Zcash Data Shows Privacy Adoption Holding Firm Into 2026

• Zcash shielded supply share stayed near 23%, holding gains after the early 2025 surge.
  
• Grayscale sought a Zcash ETF listing on NYSE Arca, placing privacy assets within regulated finance.

Zcash, known as a privacy-focused cryptocurrency, reported a steady portion of shielded balances at about 23% after an early 2025 rise from near 8%. Activity around the token declined, while the use of private transfers held steady rather than showing a drop.

This indicates that privacy-conscious users have not shown any waning interest in privacy transactions, despite the generally lackluster levels in the wider crypto market. Users who embraced Zcash’s privacy features during the early-year rise appear to have stayed committed.

Privacy interest isn’t limited to one coin. While Zcash maintained its shielded share, other privacy-oriented cryptocurrencies like Monero have also gained in both attention and price. The trend indicates that privacy use is becoming more spread out across different platforms instead of concentrating in just one token.

Privacy Demand Grows with Onchain Usage

As more people use blockchains for everyday payments, the transparency of these systems has begun to raise concerns. Wallet balances and transaction records are visible by default, which presents a clear drawback for personal and business use.

The gap between the transparency of the blockchain and the needs of users has thus resulted in the long-term need for privacy solutions. While investor interest may drift toward different crypto narratives, solutions focused on private payments are likely to remain within the sector through 2026.

Development activity is expanding across multiple ecosystems at a rapid pace. Teams working on different blockchains are prioritizing privacy improvements that suit their own networks. The increase in execution speed across ecosystems reflects long-term planning rather than short-lived token price enthusiasm.

Zcash Advances With ETF and Wallet Update

Institutional interest entered a regulated setting during late 2025. On November 26, Grayscale filed to list a Zcash ETF on NYSE Arca with the ticker ZCSH. The move placed a privacy-focused cryptocurrency within the structures of regulated finance, including sanctioned custodians and brokerage oversight.

Other companies also shifted toward Zcash. As we reported, Reliance Global fully converted its treasury to ZEC. On November 13, Leap Therapeutics rebranded as Cypherpunk Technologies and named Zcash among its priority assets. These actions pointed to growing acceptance of privacy-based assets in a corporate setting.

Product updates also continued. Zashi wallet version 2.4.9 arrived on December 5 with privacy and speed changes, added Tor support during wallet restore, interface adjustments, and removal of Coinbase on-ramp access.

Currently, ZEC is at $492.18, a huge jump of 9.93% within the past 24 hours. The trading volume of $617.13 million showed a positive change of 18.79% during the same period, indicating strong activity among Zcash users.