A shift has been unfolding around Zcash lately. The privacy focused project has been gaining attention in a steady, almost unforced way, especially after its rally of more than 1000% in a couple of weeks.
Simon, an analyst, is bringing this rise into focus, pointing out how Zcash keeps drifting into conversations that once centered on Bitcoin. The movement feels more like a reminder of the older ideas that shaped crypto’s early years, which leads to a bigger question, Is Zcash starting to resemble the version of Bitcoin that existed in theory long before the market changed direction?
What you'll learn 👉
How the Zcash Story Reconnected With Bitcoin’s Roots
A memory from early Bitcoin days often resurfaces when people mention Zcash. A time when privacy was not a niche desire but a core goal. Simon pointed at something similar when he revisited the original cypherpunk spirit that shaped Bitcoin’s identity. That spirit revolved around personal freedom and transaction privacy. A person should be able to move value without feeling watched or controlled.
That dream slowly changed. Large custodial structures grew. Policies around digital assets tightened. Transparency became standard instead of optional. Around the same period, a proposal called Zerocoin showed up. It was built with cryptographic privacy in mind and many believed it could evolve into Bitcoin’s own shielded system. That never happened. The creators left to form Zcash and built the privacy foundation that Bitcoin never embraced.
That backstory matters today because the privacy gap between both networks has widened dramatically. The ZEC token now carries a feature set that aligns more closely with what early Bitcoiners once imagined before the ecosystem matured into something more rigid.
If you told me 6 months ago that Zcash would start absorbing Bitcoin’s original use-case, I’d have laughed.
— Simon (@simononchain) November 13, 2025
Today, I’m not so sure…
In fact, I believe a strong case can be made that BTC's original cypherpunk vision has been hijacked.
Not just because it has underperformed… pic.twitter.com/fiOLWXMOmQ
Why ZEC Price Action Has Turned Heads
Movement in the Zcash price shocked many observers. A climb from roughly $78 to a peak near $800 stirred conversation far beyond the privacy coin niche. Some of this attention grew after platforms like NEAR Intents integrated ZEC and brought smooth shielded swaps to mobile users. The experience felt effortless, which is something the Zcash community never fully had before.
Flows reflected this shift. ZEC volume on certain channels began overtaking Bitcoin. More than 5M ZEC now sits in shielded pools and the growth inside Orchard became a talking point across the ecosystem. The move signaled a new kind of demand, one tied to sovereignty rather than speculation. Simon often referenced this as a sign that the market had found a clear reason to revisit Zcash after years of silence.
This also raised a question. Why did it take so long for interest to return to a token with such a strong technical foundation?
ZEC Token Identity Versus Monero and Others
Privacy conversations usually drift toward Monero, although Zcash has taken a different path. The ZEC token uses encryption instead of the obfuscation method found in other privacy networks.
The distinction matters because encryption offers stronger guarantees. Branding also played a role. The Zcash team spent years presenting the asset as a tool for freedom and user protection rather than a coin associated with the dark corners of the internet.
This shift in identity opened the doors for new participation. Well known early Bitcoin figures, including the Winklevoss twins, showed interest. Their presence added a historical weight to the conversation since they helped shape Bitcoin’s early reputation long before institutions arrived.
The involvement of these long standing figures encouraged others to take a second look at ZEC. It almost felt like a return to old values that slowly faded from Bitcoin’s culture.
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A few themes stand out. Bitcoin’s increasing presence inside ETFs and government treasuries changed the nature of its sovereignty. Nearly 9 percent of its supply now sits inside structures that are transparent and fully controlled. That removes the feeling of personal control that once defined the asset. Policy changes around the world add another layer. Privacy rules grow tighter. Surveillance technology grows more advanced. Digital money begins to move toward environments where every action is visible.
Zcash offers an alternative. A ZEC token holder can move value privately without leaving a trail exposed to everyone. The design aligns closely with the early Bitcoin conversations that filled forums more than a decade ago. Those discussions often mentioned that privacy would have been part of Bitcoin if stronger tools had existed at the time.
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