Zcash

2020-04-17T01:04:17Z

Mattrajewski: added information about the zcash anonymity set

{{about-distinguish|the cryptocurrency Zcash|Zerocoin|zcache}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox cryptocurrency
| symbol =
| ticker_symbol = ZEC
| currency_name = Zcash
| image_1 = Zcash logo 2019.svg
| image_2 =
| image_title_1 =
| precision =
| white_paper = [https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zcash/zips/master/protocol/protocol.pdf "Zcash Protocol Specification"]
| implementations =
| initial_release_version =
| initial_release_date = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2016|10|28}}
| iso_code = ZEC{{efn|Unofficial.|group=infobox}}
| block_reward = 12.5 ZEC <ref name="FAQs" />
| circulating_supply = 9,196,819 <ref name="zchain">{{cite web|url=https://explorer.zcha.in/|accessdate=1 March 2020|title=Zchain - Zcash Blockchain Explorer & API}}</ref>
| supply_limit = 21,000,000 <ref name="FAQs">{{cite web|url=https://z.cash/support/faq/#zcash-economics|accessdate=10 July 2019|title=Frequently Asked Questions - Zcash}}</ref>
| exchange_rate = $50.13 <ref name="coinbase">{{cite web|url=https://www.coinbase.com/price/zcash|accessdate=1 March 2020|title=Zcash Price Chart (ZEC) - Coinbase}}</ref><ref name="zchain" />
| market_cap = $460.7 million <ref name="coinbase" /><ref name="zchain" />
| footnotes = {{notelist|group=infobox}}
| status = Active
| latest_release_version = 2.1.1-1
| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2020|02|06}} <ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/zcash/zcash/releases|accessdate=1 March 2020|title=Releases - zcash/zcash|via=[[GitHub]]}}</ref>
| project_fork_of =
| programming_languages =
| split_date =
| split_from =
| hash_function = [[Equihash]]
| issuance_schedule =
| timestamping =
| merged_mining_parent =
| block_time = 2.5 minutes <ref name="FAQs" /><ref name="zchain" />
| operating_system =
| author =
| developer =
| source_model =
| license =
| website = {{URL|https://z.cash}}
| block_explorer = {{URL|https://explorer.zcha.in/}}
| ledger_start =
| code_repository = {{URL|https://github.com/zcash/zcash}}
}}
'''Zcash''' is a [[cryptocurrency]] aimed at using [[cryptography]] to provide enhanced privacy for its users compared to other cryptocurrencies such as [[Bitcoin]].

Like Bitcoin, Zcash has a fixed total supply of 21 million units.<ref name=NYT>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/01/business/dealbook/zcash-a-harder-to-trace-virtual-currency-generates-price-frenzy.html|title=Zcash, a Harder-to-Trace Virtual Currency, Generates Price Frenzy|last=Popper|first=Nathaniel|date=2016-10-31|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

Transactions can be "transparent" and similar to bitcoin transactions in which case they are controlled by a t-addr, or can be a type of [[zero-knowledge proof]] called [[Non-interactive zero-knowledge proof|zk-SNARK]]s; the transactions are then said to be "shielded" and are controlled by a z-addr. Zcash coins are either in a transparent pool or a shielded pool; as of December 2017 only around 4% of Zcash coins were in the shielded pool and at that time most wallet programs did not support z-addrs and no web-based wallets supported them.<ref name=quesnelle>{{cite arXiv|last=Quesnelle|first=Jeffrey|eprint=1712.01210|title=On the linkability of Zcash transactions|class=cs.CR|date=2017}}</ref> The shielded pool of zCash coins were further analyzed for security and it was found that the anonymity set can be shrunk considerably by heuristics-based identifiable patterns of usage.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kappos|first=George|last2=Yousaf|first2=Haaroon|last3=Maller|first3=Mary|last4=Meiklejohn|first4=Sarah|date=2018|title=An Empirical Analysis of Anonymity in Zcash|url=https://www.usenix.org/conference/usenixsecurity18/presentation/kappos|language=en|pages=463–477|isbn=978-1-939133-04-5}}</ref>

Zcash affords private transactors the option of "selective disclosure", allowing a user to prove payment for auditing purposes. One such reason is to allow private transactors the choice to comply with anti-money laundering or tax regulations. "Transactions are auditable but disclosure is under the participant's control."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Clozel|first1=Lalita|title=How Zcash Tries to Balance Privacy, Transparency in Blockchain|url=https://www.americanbanker.com/news/how-zcash-tries-to-balance-privacy-transparency-in-blockchain|work=American Banker|date=31 October 2016|language=en}}</ref> The company has hosted virtual meetings with law enforcement agencies around the U.S. to explain these fundamentals and has gone on the record of saying that "they did not develop the currency to facilitate illegal activity".<ref name=NYT/>

== See also ==
* [[Legality of bitcoin by country]]
*[[Zerocoin protocol]]
* [[SNARK|zk-SNARKs]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://z.cash/ Official website]
* [https://www.zfnd.org/ Zcash Foundation]

{{Cryptocurrencies|state=expanded}}
{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:Cryptocurrencies]]
[[Category:Application layer protocols]]
[[Category:Software using the MIT license]]
[[Category:Cryptography]]
[[Category:Private currencies]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 2016]]

Wikipedia - Benutzerbeiträge [de]

Zcash