/) for the public good, Zcash Media's educational videos are all about Zcash and crypto. It is funded by the [Zcash Community Grants](https://x.com/ZcashCommGrants) program, and has become an important player in the Zcash ecosystem.
## Videos
---
# ZCAP
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/zcap
# Zcash Community Advisory Panel
The Zcash Community Advisory Panel, or ZCAP, is a panel conformed by members of the Zcash Community, established as a means to involve the community and soliciting their advisory input whenever the Zcash Foundation needs to make a decision involving or afecting said community. Since it's creation in 2018, the panel has helped define the way to go for the Zcash foundation in many important decisions, some of which include:
[The Zcash Trademark](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/Elections/blob/master/2018-Q2/General-Measures/monetary-policy.md): This vote was about whether the Zcash Foundation should pursue a legal agreement with the Electric Coin Company (ECC) to share the ownership and control of the Zcash trademark
[Monetary Policy](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/Elections/blob/master/2018-Q2/General-Measures/monetary-policy.md): This vote was about whether the Zcash Foundation should advocate for any changes to the Zcash monetary policy, such as the issuance rate, the halving schedule, or the inflation rate
[ASIC Resistance](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/Elections/blob/master/2018-Q2/General-Measures/asicresistance_ballot.md): This vote was about whether the Zcash Foundation should prioritize ASIC resistance as a value and a goal for the Zcash network
[The Zcash Community Grants Committee Election](https://zfnd.org/zcg-election-june-2023/): This vote was about selecting two members of the Zcash Community Grants (ZCG) committee, which is responsible for reviewing and funding grant proposals for Zcash-related projects
[The Zcash Minor Grants Program](https://zfnd.org/launching-the-zcash-minor-grants-program/): This vote was about approving or rejecting grant applications for small-scale Zcash projects that applied for funding from the Zcash Foundation
[Adoption and development of Zcash Shielded Assets](https://vote.heliosvoting.org/helios/elections/5dd57b92-01ed-11ec-a0a8-ae3066fac55d/view), which enables the use of DeFi generic assets within the private by default Zcash ecosystem.
[Election of the Zcash Foundation Board of Directors members](https://vote.heliosvoting.org/helios/elections/960b8832-60f9-11ed-b96e-ee6991044d9e/view)
The idea behind ZCAP is that it is formed by a diverse group of community members with different nationalities, roles and opinions, to guarantee it remains comitted to its goal of representing the voice and interest of Zcash users and stake holders, while maintining an open and diverse network.
As of october of 2023, ZCAP is formed by [188 members](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Y-GbVFA1csIgPbvHOR-1ruOlh7YdA-CHvMtd6R8iSdY/edit#gid=0), and it is expanded frequently. Also, the Zcash Foundation has "expanded the eligibility criteria for ZCAP membership, including criteria that were suggested by members of the Zcash community".
## Prominent Members
- Ian Miers
- Vitalik Buterin
- Michelle Lai
- Naomi Brockwell
- Michae2xl
- Madison Parks
- Chris Burniske
---
# Zcash Podcasts
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/zcash-podcasts
# Podcasts
Want to learn more about the Zcash ecosystem? Here's a list of podcasts you can follow:
Are we missing a good podcast? Contact us on [Discord](https://discord.gg/zcash) and we'll add it to the list.
---
# Zcash Ecosystem Security
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/zcash-ecosystem-security
# Zcash Ecosystem Security
## Ecosystem Security Lead
The Zcash Ecosystem Security Lead role was established through a ZCG grant to provide dedicated security engineering for the wider Zcash ecosystem — particularly ZCG grantees — outside of ECC and ZF.
- **2022–2023:** [earthrise](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-ecosystem-security-lead/42090) served as the first Ecosystem Security Lead. Learn more at [zecsec.com](https://zecsec.com).
- **2024–2025:** ZCG selected [Least Authority](https://leastauthority.com) to continue the role via a new [RFP](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/rfp-zcash-ecosystem-security-lead-2023/45723). Updates can be found [here](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/grant-update-zcash-ecosystem-security-lead/47541).
- **2026:** Shielded Labs [engaged Taylor Hornby](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/shielded-labs-engages-taylor-hornby-as-security-consultant/55421) as a security consultant to bolster Zcash's security capabilities.
## ZCG Security & Vulnerability Disclosure Initiative
The [ZCG Security & Vulnerability Disclosure Initiative](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-security-vulnerability-disclosure-initiative/55545) provides a framework for coordinated disclosure of security vulnerabilities across the Zcash ecosystem.
## Recent Security Updates (2026)
- **Zebra 4.4.1 (May 2026):** [Critical security fix](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zebra-4-4-1-critical-security-fix/55588) released. All node operators are encouraged to upgrade immediately.
- **Zebra 4.3.1 (April 2026):** [Critical security fixes, dockerized mining and CI hardening](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zebra-4-3-1-critical-security-fixes-dockerized-mining-and-ci-hardening/55389) released.
- **Multiple Vulnerabilities Remediated (April 2026):** [Several Zcash vulnerabilities successfully patched](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/several-zcash-vulnerabilities-successfully-remediated/55388) without affecting user funds or privacy.
- **zcashd Advisory (April 2026):** [Advisory to reduce zcashd attack surface](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/advisory-reduce-your-zcashd-attack-surface-by-shielding-it-behind-zebra/55390) by routing traffic through Zebra.
## Responsible Disclosure
The Electric Coin Company and Zcash Foundation both conform to this Responsible Disclosure [standard](https://github.com/RD-Crypto-Spec/Responsible-Disclosure/tree/d47a5a3dafa5942c8849a93441745fdd186731e6) with the following deviation:
> "Zcash is a technology that provides strong privacy. Notes are encrypted to their destination, and then the monetary base is kept via zero-knowledge proofs intended to only be creatable by the real holder of Zcash. If this fails, and a counterfeiting bug results, that counterfeiting bug might be exploited without any way for blockchain analyzers to identify the perpetrator or which data in the blockchain has been used to exploit the bug. Rollbacks before that point, such as have been executed in some other projects in such cases, are therefore impossible. The standard describes reporters of vulnerabilities including full details of an issue, in order to reproduce it. This is necessary for instance in the case of an external researcher both demonstrating and proving that there really is a security issue, and that security issue really has the impact that they say it has — allowing the development team to accurately prioritize and resolve the issue. In the case of a counterfeiting bug, however, just like in CVE-2019-7167, we might decide not to include those details with our reports to partners ahead of coordinated release, so long as we are sure that they are vulnerable."
## Security Resources
- [Zcash Security Advisories](https://github.com/zcash/zcash/security/advisories)
- [Zebra Security Advisories](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra/security/advisories)
- [Report a Vulnerability to ECC](https://electriccoin.co/blog/disclosure-of-a-major-bug-in-cryptonote-based-currencies/)
- [Report a Vulnerability to ZF](https://zfnd.org/contact/)
---
# Cypherpunk Zero NFT
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/cypherpunk-zero-nft
# Cypherpunk Zero
Cypherpunk Zero is a story telling series centered around Zero, a young cypherpunk hacker and freedom fighter. Zero is currently living in a dystopian nightmare and she uses code to fight against the centralized gatekeepers shackling society. The story was inspired by Zcash and Halo cryptography. The creative work is a collaborative effort between ECC, Stranger World, Might Jaxx and select ecosystem partners. The creative work has most notably focused on an [NFT series](https://opensea.io/collection/cypherpunk-zero), but a [prologue comic](https://halo.electriccoin.co/#view-prologue) and [collectible toy](https://mightyjaxx.com/products/cypherpunk-zero) have also been released. The NFT community, mostly active on Twitter, has even created a [decentralized organization (DAO)](https://twitter.com/CypherpunkDAO) to organize and complete projects supporting the campaign, and the broader Zcash community.
## Anti-roadmap Roadmap
We have seen too many projects over-promise and under deliver on their NFT roadmaps. As such, there is no formal roadmap. Trust that we have got some amazing, exclusive perks in the pipeline for NFT holders some expected, some unexpected. Buckle up and join us for the ride.
## Governance
[Snapshot](https://vote.cypherpunkzero.com/)
[Guild](https://guild.xyz/cypherpunkzerodao)
[Commonwealth](https://commonwealth.im/cypherpunk-zero)
## Who is Stranger Wolf?
## Which chain are the NFT's located?
[Ethereum](https://etherscan.io/address/0x3e86d6cf041b719c575f57050697c115f0a53758)
## What are the token allocations?
*Total supply*: 10,000 unique generative NFTs on Ethereum Mainnet
4% of supply (the first 400 NFTs) was airdropped to the projects early supporters who purchased the Zcash X Mighty Jaxx: Cypherpunk Zero Genesis Edition Toy 59.
72% of supply (7,200 NFTs) will be released to the public using a novel whitelisting mechanism that requires using a Zcash wallet supporting encrypted memos (more details below).
24% of supply (2,400 NFTs) will be held by ECC in the Cypherpunk Reserve, for use in future initiatives that advance Zcash and privacy within the Web3 space.
# Cypherpunk Zero v2 Whitelist
Yes the original collection got hacked, the future is unwritten.
