What Is Zcash?
Zcash (ZEC) lets users choose transparent or fully shielded transactions using zero-knowledge proofs. Here is how it works and what the 2026 Orchard bug changed.
Key Takeaways Zcash (ZEC) is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that lets users choose between fully transparent and fully shielded transactions using zero-knowledge proofs. It launched in October 2016 with a Bitcoin-style cap of 21 million coins and proof-of-work mining built on the Equihash algorithm. In June 2026 developers patched a critical Orchard-pool flaw that could have allowed undetectable counterfeit ZEC, fixed through the emergency NU6.2 hard fork.