A decentralized and open-source cryptocurrency that provides strong privacy protections
Shielded transactions hide the sender, recipient, and value on the blockchain
If Bitcoin is like http for money, Zcash is https—a secure transport layer
In order to remain equally interchangeable, units of cryptocurrency must be unlinked from their history so that one unit is as good as any other unit. Zcash brings fungibility to cryptocurrency by unlinking shielded coins from their history on the blockchain.
Zcash is pioneering the use of zero-knowledge proofs, applying cutting-edge cryptography to blockchain technology. Zero-knowledge proofs allow fully encrypted transactions to be confirmed as valid. This new property will enable entire new classes of blockchain applications to be built.
In the pre-digital currency world, both individuals and enterprises could justifiably assume that their financial transactions would be kept confidential. With Zcash, users can enjoy the advantages of using a public blockchain, while still being sure that their private information is protected.
The scientists, advisors and engineers of ZECC developed and launched the Zcash protocol; this includes all of the authors of the Zerocash protocol, most of the creators of the Zerocoin protocol, and leading researchers of zk-SNARKs themselves.
By now, you have probably heard about Sapling, the second “software-updates-required” network upgrade for Zcash..