## Resources
[Cypherpunk Zero Website](https://halo.electriccoin.co/)
[Cypherpunk Zero Twitter](https://twitter.com/cypherpunkZero)
[Cypherpunk Zero Opensea Collection](https://opensea.io/collection/cypherpunk-zero)
[Cypherpunk Zero DAO Twitter](https://twitter.com/CypherpunkDAO)
[Cypherpunk Zero DAO Discord](https://discord.com/invite/sjfgXys4Jf)
[Cypherpunk Zero NFT Mega Thread](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/cypherpunk-zero-nft-megathread/41502?u=dismad)
---
# Zcon Archive
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/zcon-archive
The following is collection of most Zcon related media in an easy to find location.
# Zcon
Zcon is an annual conference organized by the [Zcash Foundation](https://zfnd.org/).
## Zcon0: Privacy from A to Zcon
Zcon0 was our first annual conference, and it went incredibly well. We spent June 26-28th 2018 in beautiful Montreal
[Zcon0 Playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40dyJ0UYTLK507afWUMgzUYeh-i4qQWS)
## Zcon1: Zero to Privacy Hero
the second annual privacy and technology conference hosted by the Zcash Foundation, was held in Split, Croatia on June 22 to 24th 2019.
[Zcon1 Playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40dyJ0UYTLLjPZaKjdhMoCNanb77_Ztj)
## Zcon2: Privacy All the Way Down
Zcon2 took place on Tuesday, June 8th and Wednesday, June 9th 2021. Zcon2 was a virtual conference
[Zcon2 Playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40dyJ0UYTLLa68H9ibpiSZqeevqKizg4)
## Zcon3: Code Alone Doesn't Cut It
Zcon3 took place in Las Vegas from August 7-9th 2022.
[Zcon3 Playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40dyJ0UYTLJm-Cl7ez3UXp8R4IuUNDfb)
## Zcon4: The Future Has Not Been Written
The in person conference is in Barcelona, Spain July 30-31, 2023 and will be live streamed from the venue.
[Zcon4 Playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40dyJ0UYTLII7oQRQmNOFf0d2iKT35tL)
## ZconV: Zcash Unified
ZconV took place on May 6th-10th, 2024. ZconV was a virtual conference
[ZconV Playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40dyJ0UYTLJ41e2uSOJItvbW1YVR49aR)
## ZconVI: Synergy Through Decentralization
ZconVI took place on March 4th-7th, 2025. ZconVI was a virutal conference
[ZconVI Playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40dyJ0UYTLIIhRk8vu2hkPL_q7OWO7wk)
ZODL (Zcash Open Development Lab)
[Website](https://zodl.com/) - [GitHub](https://github.com/AgoraCyber) - [X/Twitter](https://x.com/zodl_app) - [Discord](https://discord.gg/zodl)
## Mission Statement
ZODL envisions a world without mass financial surveillance, where law-abiding people can transact freely and privately. The organization believes there is no sovereignty without privacy, and that financial privacy should be the default and market access a human right.
## Background & History
ZODL (Zcash Open Development Lab) was founded in early 2026 by Josh Swihart, the former CEO of the Electric Coin Company (ECC). In January 2026, the entire ECC engineering and product team resigned following a governance dispute with Bootstrap, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit board that oversees ECC. The core team that had originally designed, implemented, and maintained Zcash's most critical systems transitioned to ZODL to continue their work independently.
The Zashi wallet, previously developed and maintained under ECC, was rebranded to Zodl under the new organization. Users did not need to take any action, as the app rebranded automatically with the next update.
## Funding
In March 2026, ZODL raised over $25 million in seed funding from a group of prominent investors, including:
- **Paradigm**
- **a16z crypto**
- **Winklevoss Capital**
- **Coinbase Ventures**
- **Cypherpunk Technologies** ($5M investment)
- **Chapter One**
- **David Friedberg**
- **Balaji Srinivasan**
- Additional angel investors from the crypto and technology sectors
The capital is being used to expand development of both the Zcash protocol and the Zodl wallet.
## Leadership
- **Josh Swihart** - CEO & Founder (former CEO of the Electric Coin Company)
The broader team is composed of the original Zcash protocol creators and developers who previously built and maintained Zcash at ECC. This includes deep expertise in cryptography, zero-knowledge proofs, and protocol engineering.
## Products
### Zodl Wallet (formerly Zashi)
Zodl is a self-custodial mobile wallet designed for private Zcash transactions. It combines deep protocol-level knowledge with user-friendly design, hiding complexity while maintaining security.
**Platforms:**
- [iOS (App Store)](https://apps.apple.com/app/zodl/id6444974742)
- [Android (Play Store)](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.electriccoin.zcash)
- [F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/co.electriccoin.zcash.foss/)
- [GitHub](https://github.com/AgoraCyber)
**Key Features:**
- **Shielded by Default:** All transactions use Zcash's shielded pools, hiding sender, receiver, and transaction amounts using zero-knowledge cryptography
- **One-Tap Shielding:** Convert transparent ZEC to private funds with a single tap
- **CrossPay:** Send shielded ZEC while recipients receive their preferred assets (BTC, stablecoins, etc.)
- **Private Swaps:** Built-in swaps powered by NEAR Intents, avoiding centralized exchanges
- **Keystone Integration:** Hardware wallet support for cold storage of shielded ZEC via air-gapped transaction signing
- **Flexa Payments:** Spend ZEC at major retailers including GameStop, Chipotle, Sheetz, and Barnes & Noble
- **Coinbase Integration:** Buy ZEC directly within the wallet without separate exchange registration
- **Encrypted Messaging:** Zcash-level privacy for shielded memos alongside or independent of transactions
- **Unified Addresses:** Simplified address management across Transparent, Sapling, and Orchard pools
- **Tor Support:** Enhanced network-level privacy for transaction broadcasting
**Privacy Commitments:**
- No tracking of wallet activity, transaction history, or user behavior
- Only anonymized crash reports are collected, with no ability to tie data to specific users
### Performance & Impact
Since its original launch as Zashi in 2024, the wallet has driven significant growth in the Zcash ecosystem:
- Grew the Orchard shielded pool from approximately 1M ZEC to 4M ZEC during 2025 (over 400% increase)
- Processed more than $600 million in ZEC swaps since October 2025
## Role in the Zcash Ecosystem
ZODL serves a dual role in the Zcash ecosystem:
1. **Protocol Development:** The team continues advancing core Zcash protocol software and tools, working alongside other ecosystem teams such as the Zcash Foundation and Zingo Labs
2. **User-Facing Products:** Building and maintaining the primary consumer wallet for Zcash, focused on making private digital payments accessible to mainstream users
3. **Shielded Pool Growth:** ZODL's wallet innovations have been described as "the single biggest factor responsible for putting Zcash back on the map"
4. **Open Source:** All work is open-source, allowing anyone to inspect protocol code, audit the wallet, and verify implementations
## Philosophy: Guardian of the Sovereign
ZODL's guiding philosophy is centered on the concept of "Guardian of the Sovereign" -- the belief that individuals should maintain full control over their financial privacy and sovereignty. The organization deliberately prioritizes user sovereignty over platform control, building tools that empower individuals rather than intermediaries.
## Resources
- [ZODL Website](https://zodl.com/)
- [ZODL About Page](https://zodl.com/about/)
- [X/Twitter](https://x.com/zodl_app)
- [Josh Swihart on X](https://x.com/jswihart)
## See Also
- [Electric Coin Company](Electric_Coin_Company.md)
- [Zcash Foundation](Zcash_Foundation.md)
- [Zingo Labs](Zingo_Labs.md)
- [Shielded Labs](Shielded_Labs.md)
---
# Electric Coin Company
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-organizations/electric-coin-company
Electric Coin Company (Sunset)
[Website](https://electriccoin.co) - [Github](https://github.com/zodl-inc) - [X/Twitter](https://x.com/ElectricCoinCo)
> **About that GitHub link.** ECC's repositories are at `zodl-inc`. That is the same organization, renamed when the team moved to [ZODL](/zcash-organizations/zodl). The old `github.com/Electric-Coin-Company` name was registered by an unrelated party in May 2026 and has nothing to do with ECC or ZODL, so do not trust code published there.
## Mission Statement
The mission at ECC is to empower economic freedom. Financial privacy is core to this endeavor, and essential to protect human dignity, security, self-sovereignty, and consent. Obtaining financial privacy should be as easy as closing the curtains in your home. But with the emergence of Web2, power is deeply centralized, and those with control are already in your living room. You cannot close the curtains. We must build something new.
This new system of financial tools, accessible to everyone, will be user-friendly, fully private with options for disclosure, and its supporting infrastructure will be distributed and robust.
## Zodl, formerly Zashi: [iOS](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zashi-zcash-wallet/id1672392439) - [Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.electriccoin.zcash) - [F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/co.electriccoin.zcash.foss/)
Built for Private Payments. Zashi was a self-custody shielded ZEC wallet for encrypted digital transactions, built by ECC and released in 2024.
It was designed to onboard friends and family into Zcash and private digital payments, with an interface simple enough for people with no prior crypto experience to set up a wallet, get ZEC, and start transacting in minutes.
The wallet was renamed **Zodl** in February 2026 after the team moved to ZODL. Existing users did not have to do anything, as the app rebranded on its next update, which is why the store links above open Zodl. It is now maintained there rather than by ECC, so see the [ZODL page](/zcash-organizations/zodl) for current information.
Integrations built during the ECC years:
- [Coinbase:](https://electriccoin.co/blog/coinbase-zashi-1-2-release/) crypto newbies can buy ZEC directly within the wallet skipping the hassles of account registration, KYC, and withdrawing coins from exchanges.
