Swap Zcash (ZEC) with no KYC
Zcash (ZEC) is a proof of work coin where privacy is optional and comes from shielded addresses. Swap ZEC for other coins with no account and no email.
No account and no ID to start. Some swaps are held for checks, and residents of some countries may be asked to verify. How screening works
Zcash is a proof of work network that launched in October 2016. ZEC is its coin. Here you can swap ZEC to or from other coins with no account and no email. Zcash is not private by default. A transparent address works like a Bitcoin address, and its history is public. A payment between two shielded addresses hides the sender, the receiver and the amount. This page explains both address types, the shielded pools after the 2026 Ironwood upgrade, which address to give for your payout, and what the chain still shows when ZEC moves between pools.
Rate before the payout fee: 1 ZEC ≈ 1,444.15 USDT (TRC-20), our calculation from a 5 ZEC quote on 17 Sep 2026, 18:15 UTC. Not a market price.
Zcash facts
Compared with the sources listed on this page on 17 Sep 2026.
- Launched
- 2016
- Consensus
- Proof of work, Equihash (n = 200, k = 9)
- Supply
- Total issuance is capped at 21 million ZEC. The block subsidy halves about every four years. Halvings took place on 18 November 2020 and 23 November 2024. The next one is set for block 4,406,400.
- Privacy
- Not private by defaultOptional shielded addresses. New shielded funds go to the Sapling or Ironwood pool. The older Orchard pool has taken no new funds since 28 July 2026. Zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKs) that prove a shielded transaction is valid without showing the sender, the receiver or the amount. Encrypted memo on shielded transactions. Viewing keys that show incoming and outgoing payments without the right to spend.
- Block time
- about 75 seconds
- Confirmations (network norm)
- 10ZIP 315, a draft guide for Zcash wallets, recommends 10 confirmations before a wallet spends ZEC received from others. For ZEC from the wallet's own transactions it recommends 3. Blocks target 75 seconds. Each service sets its own confirmation count.
- On HiddenSwap
- Send: Yes · Receive: Yes · Fixed rate: Yes
- Transparent address (P2PKH, Base58Check)
- Starts with t1, 35 characters
- Transparent script address (P2SH, Base58Check)
- Starts with t3, 35 characters
- Sapling shielded address (Bech32, receives into the Sapling pool)
- Starts with zs1, 78 characters
- Unified address (Bech32m, holds an Orchard, Sapling or transparent receiver, and payments to the Orchard receiver go into the Ironwood pool)
- Starts with u1
- TEX address (transparent-source-only, Bech32m)
- Starts with tex1, 42 characters
- Sprout shielded address (retired, cannot receive ZEC)
- Starts with zc, 95 characters
Shielded and transparent Zcash
Zcash has two kinds of addresses. Your privacy depends on which kind you use.
- Transparent addresses start with
t1ort3and are 35 characters long. They work like Bitcoin addresses. The sender, the receiver and the amount are public. - Sapling shielded addresses start with
zs1and are 78 characters long. - Unified addresses start with
u1. One unified address can hold an Orchard receiver, a Sapling receiver and a transparent receiver. It always holds at least one shielded receiver. The sending wallet must use the first type it supports, in this order: Orchard, Sapling, transparent. Since the Ironwood upgrade in July 2026, a payment to the Orchard receiver goes into the new Ironwood pool. - Sprout addresses start with
zc. They are retired. Since the Canopy upgrade on 18 November 2020, no one can send ZEC to them.
A transaction between two shielded addresses in the same pool hides both addresses, the amount and the memo. The network still checks that the transaction is valid. It does this with zero-knowledge proofs. The owner of a shielded address can share a viewing key. It shows the payments but gives no right to spend.
Zcash is not private by default. These protections apply only to payments between shielded addresses. Not every platform that lists ZEC can send it to a shielded address.
What stays visible when ZEC moves
Zcash keeps value in separate pools. The pools in use today are transparent, Sapling, Ironwood and Orchard. Since July 2026, funds can only leave Orchard. When ZEC moves from one pool to another, the amount that moves is public. That covers transparent to shielded, shielded to transparent, and moves from Sapling or Orchard into Ironwood. The transparent address on the other side is public too. Every transaction also shows that it took place and what fee it paid.
This matters for a swap. If your deposit address is transparent, the amount you send to it is public, even when your wallet pays from a shielded balance. If your payout goes to a transparent address, the amount you get is public too. Other details can link the two sides as well: the timing, the IP address your wallet connects from, and any account that knows your name.
Shielding does not hide your swap from our liquidity partner. The partner controls the deposit address until your new coins are sent, so it sees both sides. Deposits are screened, and a swap can be held for checks. The Risk and screening page explains when.
