Cardano vs Zcash

General

Description

Cardano Logo
Cardano
 (ADA)

Cardano, similar to Ethereum, is a blockchain platform designed for running smart contracts. It operates on a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, making it particularly energy-efficient. The technology is developed and rigorously reviewed by a network of academics and researchers, following a peer-review process.

Cardano overview
Zcash Logo
Zcash
 (ZEC)

Zcash is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that uses zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKs) to enable optionally fully shielded transactions. These transactions can be verified without revealing the sender, recipient, or amount. Built on Bitcoin’s codebase, Zcash pairs Bitcoin-level security with a choice between transparent and shielded addresses.

Zcash overview

Purpose and goals

Cardano Logo
Cardano
 (ADA)
  • Smart contract platform
  • Decentralized finance (DeFi)
  • Decentralized applications
Zcash Logo
Zcash
 (ZEC)
  • Digital currency
  • Privacy
  • Shielded transactions (zk-SNARKs)

Price and market data

Price chart

Cardano
 (ADA)

$0.409

-12.62%
Zcash
 (ZEC)

$500.14

-12.03%
Market data
CardanoZcash
Market cap
$15.04B
$8.24B
Market share
0.49%
0.27%
Current price

$0.41

+$0.0017+0.40%

$500.14

-$41.97-8.39%
ADA converterZEC converter
All-time high
$3.09
Sep 02, 2021-86.65%
$3,191.93
Oct 29, 2016-84.17%
Crypto all-time highs
Cycle low
$0.23
+74.19%Jun 10, 2023
$16.04
+3,018.76%Jul 05, 2024
Prediction for 2025
Powered by AI
$0.54
+30.96%
$580.32
+14.75%
ADA predictionZEC prediction
Price trend
Negative
(19/30 days)
Positive
(20/30 days)
Momentum
Neutral
NegativePositive
Neutral
Positive
NegativePositive
Positive
Relative Strength Index
Neutral
BuySell
Neutral (31.42)
Neutral
BuySell
Neutral (51.28)
News sentiment
Negative
NegativePositive
Negative (29/100)

Last 7 days

Positive
NegativePositive
Positive (100/100)

Last 7 days

ADA newsZEC news
Price performance
-60.25%
+881.62%
Price performance
-48.60%
+1,061.27%
Price performance
-39.62%
+50.78%
Price performance
-12.62%
-12.03%
Price performance
+0.40%
-8.39%
Price performance
-0.89%
-1.05%
Annual return
-50.20%
+794.29%
Annual return
+42.81%
+101.95%
Annual return
+145.00%
-24.15%
ADA returnsZEC returns
Total return
+1,494.96%
2017 – 2025
-83.72%
2016 – 2025
Average annual return
+383.86%
+173.19%
Transaction volume
$870.14M
24h
$1.33B
24h
Max supply
45B
21M
Circulating supply
36.62B
16.41M
Inflation
2.44%
Year
0.48%
Year
Crypto inflation

On-chain data

Market data
CardanoZcash
Total Value Locked (TVL)
$186.69M
What is Total Value Locked?
Market cap/TVL (ratio)
80.55
Transactions (24h)
33,011
19,492
Active addresses (24h)
20,627
11,589

Our rating

Our rating
CardanoZcash
Our overall rating
Cardano
Zcash
How we evaluate cryptocurrencies

Our individual ratings

Risk
Cardano: 5 of 10
Risk (Cardano)
Zcash: 6 of 10
Risk (Zcash)
Cardano Logo
Zcash Logo
riskyless risky
Community
Cardano: 8 of 10
Community (Cardano)
Zcash: 5 of 10
Community (Zcash)
Cardano Logo
Zcash Logo
smalllarge
Hype & momentum
Cardano: 7 of 10
Hype & momentum (Cardano)
Zcash: 6 of 10
Hype & momentum (Zcash)
Cardano Logo
Zcash Logo
weakstrong
Active usage
Cardano: 3 of 10
Active usage (Cardano)
Zcash: 6 of 10
Active usage (Zcash)
Cardano Logo
Zcash Logo
lowhigh
Network effect
Cardano: 2 of 10
Network effect (Cardano)
Zcash: 5 of 10
Network effect (Zcash)
Cardano Logo
Zcash Logo
weakstrong
Decentralization
Cardano: 5 of 10
Decentralization (Cardano)
Zcash: 5 of 10
Decentralization (Zcash)
Cardano Logo
Zcash Logo
centralizeddecentralized