- [Flexa:](https://electriccoin.co/blog/zashi-flexa-integration-is-here-spend-zec-at-thousands-of-retailers/) makes it simple to actually use ZEC, allowing new users to spend it at thousands of retail locations like Barnes & Noble, GameStop, and Chipotle.
- [Keystone:](https://electriccoin.co/blog/drumroll-please-introducing-zashi-keystone-hardware-wallet-integration-for-shielded-zec/) a major breakthrough for the Zcash community that has been years in the making. This integration marks a significant evolution in Zcash usability by enabling cold storage of shielded ZEC.
## Research and Development
The team have led recognised breakthroughs on several occasions, the first being the [launch of Zcash](https://electriccoin.co/blog/zcash-begins/) as the worlds first commerical use of Zero-Knowledge Proofs.
Several more following such as the [Sapling network upgrade](https://electriccoin.co/blog/sapling-activation-complete/) allowing for lighter, shielded transactions with a time reduction of 90% for constructing transactions, and a memory reduction of over 97%, enabling for shielded transactions on a mobile device for the first time.
The most significant breakthrough being the most recent. [The creation and deployment](https://electriccoin.co/blog/nu5-activates-on-mainnet-eliminating-trusted-setup-and-launching-a-new-era-for-zcash/) of the halo2 trustless proving system in Network Upgrade 5 for Zcash. This eliminated the trusted setup and launched a new era for Zcash. Since 2022, this has been active on the Zcash Mainnet and allows users to leverage a more secure & easily upgradeable construction for their payment protocol.
## Collaboration & Partnerships
The ECC team supports and contributes to the Zcash ecosystem in many ways, collaborating with both internal & external teams regularly to help maintain and improve the Zcash protocol.
Partnerships include working with Gemini to enable shielded transactions on their platform, Flexa to enable easy Zcash mobile payments at retal locations, hardware wallet companies like Keystone to enable shielded cold storage of ZEC, Brave for Zcash support in the browser, & other teams in the Zcash ecosystem to bring imrovements to Zcash.
ECC is also a proud sponsor of [PGPforCrypto](https://x.com/pgpforcrypto) a meeting series that brings together professionals, enthusiasts, and experts in the cryptocurrency space to discuss developments, share insights, and foster community engagement. PGPforCrypto is led by Board Member and VP of Strategic Alliances at Electric Coin Co, Paul Brigner.
## Policy & Regulation
ECCs insight and leadership around on-chain privacy and its implications for personal and national security is incredibly valuable for policy makers. Consistent efforts to appropriately guide policy wherever possible have been made since the ECC was founded.
Examples of outreach include dialogue with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) taking part in meetings which resulted in the organizations recommendations for the cryptocurrency sector. As a result of these efforts Zcash became approved by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), the only privacy-protecting cryptocurrency to do so.
## Organizational Structure
The Electric Coin Company is wholly owned by the Bootstrap Project. The Bootstrap Project is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to the uplift of humanity through technology, scientific discovery, education and human organization. Both Bootstrap and the Electric Coin Company have a board of directors, and the Electric Coin Company also has a Scientific Advisory Group.
## Funding
Funding, use of finances, & other related info can be found in the Transparency Reports on their [blog](https://electriccoin.co/blog/).
---
# Zcash Foundation
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-organizations/zcash-foundation
Zcash Foundation
## Mission Statement
Our goal at ZF is to create tools that help sustain open networks, enabling anyone and everyone to protect their own privacy on their own terms. The essence of privacy itself is being able to choose what is or isn't shared with others. Privacy comprises both autonomy and consent; it is essential to human dignity and the healthy continuation of civil society.
## People and Teams
The Zcash Foundation has ~12 employees that are distributed across the world. They focus on protocol development, protocol security, protocol governance, infrastructure development and managing Zcash community events. The Zcash Foundation is not restricted to only working on Zcash and so also engages in developing privacy preserving technologies for [humanitarian aid](https://zfnd.org/sai/) and for the general public good.
Zcash Foundation Grants provides the ecosystem with a means to fund projects that contribute to the privacy ecosystem such as [Zebra](https://zebra.zfnd.org/) (an independant node implementation for Zcash) & [FROST](https://frost.zfnd.org/) as well as [various](https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2021/06/08/tor-project-receives-670k-from-zcash-open-major-grants-for-coding-language-upgrade/) other projects through [Zcash Community Grants Committee](https://zcashcommunitygrants.org/).
The Foundation also holds [Zcon](https://zfnd.org/zcon/), a yearly in-person conference centered on the Zcash ecosystem and supports grassroots, community initiatives such as [Zcon Vozes](https://zfnd.org/zcon-voices/), regional specific [conferences](https://zfnd.org/zcash-dev-summits/), the Zcash Foundation A/V [Club](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/the-zero-knowledge-audiovisual-club/43733), now Zero Knowledge Audio Visual [Club](https://www.zkav.club/) and various other open community [calls](https://zfnd.org/arborist-calls/), community [events](https://zfnd.org/zf-events/#:~:text=Zcomm) and [AMA's](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/community-call-with-the-zcg-candidates-december-2024/49707).
The Zcash Foundation enforces the [Zcash Trademark policy](https://zfnd.org/new-zcash-trademark-policy/) per the updated conditions of it's donation by the Electric Coin Co. which helps "Protect the reputation of Zcash, its associated entities, and the Zcash community" by "identify(ing) official sources of information, reducing the likelihood of fraudulent or incorrect information" and "Identify(ing) official apps and services, reducing the likelihood of fraudulent activities."
## Organizational Structure
The Zcash Foundation is a [501(c)(3)](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/820707962) tax-exempt, non-profit [charity](https://zfnd.org/#:~:text=Committed%20to%20Transparency). In addition to their [Team](https://zfnd.org/#:~:text=Our%20Team), they have a Board of [Directors](https://zfnd.org/#:~:text=Board%20of%20Directors) and facilitate community governance elections by polling the Zcash Community Advisory [Panel](https://zfnd.org/zcash-community-advisory-panel/).
## Funding
The Zcash Foundation no longer receives funding from the Zcash development [fund](https://zips.z.cash/zip-1014) as of November, 2024. Funding for The Foundation is now appropriated through traditional, tax-deductable [donations](https://www.jotform.com/form/251874383638065). Their use of finances can be seen in their quarterly [Transparency Reports](https://zfnd.org/category/transparency-reports/).
## Zcash Community Grants Program
Zcash Community Grants
## Mission Statement
The Zcash Community Grants program funds independent teams entering the Zcash ecosystem, to perform major ongoing development (or other work) for the public good of the Zcash ecosystem.
## People and Teams
The Zcash Community Grants is managed by a committee, which currently consists of five people. This community reviews and approves grant applications from third party teams who want to build on the Zcash protocol. More info on the [Team](https://zcashcommunitygrants.org/committee/)
Recent projects that have been approved by the ZCG are Zcash Shielded Assets (ZSA) led by the QEDIT team. Bringing DeFi to ZEC with Zcash with a new payments protocol adding additional features to the Zcash mainnet.
Zcash Media's Short Documentary featuring notable Zcashers such as Edward Snowden, Zooko & Deirdre Connolly with the purpose of creating relevant, entertaining and educational videos to be widely shared.
Hardware wallets integration of Ledger to fully support Sapling shielded transactions, this allows Zcash to be stored privately & securely. This has been carried out by the Zondax Team.
An Easy one-click shielded payment and Point-of-sale system for brick and mortar shops SDK being undertaken by ZGo.
The Global Ambassador program helps Zcash gain broader representation internationally and for in-person community events around the world.
Several more projects have been reviewed by the Zcash Grants Committee, see a [Full, Updated List](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FQ28rDCyRW0TiNxrm3rgD8ai2KGUsXAjPieQmI1kKKg/edit?gid=135980745#gid=135980745) of submitted projects.
## Organizational Structure
The Zcash Community Grants is an independent organization from the Electric Coin Company and the Zcash Foundation.
## Funding
The Electric Coin Company receives 8% of the [Zcash development fund](https://zips.z.cash/zip-1014). They use these funds to support third party development teams and also for internal operations.
## Resources
[Zcash development and governance](https://z.cash/zcash-development-and-governance/)
## How to Submit a Grant Application via ZCG (GitHub + Community Forum)
Shielded Labs
[Shielded Labs](https://shieldedlabs.net/) is an independent, donation-funded Zcash support organization based in Switzerland. Its mission is to build unstoppable private money that empowers human freedom and self-sovereignty, with a focus on work that advances the sustainability, security, and scalability of the Zcash network.
Shielded Labs adds independent engineering capacity to the Zcash ecosystem. It is not part of the Electric Coin Company, the Zcash Foundation, or Zcash Community Grants, and it describes itself as the first Zcash ecosystem organization that has not received direct or indirect funding from the Development Fund or block rewards.
## Mission and Role
Shielded Labs focuses on protocol and infrastructure work that can make Zcash more resilient over the long term. Its public materials emphasize:
- Human freedom and financial privacy
- Independent funding outside the Development Fund
- Respect for ZEC holders and coinholder input
- User autonomy and self-sovereignty
- Technical innovation for sustainability, security, and scalability
- Collaboration with other Zcash contributors
The organization contributes through direct engineering, public research, infrastructure support, and ecosystem coordination. It also maintains public resources for governance polling and coinholder-directed funding, helping Zcash community members understand when and how they can participate in governance signals.