Which address to give for your ZEC payout
Transparent addresses (t1 or t3) and TEX addresses (tex1) pass the swap form’s address check. We have not yet checked Sapling or unified addresses. The form checks the address when you enter it and tells you if it cannot use it. Look at your order page before you send anything.
- A unified address (
u1) or a Sapling address (zs1) from your own wallet keeps your address hidden, if the form accepts it. If the payout comes from a transparent address, the amount that enters the shielded pool is still public. - If you give a transparent address (
t1), use one from a wallet you control. After the ZEC arrives, you can move it into your shielded balance. Wallets call this shielding, and some do it for you. The amount that enters the shielded pool is still public. - Never give a
zcaddress. It cannot receive ZEC. - A
tex1address is meant to receive only ZEC that comes from transparent addresses. If you are not sure, a newt1address is the simpler choice. - Use a wallet that has been updated for Ironwood. A wallet without that update may not show a payment that lands in the Ironwood pool.
ZIP 315, a draft guide for Zcash wallets, recommends holding funds shielded for the long term. It also says wallets must let you turn automatic shielding off. A wallet shows new ZEC as spendable only after it has synced with the chain.
The Orchard flaw and the Ironwood upgrade
On 29 May 2026, a researcher found a flaw in the Orchard proof circuit. It could have broken the balance check on Orchard transactions. Network Upgrade 6.2 fixed it at block 3,364,600 on 3 June 2026, after a pause of about one day. ZODL reported no evidence that the flaw was used. Sapling and transparent funds were not affected.
Network Upgrade 6.3, called Ironwood, followed on 28 July 2026 at block 3,428,143. It added a new shielded pool, also named Ironwood, and closed Orchard to new funds. Funds in Orchard can leave only through a one-way check called the turnstile. It stops more ZEC from leaving Orchard than ever entered it, so anyone can check the supply. The funds go into Ironwood or to a transparent address, and each amount is public. Ironwood reuses the Orchard receivers, so existing unified addresses keep working. After each upgrade, transactions made under the old rules are no longer valid, so keep your wallet up to date.
Recent Zcash context lists other dated events, such as the EU rule that applies from 10 July 2027. That note is not legal advice.
Recent Zcash context
Network Upgrade 6.3, called Ironwood, activated at block 3,428,143. It added a new shielded pool, also called Ironwood, and closed the Orchard pool to new funds. Payments to the Orchard receiver of a unified address now go into Ironwood, so existing addresses keep working. Funds still in Orchard can leave only through the turnstile, into Ironwood or to a transparent address. The amount of each exit is public.
Network Upgrade 6.2 activated at block 3,364,600. It fixed a flaw in the Orchard proof circuit that was found on 29 May 2026, and turned Orchard transactions back on after a pause of about one day. ZODL reported no evidence that the flaw was used. Sapling and transparent funds were not affected.
News reports said the whole Electric Coin Company team had left the company. The team formed Zcash Open Development Lab (ZODL). The Zashi wallet it built is now called Zodl.
Network Upgrade 6.1 activated at block 3,146,400. Until the third halving, 8 percent of the new coins in each block go to Zcash Community Grants and 12 percent go to a fund that coin holders decide on.
An on-chain data report found that about 30 percent of all ZEC was held in shielded addresses, up from 11 percent at the start of 2025. Much of the growth came from the Orchard pool.
The EU adopted an anti-money laundering regulation that applies from 10 July 2027. It bars crypto-asset service providers from keeping accounts that allow anonymous or obscured transactions, including through anonymity-enhancing coins. Its definition covers coins where the privacy feature is optional.
Sending and receiving ZEC
ZEC (Zcash)
Send ZEC on the Zcash network, in one transaction, to the deposit address of your order. Zcash has transparent and shielded addresses. Check which type the deposit address is and which pool your ZEC sits in, because both decide what the chain shows about your payment. Give a Zcash address from a wallet you control. Transparent addresses (t1 or t3) and TEX addresses (tex1) pass the swap form's address check. We have not yet checked shielded or unified addresses. The form tells you if it cannot use the address you enter.
- Copy and paste the full deposit address. Transparent addresses start with t1 or t3 and have 35 characters. Sapling addresses start with zs1 and have 78. Unified addresses start with u1 and are longer.
- If the deposit address is transparent, the amount you send is public, even when your wallet pays it from a shielded balance.
- If some of your ZEC is still in the old Orchard pool, any amount that leaves it is public, even when it goes to a shielded address. Let a wallet with Ironwood support move it to Ironwood before you pay from it.
- If you send from an exchange account, check that it can send to this address type. You can also add a refund address from a wallet you control.
- Update your wallet before you send. After a network upgrade, such as Ironwood on 28 July 2026, transactions made under the old rules are no longer valid.