## Current Projects
Shielded Labs publicly lists several active project areas:
- [Network Sustainability Mechanism](https://shieldedlabs.net/nsm/) - A set of proposed changes intended to support Zcash's long-term security budget while preserving the 21 million ZEC supply cap. The NSM work includes voluntary ZEC burns, issuance smoothing, and fee-burning proposals described in ZIPs 233, 234, and 235.
- [Crosslink](https://shieldedlabs.net/crosslink-faq/) - A proposed hybrid consensus upgrade that would combine Zcash's proof-of-work block production with proof-of-stake finality, so ZEC holders could help secure the network while miners continue producing blocks.
- [Dynamic Fees](https://shieldedlabs.net/fees/) - Research and tooling for more predictable, user-friendly, and resilient Zcash transaction fees as the network evolves.
- [Zero](https://shieldedlabs.net/zero/) - A supported suite of open-source Zcash infrastructure software for exchanges, mining pools, wallet providers, and other organizations that rely on Zcash infrastructure.
- [Ironwood](https://shieldedlabs.net/ironwood/) - A Zcash network upgrade and shielded pool created in response to the Orchard counterfeiting vulnerability, designed to restore independently verifiable soundness of Zcash's circulating supply.
## Ironwood Contribution
In 2026, Shielded Labs played an important role in the ecosystem response to the Orchard counterfeiting vulnerability. The vulnerability was discovered by Shielded Labs security researcher Taylor Hornby and disclosed to Zcash Open Development Lab (ZODL), which coordinated an emergency remediation with other Zcash contributors.
After the emergency fix, the community still needed a way to restore independent confidence in Zcash's circulating supply. Ironwood addressed that by creating a new shielded pool using the corrected Orchard circuit and by sealing the original Orchard pool so funds could leave only through the turnstile. Shielded Labs worked alongside Project Tachyon, Valar Group, ZODL, and the Zcash Foundation on the design, review, and ecosystem preparation for Ironwood.
This work demonstrated one of Shielded Labs' core roles in Zcash: adding independent protocol-development and security capacity outside the original Zcash development organizations.
## Governance Work
Shielded Labs also publishes governance information for Zcash community members. Its governance page tracks protocol governance polls, ZCAP participation, coinholder-directed funding, and supported voting wallets. This helps make Zcash decision-making easier to follow for coinholders, ZCAP members, and broader community participants.
Zcash does not use automatic on-chain governance for protocol changes. Polls and community input are advisory signals that feed into the broader rough-consensus process. Shielded Labs' governance work helps make those signals more accessible and easier to verify.
## Resources
- [Shielded Labs website](https://shieldedlabs.net/)
- [Shielded Labs projects](https://shieldedlabs.net/projects/)
- [Network Sustainability Mechanism](https://shieldedlabs.net/nsm/)
- [Crosslink FAQ](https://shieldedlabs.net/crosslink-faq/)
- [Dynamic Fees](https://shieldedlabs.net/fees/)
- [Zero](https://shieldedlabs.net/zero/)
- [Ironwood](https://shieldedlabs.net/ironwood/)
- [Governance and polling](https://shieldedlabs.net/governance/)
- [Shielded Labs GitHub](https://github.com/ShieldedLabs)
---
# Zingo Labs
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-organizations/zingo-labs
# 
ZingoLabs
[Official Website](https://zingolabs.org/) - [Github](https://github.com/zingolabs) - [X/Twitter](https://x.com/ZingoLabs) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/zingolabesp/)
ZingoLabs is a team of visionaries dedicated to enhancing the human experience. We believe that technology should benefit humanity and that we thrive through consensual interactions. We are identifying the patterns that make this possible.
Zingo Lab Cyan operates as a Shielded DAO. We store our funds in a treasury where every member has a view key. Funds are spent from the treasury when members vote in favor of a proposal.
## Projects
### Zingo! Wallet ([Github](https://github.com/zingolabs/zingo-mobile))
Zingo Wallet is a fully featured Zcash wallet designed for user friendliness, although it includes some advanced features for more advanced users. It supports transparent, Sapling and Orchard pools, has an address book for recurrent payments and is available in various languages. It was the first wallet to support Orchard and to implement NU5 formats.
One of the main features of Zingo! is its ability to use the Memo field to offer valuable insights about your transactions.
Zingo! is available for mobile devices and PCs. You will find all downloads [here](https://zingolabs.org/)
### Zingolib ([Github](https://github.com/zingolabs/zingolib))
An API and test-app that exposes zcash functionality for app consumption. Zingolib provides both a library for zingo-mobile, as well as an included cli application to interact with zcashd via lightwalletd called Zingo-cli, a command line lightwalletd-proxy client.
### Zaino Indexer ([Github](https://github.com/zingolabs/zaino))
Zaino is an Indexer developed in Rust by the Zingo team, that aims to replace lightwalletd and to push forward the zcashd deprecation project.
Zaino offers essential features for both light clients, such as wallets and applications that do not require the full blockchain history, and full clients or wallets. It also supports block explorers, granting access to both the finalized blockchain and the non-finalized best chain and mempool managed by a Zebra or Zcashd full validator.
### ZLN (zcash-local-net) ([Github](https://github.com/zingolabs/zcash-local-net))
A set of utilities that launch and manage Zcash processes. This is used for integration testing in the development of:
- lightclients
- indexers
- validators
Its goal is to offer a highly adaptable and sturdy testing environment for core nodes (validators) such as zcash and zebra, indexers like lightwallet and zaino, minimally, zingo-cli as a light client wallet.
This repository is designed to compare the functionality of various validators (like Zcashd and Zebrad) and indexers (such as Lightwalletd and Zaino) to facilitate the migration during the Zcashd deprecation process.
In addition to providing tools to start, cache, and load Zcash chain data (for mainnet, testnet, and regtest), zcash-zocal-net includes a series of tests to compare the capabilities of Lightwalletd and Zaino across all Lightwallet RPC services. These tests can be executed directly from Zaino (see [https://github.com/zingolabs/zaino/blob/dev/docs/testing.md](https://github.com/zingolabs/zaino/blob/dev/docs/testing.md)]) to assess the Lightwallet RPC services hosted in Zaino.
---
# Zgo Payment Processor
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/zgo-payment-processor
## Setting up an account
To create a ZGo account, a Zcash wallet with a small amount of ZEC is required. The small ZEC balance covers the on-chain fee for the account-initialization transaction. Any major Zcash wallet works for this; see [ZecHub Wallets](https://zechub.wiki/wallets) for current options.
The basic setup:
1. Open [zgo.cash](https://zgo.cash/) in a browser.
2. Create an account using a Zcash wallet under the merchant's control. This wallet must hold the keys. An exchange deposit address will not work (see [Common mistakes](#common-mistakes)).
3. Verify the wallet by sending the small initialization transaction.
4. Configure the receiving address. All payments processed through this account will land in this wallet.
Once the account is active, the same merchant can use ZGo for one-off payments (a single QR code at a pop-up event) or wire it into a permanent setup through Xero or WooCommerce.
## ZGo with Xero
[Xero](https://www.xero.com/) is a cloud accounting platform used by many small and mid-size businesses. The ZGo–Xero integration lets a merchant issue an invoice in Xero, have the customer pay it in ZEC, and have Xero automatically mark the invoice as paid once the transaction confirms.
How it works:
1. The merchant creates an invoice in Xero as usual.
2. ZGo attaches a Zcash payment option to the invoice.
3. The customer pays in ZEC through their wallet.
4. ZGo monitors the [Zcash blockchain](https://z.cash/) for the transaction.
5. After five confirmations, ZGo reports the payment back to Xero, which marks the invoice as settled.
The ZEC lands in the merchant's wallet, not in any ZGo-controlled or Xero-controlled account. The accounting record in Xero stays in sync with the on-chain settlement automatically.
For first-time setup, follow the dedicated walkthrough: [Xero Integration Configuration](https://hedgedoc.vergara.tech/s/4iXC67fmb).
## ZGo with WooCommerce
For online shops running on [WooCommerce](https://woocommerce.com/) and [WordPress](https://wordpress.org/), ZGo provides a dedicated plugin. The plugin adds Zcash as a payment method at checkout and handles the order state automatically when the payment confirms.
End-to-end flow inside a WooCommerce store:
1. The customer reaches checkout and selects Zcash as the payment method.
2. The plugin generates a payment request and shows the QR code on the checkout page.
3. The customer pays from their wallet.
4. The transaction broadcasts to the Zcash network and ZGo begins monitoring it.
5. After five confirmations, ZGo reports the payment as final to the plugin.
6. The plugin marks the WooCommerce order as paid and updates the order database.
The order is only paid when step 6 completes. Earlier states (broadcast, first confirmations) can be shown to the customer as "payment received, awaiting confirmation," but inventory, fulfilment, and any downstream automation should wait for the final state.
The plugin also installs an administrative dashboard inside WordPress, where the merchant can monitor orders and incoming ZEC payments alongside the normal WooCommerce order view. The plugin supports all current Zcash address types: Orchard, Sapling, and Transparent. Customers paying from any compliant wallet can complete the transaction.
## Features
**Non-custodial.** Payments move directly from the customer's wallet to the merchant's wallet through shielded transactions. ZGo never holds the funds in between, and the merchant retains full control throughout.
**Flexible deployment.** ZGo can be used for a single afternoon at a pop-up market, for a permanent point-of-sale setup, or as the backend for an online store through the Xero or WooCommerce integrations.
**Browser-based.** No install on either the customer or the merchant side. ZGo runs in any modern browser on desktop or mobile.
**Wallet compatibility.** Major Zcash wallets, including those supporting Orchard, Sapling, and Transparent address types, can pay a ZGo invoice without extra configuration on the customer's side.
**Integrations.** Direct integrations with Xero (accounting) and WooCommerce (e-commerce) cover the two most common merchant workflows out of the box.
## Common mistakes
**Treating the order as paid before five confirmations.** A broadcast transaction is not the same as a confirmed payment. The transaction can still fail to confirm or be replaced. Only after five confirmations does ZGo report the payment as final, and only then should the order be marked paid downstream. If a merchant configures inventory or fulfilment to trigger on the broadcast event, fraudulent or failed payments will cause real losses.
**Pointing ZGo at an exchange deposit address.** It looks like a Zcash address, but exchange deposit addresses are controlled by the exchange, not the merchant. The exchange holds the keys, which means the exchange holds the funds, which defeats the reason for using a non-custodial processor. The wallet address configured in ZGo must be a wallet whose seed phrase the merchant controls directly.
**Treating ZGo as a wallet.** ZGo is a payment processor, not a wallet. It does not store keys, hold balances, or let the merchant spend funds. A separate Zcash wallet under the merchant's control is required to receive the money that ZGo routes.
## Conclusion
ZGo gives merchants a way to accept Zcash payments without giving up custody, without depending on an intermediary, and without exposing transaction details on a public chain. The two integrations (Xero and WooCommerce) cover the most common merchant workflows; for everything else, ZGo can be used standalone from any browser.
For setup, the path is short: get a Zcash wallet, create an account at [zgo.cash](https://zgo.cash/), and either start generating payment requests directly or install the relevant integration.
## Resources
- [ZGo official website](https://zgo.cash/)
- [Xero Integration Configuration walkthrough](https://hedgedoc.vergara.tech/s/4iXC67fmb)
- [WooCommerce](https://woocommerce.com/) and [WordPress](https://wordpress.org/)
- [Xero](https://www.xero.com/)
- [Zcash project homepage](https://z.cash/)
- [ZecHub Wallets](https://zechub.wiki/wallets), the list of compatible Zcash wallets
- [ZecHub Payment Processors overview](https://zechub.wiki/payment-processors), ZGo in context of other Zcash payment options
- [BTCPayServer Zcash Plugin](https://zechub.wiki/guides/btcpayserver-zcash-plugin), the related ZecHub guide for a self-hosted alternative
---
# Free2z Live
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/free2z-live
[](https://github.com/zechub/zechub/edit/main/site/guides/Free2z_Live.md)
# Free2z: Account setup + Livestream tutorial
## Introduction
Free2Z is a platform for creators and supporters to connect and achieve their goals. Free2Z provides tools for creators to showcase their talents and raise funds for their projects without compromising privacy. Supporters can find and support causes they believe in.
## Create your account
Currently, there are two ways to create your account on Free2Z:
1. Choose a username and password.
2. Connect your Twitter account.
To create an account or log in, visit https://free2z.cash/ and click the 'CREATE' button.
The login/signup form will appear in your browser. Choose your username and a strong password - this will be your login information. Solve the captcha and click the 'Enter' button to create your account.
Alternatively, you can create a Free2Z account by connecting your Twitter account. To do this, click on the Twitter logo next to 'Login With', and you will be asked to connect your Twitter account.
Click **Authorize app** to connect your Twitter account to Free2Z.
## Personalize your profile
After your account is created, you will be redirected to your Free2Z profile page. If you created your account by connecting your Twitter, most of the fields will be automatically filled. If you created an account by entering a username and password, you should input your information here. You can use a pseudonym instead of your real name.
It's quite boring right now, so let's make it more interesting by setting up an avatar and a banner. The Free2Z interface makes this step very easy using the upload button (the up arrow on the right).
You can see the result at the top of the page.
Ah, much better! If you have some artistic skills, you can make your Free2Z profile page look amazing! Write a nice description for your page. You can talk about yourself or describe the type of content that others can expect from you. (Tip: Use markdown syntax to personalize your description!)
Don't forget to provide your Zcash shielded address, so supporters can donate directly to you!
The last step to complete your page setup is to set a 'Member Price'. This is the price in 2Zs (Tuzies) that other users will pay to subscribe to your page! (More on 2Zs later).
Finally, click the 'Update Profile' button to finalize your profile setup!
## Subscriptions and 2Zs
Free2Z allows users to subscribe to their favorite creators and get access to exclusive features and members-only content. The creator should configure a minimum amount of 2Zs for a subscription.
2Zs or Tuzies are in-app digital credits used in Free2Z for many purposes, including:
1. Subscribing to creators
2. Boosting the visibility of a Free2Z page
3. Making donations to creators
You can see your 2Zs credits in the header of your profile page.
You can buy more 2Zs with Zcash by clicking on your 2Zs balance. The minimum amount for buying is 0.05 ZEC, and the current conversion rate is 0.05 ZEC = 10 2Zs.
## Donating and subscribing
Once you find a creator you like, you can show your appreciation by donating and subscribing to them. All donations go directly to the creator's wallet. As an example, let's subscribe to [Free2Z's own page](https://free2z.cash/free2z).
To subscribe to a page, all you need to do is click on the subscribe icon on the page header.
You will see the minimum amount for subscribing. Verify if you have enough tuzis and click subscribe.
### Donate using 2Zs or Zcash
You can donate directly on their page, by clicking the Fund creator icon.
Or, from inside a post, look for the floating plus button. From here, you can donate to the creator or promote the post on Free2Z.
## Live Streaming
The Free2z platform offers an awesome feature called Free2z Live. With this tool, creators can start live streams for subscribed members. Some key features of Free2z Live include:
- Audio and video
- Screen sharing
- Collaborative code editing
- Chat
- Whiteboarding
- And much more!
### What can you do with Free2z Live
Free2z Live is a powerful tool, allowing creators to stream any type of content. Here are a few examples of the type of content you can stream with Free2z Live:
- Tutorials and demonstrations
- Performances and events
- Collaborative projects
- Live reporting and journalism
- Your creativity is the limit!
### How to go live
It is very easy to start a live stream with Free2z Live. But there are a few requirements before you can start your stream.
1. The creator **must** have a minimum **member price** of 10 2Zs.
2. The creator **must** have a balance of at least 150 2Zs in their account.
If the creator meets **both** of the conditions above, an icon named **Go Live** will be available to them on their profile page.
To start a live stream, just click the **Go Live** button, and the Free2z app will ask for permission to use your microphone and webcam (if you have one). After you grant the necessary permissions, Free2z will ask you to enter a nickname that you want to use during the live stream. Once you have selected a nickname, click **Join** to start your live stream.
And done! When you start a live stream, your profile will show an icon indicating that you are live, so your subscribers can join the live stream.
When people join the live stream, they can chat, ask to join the stage, interact by voting in polls, and more.
_(Example of Free2z Live session)_
Free2z Live is versatile and powerful. In the next section, I’ll provide an overview of its functionalities and tools.
### Exploring Free2z Live
This wiki-doc is not intended to be an in-depth guide to Free2z or Free2z Live. But here is a general overview of its tools.
In the bottom left of the screen, we see a few buttons.
A nice function here is the ability to share your screen so other users can see what you're doing.
At the bottom we can find the live stream options.
Some of the key options here are:
- Mute / unmute microphone
- Enable / disable webcam
- Leave the stage
- Mute all speakers
- Leave
To end a live stream, you should click the 'Leave' button, and then click 'End meeting for all' to stop the meeting for all participants.
The bottom right buttons contain functions related to the live stream interaction, such as:
- **Chat**: This allows participants to chat with each other and the host during the live stream.
- **Polls**: This allows the host to create polls and gather feedback from participants.
- **List of participants**: This shows the list of participants in the live stream.
- **Plugins**: This allows the host to add plugins and extensions to enhance the live stream experience.
It's not the purpose of this wiki-doc to explain all the plugins, but I really encourage you to try every one, as they all offer great interaction value between creators and viewers. To launch a plugin, simply click the 'rocket' button on the right.
## Conclusion
In conclusion, Free2z is a versatile platform for creators to showcase their abilities, share knowledge and raise funds for their projects, and engage with their supporters through the powerful tool of Free2z Live.
----
### Resources
[Free2z](https://free2z.cash/)
[Free2z documentation](https://free2z.cash/docs/)
[2Z Overview](https://free2z.cash/docs/2Zs/)
[Creating a profile](https://free2z.cash/docs/creators/creating-a-profile)
[What is Free2z Live?](https://free2z.cash/docs/creators/free2z-live)
[Free2z for Supporters](https://free2z.cash/docs/category/for-supporters)
---
_Written by James Katz for Zechub._
---
# Keystone Zashi
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/keystone-zashi
# Keystone Zashi User Guide
Twitter Guide: => [Zashi x Keystone Hardware Wallet Integration Twitter Guide](https://x.com/zashi_app/status/1869793574880973144)
This integration marks a significant evolution in Zcash usability by enabling cold storage of shielded ZEC. The Zcash community has faced setbacks with other hardware wallet platforms in the past, but Keystone emerged as a collaborative partner willing to push boundaries and innovate alongside the Electric Coin Company. The Keystone team received a ZCG grant to fuel their side of the work.
## Keystone X Zashi Tutorial
# What is ZIP
A Zcash Improvement Proposal (ZIP) is a design document providing information to the Zcash community, or describing a new feature for Zcash or its processes or environment. The ZIP should provide a concise technical specification of the feature and a rationale for the feature.