- Your order needs no memo and no tag. The deposit address is all you need.
- A unified address (u1) or a Sapling address (zs1) keeps your address hidden, if the form accepts it. A payment to the Orchard receiver of a unified address now lands in the Ironwood pool, so older unified addresses still work. If the payout comes from a transparent address, the amount that enters the shielded pool is still public.
- A transparent address (t1) makes the payout public. After it arrives, you can move the ZEC into your shielded balance. The amount that enters the shielded pool is still public.
- Never use a Sprout address (zc). It can no longer receive ZEC. A tex1 address passes the form's check, but it is meant to receive only ZEC paid from transparent funds. If you are not sure, a new t1 address is the simpler choice.
- A wallet shows ZEC as spendable only after it has synced with the chain. If the payout is missing, let the wallet finish syncing first. A wallet without Ironwood support may not show a payout that lands in the Ironwood pool. A wallet that shields new ZEC for you may show it as pending for a while.
- Blocks target 75 seconds. A draft wallet guide recommends 10 confirmations before spending ZEC received from others. Your order page shows the progress of your swap.
- A block explorer can show a payout to a transparent address. Without a viewing key, it cannot show a shielded balance.
Zcash questions
What is Zcash?
Zcash is a cryptocurrency that launched on 28 October 2016. ZEC is its coin. It uses proof of work with the Equihash algorithm, and total issuance is capped at 21 million ZEC. Its transparent side works like Bitcoin. Shielded addresses are optional. A payment between two of them hides the sender, the receiver and the amount.
Is Zcash private by default?
No. Privacy in Zcash is optional. A transaction between transparent addresses (t1 or t3) shows the sender, the receiver and the amount, like Bitcoin. Only a transaction between two shielded addresses hides all three. In November 2025, a data report found that about 30 percent of all ZEC was held in shielded addresses.
What do Zcash shielded transactions hide?
A transaction between two shielded addresses in the same pool hides both addresses, the amount and the encrypted memo. The network still checks that it is valid by using zero-knowledge proofs. When ZEC moves from one pool to another, the amount is public. This covers transparent to shielded, shielded to transparent, and moves from Sapling or Orchard into Ironwood. Every transaction also shows that it took place and what fee it paid.
What changed in Zcash with the Ironwood upgrade?
Network Upgrade 6.3, called Ironwood, activated on 28 July 2026 at block 3,428,143. It added a new shielded pool named Ironwood. The older Orchard pool takes no new funds. Funds in it can still leave, into Ironwood or to a transparent address, and the amount of each exit is public. Your unified address does not change. Payments to its Orchard receiver now go into Ironwood. Sapling and transparent addresses still receive ZEC. Update your wallet so it can make valid transactions.
Do I need to move ZEC that is still in the Orchard pool?
Yes, over time. Zcash developers say all Orchard funds will need to move to Ironwood. Use a wallet that supports this move. ZIP 318, a draft guide for wallets, says the wallet must show you the plan and ask you before any funds leave Orchard, because the amounts become public. It describes a private option that moves the funds in several standard amounts over time, so they are harder to link to you. One quick move is also possible, but it shows the whole amount at once.
Is Zcash more private than Monero?
They work in different ways. Monero hides amounts, senders and receivers by default. In Zcash you choose. Shielded transactions hide these details, transparent ones do not. With both coins, metadata such as timing, IP addresses and accounts that know your name can still link payments to you. Zcash vs Monero: privacy models compared
How do I convert Zcash to Bitcoin?
Choose ZEC as the coin you send and BTC as the coin you get. Enter your Bitcoin address. You can also add a ZEC refund address that you control. Then send ZEC in one transaction to the deposit address of your order. Your order page shows each step until the BTC is sent. Zcash to Bitcoin swap (ZEC to BTC)
Where can I exchange Zcash with no KYC?
You can swap ZEC here without an account, an email or ID. Not every platform that lists ZEC can send it to a shielded address. Deposits are screened, and a swap can be held for checks. The Risk and screening page explains when.
How many Zcash coins will there be?
Total issuance is capped at 21 million ZEC. New coins come from block rewards, and the block subsidy halves about every four years. Halvings took place in November 2020 and November 2024. The next one is set for block 4,406,400. At the 75 second block target, that is about four years after the last one. The real date depends on actual block times.
Who develops Zcash now?
The Electric Coin Company launched Zcash in 2016 and ended its operations in 2026. Its whole team moved to Zcash Open Development Lab (ZODL), an independent organization that keeps working on the protocol and the Zodl wallet. Other groups take part too. The 2026 Orchard flaw was found in an audit done for Shielded Labs. Protocol changes arrive as network upgrades described in ZIPs, the Zcash Improvement Proposals.