We intend ZIPs to be the primary mechanism for proposing new features, for collecting community input on an issue, and for documenting the design decisions that have gone into Zcash. The Owner(s) of the ZIP (usually the authors(s)) are responsible for building consensus within the community and documenting dissenting opinions.
Because the ZIPs are maintained as text files in a versioned repository, their revision history is the historical record of the feature proposal.
-> [zips.z.cash](https://zips.z.cash)
## ZIP Editors
For every ZIP that comes in, it must undergo the review process. ZIP editors are tasked with ensuring the format and content of any ZIP adequately describes terms, rationale and technical changes made.
```markdown
* Jack Grigg, Kris Nuttycombe and Daira-Emma Hopwood associated with the ECC.
* Conrado, and Arya, associated with the ZF.
* Sam and Mark, associated with SL.
```
## Notable Current ZIPs
Statuses and titles below were checked against the ZIP index at [zips.z.cash](https://zips.z.cash/#index-of-zips) on 18 August 2026. A ZIP's status changes over time, so treat the index as the source of truth.
> Draft: [Transparent Zcash Extensions](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0222)
> Draft: [Transfer and Burn of Zcash Shielded Assets](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0226)
> Draft: [Issuance of Zcash Shielded Assets](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0227)
> Withdrawn: [Withdrawn Version 6 Transaction Format](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0230) — obsoleted by ZIP 229, which now defines transaction version 6. See the NU6.3 list below.
> Draft: [Transaction Identifier Digests & Signature Validation for Transparent Zcash Extensions](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0245)
> Draft: [Standardized Memo Field Format](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0302)
> Draft: [Sapling Address Signatures](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0304)
> Draft: [Light Client Protocol for Payment Detection](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0307)
> Draft: [Security Properties of Sapling Viewing Keys](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0310)
> Active: [Defining an Address Type to which funds can only be sent from Transparent Addresses](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0320)
> Draft: [Wallet.dat format](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0400)
## NU6.3 (Ironwood) ZIPs
NU6.3 is described in ZIP 258, together with the additional ZIPs listed here. The full candidate set is published on the [ZIP index](https://zips.z.cash/#nu6-3-candidate-zips).
> Draft: [Deployment of the NU6.3 Network Upgrade](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0258)
> Draft: [Version 6 Transaction Format](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0229)
> Draft: [Orchard to Ironwood Migration](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0318)
> Draft: [NU6.3 Consequences for Wallets](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0326)
> Proposed: [Ironwood Quantum Recoverability](https://zips.z.cash/zip-2005)
> Reserved: [Restricting Transfers into the Orchard Pool](https://zips.z.cash/zip-2006)
Three earlier ZIPs are also updated for NU6.3: [ZIP 209](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0209), [ZIP 213](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0213) and [ZIP 317](https://zips.z.cash/zip-0317).
---
# Zingolib and Zaino Tutorial
Source: https://zechub.wiki/guides/zingolib-and-zaino-tutorial
# Z3: (zebrad)(zaino)(zingo-cli)
**zebrad** : zcash full node
**zaino** : zcash blockchain indexer
**zingo-cli** : zcash command line zaino-proxy client (subset of Zingolib)
## Video
## Understanding ZK Proofs and Decoy Based Systems
Zero Knowledge Proofs are cryptographic systems that allow one party (the prover) to demonstrate to another party (the verifier) the validity of a statement without revealing *any underlying information about the statement itself*. In the context of Zcash, ZK proofs are employed to verify the validity of a transaction without disclosing transaction details such as the SENDER, RECEIVER or transaction AMOUNT.
**This ensures that user privacy is preserved as the transaction remains confidential while still being validated. This technology is designed to ensure the confidentiality of financial transactions on the Zcash network.**
In the Decoy-based systems such as [RingCT](https://twitter.com/ZecHub/status/1636473585781948416), multiple transactions are combined making it challenging or difficult to trace the actual source and destination of funds. The algorithm introduces decoy inputs and outputs in transactions also employing encryption of the addresses used as inputs & using Range proofs to validate the amount transferred is spendable.
This approach obfuscates the transaction trail. The use of decoy inputs makes it challenging for anyone analyzing the blockchain to identify the real sender, receiver, or transaction amount.
**Important Note**: This method of on-chain privacy preserving transaction still explicitly reveals (encrypted) inputs to all user transactions. Metadata such as the *FLOW OF TRANSACTIONS* between different users on the network can still be gathered. If an adversary actively participates in generating transactions on the network, it effectively deanonymises the decoy inputs of other users.
## Advantages of ZK Over Decoy Based Systems
Both Zcash and Monero are privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, but they achieve privacy in different ways.
Here are some advantages of Zcash's zero-knowledge proofs (ZK) over Monero's decoy system:
1) **Selective Disclosure**: With Zcash ZK feature set, users have the option to reveal transaction details to specific parties [Read ECC Blog on Selective Disclosure](https://electriccoin.co/blog/viewing-keys-selective-disclosure/). In Zcash, shielded transactions' encrypted contents allow individuals to selectively reveal data from a particular transfer. Additionally, a viewing key can be provided to disclose all transactions associated with a specific shielded address. This feature allows for regulatory compliance and auditability without compromising the overall privacy of the network.
While Monero's decoy algorithm (ring signature) helps in providing privacy, it does not offer *selective* disclosure in the same way.
2) **Optional Visibility**: Zcash allows users to choose between transparent (non-private) and shielded (private) transactions. This connotes that Zcash offers users the flexibility to either keep their financial information private (shielded) or make it transparent and publicly available similar to most other blockchains as explained on [Zcash official website](https://z.cash/learn/what-is-the-difference-between-shielded-and-transparent-zcash/). This opt-in privacy allows for greater flexibility and business/organisational relevant use cases, as some transactions may require less privacy for public scrutiny, while others benefit from enhanced privacy.
3) **Anonymity Set**: The [anonymity set](https://blog.wasabiwallet.io/what-is-the-difference-between-an-anonymity-set-and-an-anonymity-score/) of zero knowledge shielded pools comprises all transactions that have *ever* occurred. This is significantly larger than most other on-chain techniques for achieving transaction unlinkability. Note: this only applies to transactions within the same shielded pool.
The use of decoys does increase the anonymity set. However this approach is dependent entirely on the number of *real* users on the network.
4) **No Trusted Setup**: Zcash's Sprout & Sapling setup utilized a multi-party computation known as the "trusted setup ceremony". The recent NU5 upgrade did not require any Trust in the integrity of the zero knowledge circuit's setup. [Read ECC Blog on NU5](https://electriccoin.co/blog/nu5-activates-on-mainnet-eliminating-trusted-setup-and-launching-a-new-era-for-zcash/).
5) **Data Privacy**: The [zk-SNARK technology](https://wiki.zechub.xyz/zcash-technology) used in Zcash's shielded pools allows for significantly enhanced security for users. The reduction of metadata leakage on-chain means that users are safe from adversaries such as potential hackers or oppressive state bodies.
There are a number of instances in which bugs have been identified in Monero's decoy selection algorithm. These bugs had the potential to reveal user spends according to a report from [Coindesk](https://coindesk.com/markets/2021/07/27/bug-found-in-decoy-algorithm-for-privacy-coin-monero).
In summary what really matters the most is to reduce or eliminate the leak of user information and data as explained by Zooko at the [Orchid (priv8) AMA live session](https://youtube.com/watch?v=XpRzKqEfpP4&feature=share9)
____
***Reference Links***
https://z.cash/learn/
https://www.getmonero.org/get-started/what-is-monero/
https://youtu.be/9s3EbSKDA3o
https://electriccoin.co/blog/nu5-activates-on-mainnet-eliminating-trusted-setup-and-launching-a-new-era-for-zcash/
https://youtu.be/XpRzKqEfpP4
https://electriccoin.co/blog/zcash-evolution/
https://electriccoin.co/zcash-metrics/
https://electriccoin.co/blog/viewing-keys-selective-disclosure/
---
# Buying ZEC
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/buying-zec
Faucets are services that dispense small amounts of cryptocurrency for free. They are often used by developers to experiment with cryptocurrency and by users to earn small amounts of cryptocurrency without having to buy it. They typically limit the amount of cryptocurrency that an user can receive for a given amount of time.
Mainnet: zecfaucet
Testnet: testnet.zecaucet.com
Testnet: fauzec.com
Testnet: zcashfaucet.jinolabs.xyz
---
# Metamask Snap
Source: https://zechub.wiki/using-zcash/metamask-snap
# MetaMask Zcash Snap Integration Guide
For a full walkthrough and visual explanation, watch this [**YouTube guide**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJh9Ilkohdw):
Zcash Community Links
The Zcash community is a vibrant group of people working towards making ZEC one of the most widely used privacy-preserving cryptocurrencies in the world. The community is made up of diverse individuals from all over the globe - developers, educators, advocates, and builders - united by a shared belief in financial privacy.
----
## Where you can find community members
### 
Telegram
The Zcash community is very active in its community Telegram. Join to talk about the day-to-day, discuss news and updates, and meet fellow community members: [t.me/Zcash_Community](https://t.me/Zcash_Community)
### 
Discord
- [Zcash Global](https://discord.gg/zcash) - Main community server
- [Zcash R&D](https://discord.gg/xpzPR53xtU) - Protocol and developer discussions
- [Zcash Foundation](https://discord.gg/na6QZNd) - Foundation updates and governance
- [ZecHub DAO](https://discord.gg/zcash) - Community DAO contributors
### Mastodon / Decentralized Social
- [ZecHub.Social](https://zechub.social/public/local) - Mastodon instance for the Zcash community
- [Bluesky @zcashesp.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/zcashesp.bsky.social) - Zcash en Espanol on Bluesky (moved from X after account suspension)
### Matrix
- [ZecHub Matrix](https://matrix.to/#/#zechub:matrix.org)
### Zcash Community Forum
The [Zcash Community Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/) is the hub for long-form discussions on Zcash - governance, grant proposals, technical debate, and ecosystem announcements. Now stewardship has transferred to the Zcash Foundation following ECC's transition to ZODL.
### 
X / Twitter
Zcash has an active global presence on X. Key accounts to follow:
| Account | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| [@Zcash](https://x.com/zcash) | Official Zcash account |
| [@ZecHub](https://x.com/zechub) | ZecHub DAO - community education and bounties |
| [@zodl_app](https://x.com/zodl_app) | ZODL wallet (formerly Zashi) |
| [@ZcashFoundation](https://x.com/zcashfoundation) | Zcash Foundation updates |
| [@zcashbrazil](https://x.com/zcashbrazil) | Zcash Brazil community |
| [@ZcashTR](https://x.com/ZcashTR) | Zcash Turkey |
| [@ZcashArabia](https://x.com/ZcashArabia) | Zcash Arabia |
| [@ZcashNigeria](https://x.com/ZcashNigeria) | Zcash Nigeria |
| [@ZcastEsp](https://x.com/ZcastEsp) | Zcast - Spanish language Zcash podcast |
| [@ZkAv_Club](https://x.com/ZkAv_Club) | ZK Audiovisual Club |
| [@cipherscan_app](https://x.com/cipherscan_app) | CipherScan blockchain explorer |
| [@zerodartz](https://x.com/Zerodartz) | Community memes and commentary |
----
## Regional Community Hubs
- [Zcash en Espanol](https://zcashesp.com) - Spanish-speaking community (also on Bluesky after X suspension)
- [Zcash Brazil](https://x.com/zcashbrazil) - Brazilian community
- [Zcash Turkey](https://x.com/ZcashTR) - Turkish community
- [Zcash Arabia](https://x.com/ZcashArabia) - Arabic-speaking community
- [Zcash Nigeria](https://x.com/ZcashNigeria) - Nigerian community
- [ruZcash](https://x.com/ruZCASH) - Russian-speaking Zcash community
- [Zcash Korea](https://x.com/zcash_korea) - Korean community
- [Zcash East Africa](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/privacy-has-landed-in-south-africa-join-in/55706) - South Africa and East Africa
- [genzcash](https://x.com/genzcash) - Youth-focused Zcash community
----
## Resources
- [Zcash Community Website](https://www.zcashcommunity.com/)
- [ZecHub Wiki](https://zechub.wiki)
- [Zcash Grants Hub](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/introducing-zcash-grants-hub-browse-zcg-coinholder-grants-apply-via-betther-ui-and-explore-zechub-dao-proposals/55267)
- [Zcash Global Ambassadors](https://zcashambassadors.com)
- [ZecHub DAO on Dework](https://app.dework.xyz/zechub-2424)
---
# Community Projects
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/community-projects
# Community Projects
Discover tools, wallets, applications, libraries, and ecosystem initiatives built by the Zcash community and the wider zero-knowledge ecosystem.
---
## Education, Media, and Community
### My First Zcash
Educational workbook created by the Zcash global community.
[Visit](https://github.com/massadoptionorg/My-First-Zcash)
### ZECPublish
Censorship-resistant, Zcash blockchain-powered social media. Includes a directory of Zcash users and an anonymous message board.
[Visit](https://www.zecpublish.com)
### ZK Radio
Online radio station to inform, educate, and entertain the Zcash community. Developed by Zcash en Español and the ZKAV Club.
[Visit](https://zcashesp.com/zk-radio/)
### ZShieldHer
Zcash education site for domestic violence survivors.
[Visit](https://zshieldher.com/)
### ZecForge
Creator forge for the Zcash ecosystem focused on onboarding, creator development, and content distribution.
[Visit](https://x.com/zec_forge)
### Mastering Zcash Video Series
Comprehensive educational series covering Zcash technology, cryptography, economics, and governance.
[Visit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWUzh_VtrR8)
### Zcast
Spanish-language Zcash podcast with the latest ecosystem updates.
[Visit](https://www.youtube.com/@ZcastEsp)
### Zero-knowledge Audiovisual Club (ZKAV)
Privacy-first audiovisual collective that trains, co-creates, and provides volunteer AV support for open-source and decentralized tech community events.
[Visit](https://zkav.club/)
### Zcash Network School
Structured educational content for new Zcash users and developers.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-network-school/55269)
### Zectastic
Interactive site featuring Zcash-themed games and live community events.
[Visit](https://zectastic.com/)
### Zec App
Mobile application that aggregates Zcash news, community activity, network information, wallets, exchanges, and ecosystem resources in one place.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zec-app-is-coming-soon/56605)
### PGPZ Community
Community hub for Pretty Good Policy for Zcash (PGPZ), a Washington D.C. policy initiative focused on privacy-preserving digital cash, practical compliance, and the public-interest role of Zcash.
[Visit](https://community.pgpz.org/)
### Gleyo
Community engagement and rewards platform designed for Zcash communities, Web3 projects, and Web2 organizations. It helps communities onboard and engage members through quests, chat, and rewards, while allowing users to earn and withdraw private shielded ZEC.
[Visit](https://gleyo.app/)
### Zcash Grants Hub
Community-focused grants dashboard designed to simplify how Zcash grants are discovered, tracked, and reviewed. It brings grant applications, milestones, budgets, discussions, and analytics into one place by pulling live data from the Zcash Community Grants GitHub repository. The platform aims to provide a clearer and more user-friendly experience for applicants, committee members, and community reviewers.
[Visit](https://staging.zgrantshub.com/)
---
## Wallets and Payment Tools
### Cipherpay
Private payments for the internet. Non-custodial, no KYC. Merchants receive ZEC directly to shielded addresses.
[Visit](https://www.cipherpay.app/en)
### Ezcash
Easy-to-use, fully-featured multiplatform Zcash wallet with autoshielding support.
[Visit](https://blog.nerdbank.net/ezcash-app)
### Nozy Wallet
Orchard-focused Zcash wallet built for Zebrad, supporting fully shielded transactions and secure key management.
[Visit](https://github.com/LEONINE-DAO/Nozy-wallet)
### Overpay.com
Payment gateway that lets users spend shielded ZEC on real-world purchases (currently in alpha).
[Visit](https://overpay.com)
### Zafu Wallet
Open-source privacy wallet for Zcash and Penumbra. Browser extension with client-side proving, verified light-client architecture, cold signing, FROST multisig, and no view key leaving the device.
[Visit](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/zafu-wallet-beta/bhlogefpcebekhjpomlodifcelldoimn)
### ZGo
Zcash Register that enables vendors and merchants to accept Zcash payments.
[Visit](https://zgo.cash)
### Zimppy
Machine Payment Protocol (MPP) for Zcash. Designed for AI agents and automated machine-to-machine workflows. Supports fully shielded Orchard payments.
[Visit](https://zimppy.xyz/)
### Dizzy Wallet
Discord bot providing seamless and secure access to Zcash transactions.
[Visit](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/dizzy-wallet-a-dedicated-zcash-wallet-for-discord/43988)
### ZODL
Flagship Zcash wallet from ZODL (formerly Zashi). Available on iOS and Android. Supports shielded ZEC and NU7 coinholder voting.
[Visit](https://zodl.app/)
### Noir Wallet
Privacy-focused Zcash wallet designed for simple and private ZEC transactions.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/first-look-at-noir-wallet/55667)
### ZecVault
Goal-based savings wallet built on Zcash shielded transactions.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zecvault-a-goal-based-savings-wallet-built-on-zcash-shielded-transactions/55464)
### Zkool
Successor to Ywallet supporting the latest Zcash protocol features including Orchard.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zkool-the-successor-to-ywallet/51139)
### MonteZecret
Experimental lightweight desktop wallet for Zcash written in Rust.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/montezecret-a-desktop-wallet-for-zcash-in-rust-instead-of-tweets/56164)
### Gem Wallet
Multi-chain, open-source, self-custodial wallet that supports sending, receiving, and swapping ZEC.
[Visit](https://gemwallet.com/)
### TIPZ
Live non-custodial tipping platform where every tip arrives as shielded ZEC. Supports cross-chain on-ramps via NEAR Intents.
[Visit](https://tipz.cash/)
### CYZE
A collaborative wallet and coordination platform that allows multiple team members to manage shielded Zcash funds together. It uses FROST threshold signatures, enabling groups to authorize Orchard transactions collectively without giving a single participant complete control over the wallet.
[Visit](https://github.com/USCMig/Cyze)
### Pendrake Watch
A watch-only desktop wallet designed for individuals and organizations that need to monitor shielded funds without having the ability to spend them. It supports transaction and balance monitoring, Orchard and Sapling notes, memo viewing, historical fiat valuation, transaction notifications, wallet encryption, and privacy-focused screen-sharing features.
[Visit](https://github.com/auzum197/pendrake-watch)
---
## Explorers, Data, and Network Dashboards
### CipherScan
Privacy-first Zcash blockchain explorer. Built with Next.js 15, TypeScript, and Rust/WASM. Lookups do not leak query metadata.
[Visit](https://cipherscan.app/)
### Exblo
Block explorer designed for testing transactions on the Zcash Testnet.
[Visit](https://testnet.exblo.app/)
### OpenZcash
Public transparency dashboard for the Zcash Dev Fund, including ZCG and FPF grant accounting, the Lockbox, governance, and disbursements.
[Visit](https://openzcash.org/)
### Zcash Block Explorer
Comprehensive Zcash block explorer from Nighthawk Apps.
[Visit](https://mainnet.zcashexplorer.app/)
### Zcash.Space
Browser-based Zcash Unified Address parser for inspecting Unified Addresses.
[Visit](https://zcash.space/)
### ZecMap
Global map of businesses and locations that accept Zcash.
[Visit](https://zecmap.com/)
### ZECping
Tool to check gRPC response times of Zcash Lightwalletd nodes.
[Visit](https://github.com/emersonian/zecping)
### ZecStats
Dashboard for real-time Zcash network statistics and shielding metrics.
[Visit](https://zecstats.com)
### zecprice
Tracking and data metrics tool for Zcash market price performance.
[Visit](https://zecprice.com)
### Zlink
Directory for finding links, tools, and information about the Zcash ecosystem.
[Visit](https://zlink.click)
### Zecmarket
The privacy-first marketplace of the Zcash ecosystem. Payments settle directly and the platform never holds your funds.
[Visit](https://zecmarket.org/)
### Zecsite
A privacy-focused static website that aggregates Zcash news, statistics, and educational content without using JavaScript.
[Visit](https://zecsite/org)
[Forum](https://free2z.cash/zCat/zpage/zecsite-static-javascript-free-website-generator-in-java-for-zcash-news)
### ZEC-OS
Aretro-style desktop interface that combines various Zcash ecosystem tools and information into one application. It includes a blockchain explorer, mempool viewer, network statistics, historical charts, shielded pool information, mining tools, a Unified Address decoder, calculator, games, terminal, and other utilities.
[Visit](https://www.zec-os.com/)
---
## Identity, Names, and User Experience
### ZcashNames
Human-readable names for Zcash shielded addresses (e.g. `alice.zec` resolves to a Unified Address).
[Visit](https://www.zcashnames.com/)
### Zapp / JustZappIt
Privacy-first messenger that connects ZEC chats to real-world payments.
[Visit](https://www.justzappit.xyz/)
### Zentat
Browser extension that converts fiat currency prices to ZEC in real time as you browse the web.
[Visit](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/zentat/lpndbahladndclecodadoljlplfaldac)
### Shielded Wall
Anonymous confession platform powered by Zcash privacy.
[Visit](https://shieldedwall.org/)
### Ztrash
Disposable email inbox paid for with shielded ZEC.
[Visit](https://ztrash.com/)
### LiveZEC
A privacy-focused tipping platform for streamers that enables viewers to send shielded ZEC directly to a streamer’s self-custodial wallet.
[Visit](https://zec.live/)
### ZecLedger
A privacy-preserving financial tracking and accounting tool for Zcash. It combines a public dashboard for transparent network data with local private accounting that uses viewing keys without exposing them, helping users track balances, transaction history, cost basis, and eventually budgeting and tax-ready reports while keeping their funds secure and private.
[Visit](https://zecledger-web.vercel.app/)
### Authentication with ZcashMe
A privacy-focused authentication system that uses shielded Zcash transactions as a login mechanism. Users scan a QR code and send a small authentication transaction.
[Visit](https://github.com/zcashme/zns-login)
---
## Developer, Testing, and Infrastructure
### Ziggurat
Network test suite for zcashd and Zebra developers. Includes a Zcash crawler.
[Visit](https://github.com/runziggurat/zcash)
### ZecDev
Linux-first toolkit that brings up a Zebra regtest network with faucet, Unified Address fixtures, and lightwalletd or Zaino, plus reusable GitHub Actions for shielded end-to-end flows.
[Visit](https://github.com/zecdev)
### Zebra Coverage-Guided Fuzzing Infrastructure
Systematic testing of Zebra’s parsing, networking, and cryptographic components against malformed inputs.
[Forum](https://github.com/ZcashCommunityGrants/zcashcommunitygrants/issues/234)
### Frost
Threshold signature scheme (FROST) work being advanced for broader adoption in the Zcash ecosystem.
[Paper](https://eprint.iacr.org/2020/852)
### MonteZcret Benchmark
Open-source performance-testing project that evaluates different methods of synchronizing Zcash blockchain data.
[Visit](https://github.com/openkoder/benchmarks_zcash/)
---
## Wider Applications Utilizing Zcash
### aftok
Cooperative, bottom-up business organization model built on Zcash.
[Visit](https://aftok.com)
### ZK Global Credit
Zcash-native credit and voting infrastructure for selective disclosure, settlement readiness, cross-border reputation, and shielded governance.
[Visit](https://voting.zkglobalcredit.tech/)
### Free2z
Tool for anonymous content creation and private donations powered by Zcash.
[Visit](https://free2z.cash)
### Rhea Finance
Zcash gateway providing a browser wallet and cross-chain DeFi access.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/rhea-finance-zcash-gateway-browser-wallet-cross-chain-defi/55073)
### BazaarSwap
Zcash-native DEX that brings shielded ZEC into Web3 DeFi via WalletConnect.
[Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/introducing-bazaarswap-bringing-zec-to-web3-defi/55479)
### DCRDEX
Decred’s decentralized exchange that supports Zcash.
[Visit](https://dex.decred.org)
### Brave Wallet
Browser wallet with Zcash support.
[Visit](https://brave.com/wallet/)
### Nano-GPT
AI platform that provides access to multiple leading AI models while supporting cryptocurrency payments, including Zcash.
[Visit](https://nano-gpt.com/conversation/new)
### zk.poker
A peer-to-peer poker platform that combines end-to-end encryption, mental poker, and Zcash privacy technology. It is designed so that the operator does not need to know players' cards or directly hold the betting funds.
[Visit](https://zkbtc.org/)
---
## Organizations & Labs
### Shielded Labs
Independent, donation-funded Zcash support organization based in Switzerland. The first organization in the ecosystem that has never received Development Fund or block reward funding.
[Visit](https://shieldedlabs.net/)
### Cypherpunk
Company dedicated to privacy, self-sovereignty, and cypherpunk values. Builds tools for individuals who need to protect their digital lives.
[Visit](https://cypherpunk.com/)
---
# Zcash Global Ambassadors
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/zcash-global-ambassadors
# Zcash Community Advisory Panel
The Zcash Community Advisory Panel, or ZCAP, is a panel conformed by members of the Zcash Community, established as a means to involve the community and soliciting their advisory input whenever the Zcash Foundation needs to make a decision involving or afecting said community. Since it's creation in 2018, the panel has helped define the way to go for the Zcash foundation in many important decisions, some of which include:
[The Zcash Trademark](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/Elections/blob/master/2018-Q2/General-Measures/monetary-policy.md): This vote was about whether the Zcash Foundation should pursue a legal agreement with the Electric Coin Company (ECC) to share the ownership and control of the Zcash trademark
[Monetary Policy](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/Elections/blob/master/2018-Q2/General-Measures/monetary-policy.md): This vote was about whether the Zcash Foundation should advocate for any changes to the Zcash monetary policy, such as the issuance rate, the halving schedule, or the inflation rate
[ASIC Resistance](https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/Elections/blob/master/2018-Q2/General-Measures/asicresistance_ballot.md): This vote was about whether the Zcash Foundation should prioritize ASIC resistance as a value and a goal for the Zcash network
[The Zcash Community Grants Committee Election](https://zfnd.org/zcg-election-june-2023/): This vote was about selecting two members of the Zcash Community Grants (ZCG) committee, which is responsible for reviewing and funding grant proposals for Zcash-related projects
[The Zcash Minor Grants Program](https://zfnd.org/launching-the-zcash-minor-grants-program/): This vote was about approving or rejecting grant applications for small-scale Zcash projects that applied for funding from the Zcash Foundation
[Adoption and development of Zcash Shielded Assets](https://vote.heliosvoting.org/helios/elections/5dd57b92-01ed-11ec-a0a8-ae3066fac55d/view), which enables the use of DeFi generic assets within the private by default Zcash ecosystem.
[Election of the Zcash Foundation Board of Directors members](https://vote.heliosvoting.org/helios/elections/960b8832-60f9-11ed-b96e-ee6991044d9e/view)
The idea behind ZCAP is that it is formed by a diverse group of community members with different nationalities, roles and opinions, to guarantee it remains comitted to its goal of representing the voice and interest of Zcash users and stake holders, while maintining an open and diverse network.
As of october of 2023, ZCAP is formed by [188 members](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Y-GbVFA1csIgPbvHOR-1ruOlh7YdA-CHvMtd6R8iSdY/edit#gid=0), and it is expanded frequently. Also, the Zcash Foundation has "expanded the eligibility criteria for ZCAP membership, including criteria that were suggested by members of the Zcash community".
## Prominent Members
- Ian Miers
- Vitalik Buterin
- Michelle Lai
- Naomi Brockwell
- Michae2xl
- Madison Parks
- Chris Burniske
---
# Zcash Podcasts
Source: https://zechub.wiki/zcash-community/zcash-podcasts
Zcast Podcast Playlist
The Zcash Podcast Playlist
PGP* For Crypto
Shielded Transactions Playlist
The ZK Podcast Playlist