Our opinion

Cardano Logo
Cardano
 (ADA)
Cardano has solid technical foundations and an intriguing scientific approach. The problem: development is often too slow for the fast-moving crypto space, and this shows in its lack of real adoption. While competitors like Solana or Avalanche rapidly ship features and attract developers, Cardano has relatively little Total Value Locked (TVL) and few active projects despite having smart contracts since 2021. The DeFi ecosystem exists on paper, but most developers are still building elsewhere. The scientific approach may be theoretically superior — but without genuine adoption, it remains an academic exercise.
Cardano overview
Zcash Logo
Zcash
 (ZEC)
Zcash is one of the most technically mature privacy coins in our eyes. zk-SNARKs enable optionally fully shielded transactions, while viewing keys allow selective disclosure for audits and compliance. The choice between transparent and shielded addresses strikes a good balance between privacy and verifiability. The trade-offs are real: shielded flows add complexity for wallets and interoperability, and regulatory scrutiny can impact listings and liquidity. The ecosystem is working on better wallet defaults, scaling, and potential changes to consensus. Bottom line: a strong, well-researched privacy stack with clear separation between transparency and confidentiality. Best for users who need financial privacy without giving up provability. We’re watching wallet UX, standardization, the network roadmap, and the regulatory backdrop.
Zcash overview

Details

Info
CardanoZcash
Founder
Charles Hoskinson
Zooko Wilcox, Electric Coin Company
Developer
Cardano Foundation, IOHK, Emurgo
Electric Coin Company
Published
2017
2016
Open source
Yes
Yes
Sector
Smart Contracts
Privacy
Key feature
Scientific Approach
Shielded Transactions (zk-SNARKs)
Blockchain
Cardano Blockchain
Zcash Blockchain
Staking
Yes
No
Consensus mechanism
Proof of Stake (Ouroboros)
Proof of Work
Energy consumption
Low
High
Transactions per second
250 TPS
20 TPS
Institutional investors
  • Cognitive Blockchain Capital
  • Pantera Capital
  • Digital Currency Group (DCG)
  • Fenbushi Capital
  • Boost VC
  • Placeholder Ventures
  • Winklevoss Capital
  • etc.
Community
840,187 followers
60,922 followers
Website
cardano.org
z.cash
Whitepaper
Whitepaper
Whitepaper
Cardano vs Zcash

Cardano or Zcash

Market data comparison of ADA versus ZEC

The current price of Cardano is $0.41 and has increased by in the last 24 hours. Zcash is currently trading at $500.14, with a drop of over the same period. Cardano has a market cap of $15.04B and ranks 11th. Zcash follows with a market cap of $8.24B, ranking 23rd — meaning it is valued lower.

We automatically update all market data every 15 minutes, so you always have the latest figures for your comparison.

Should I buy Cardano or Zcash?

You should be aware that investing in cryptocurrencies carries risks, and we are neither allowed nor intending to provide investment advice. Still, we'd like to offer some food for thought: consider the opportunities and risks associated with both Cardano and Zcash. What target markets and problems are these two projects aiming to address?

If you're still unsure whether to invest in Cardano or Zcash, you can take a look at some additional market data to help with your decision:

Currently, Cardano is about below it's all-time high of $3.09 reached on Sep 02, 2021.
In comparison, Zcash is down approximately from it's all-time high of $3,191.93 on Oct 29, 2016.
Cardano currently has a 34.66% lower 24h transaction volume of $870.14M compared to Zcash with $1.33B.
Over the past year, Cardano achieved a total return of , while Zcash returned . Keep in mind, however, that past performance rarely guarantees future results.

Additional criteria for comparing cryptocurrencies:

  • What problem does the project aim to solve, and is a decentralized network meaningful and necessary for it?
  • How actively is the network being used?
  • Does the project have a large and active community?
  • How strong is the development activity? (e.g., on GitHub)
  • How decentralized is the underlying blockchain and the project itself?

How we evaluate cryptocurrencies

These are just a few indicators you can use to better evaluate and compare cryptocurrencies like Cardano and Zcash. Cryptocurrencies and their underlying technologies are often difficult to compare — even for professionals. So don’t stress yourself out, and never let emotions or fear of missing out drive your investment decisions.

Where can I buy Cardano or Zcash?

Today, there are many reputable and secure exchanges that make it easy to invest in Cardano and Zcash. We're happy to help you choose the right one: simply use our exchange comparison tool to find the platform that best suits your needs. Both Cardano and Zcash are well-known and in high demand, which means they're available on most major exchanges.

Crypto exchanges comparison

Which crypto wallet is best for Cardano and Zcash?

If you want to store cryptocurrencies like Cardano or Zcash yourself, choosing the right wallet is essential. Consider your personal preferences when deciding: Is ease of use important to you? Do you prefer maximum security with a hardware wallet (USB device), or is a software wallet sufficient for your needs? Our crypto wallet comparison helps you find the best wallet for Cardano, Zcash, and many other cryptocurrencies.

Crypto wallets comparison

How does our comparison work?

Data & Interfaces

Our market data is automatically updated every 15 minutes. This means you can always use the latest data for your comparisons. We obtain the data through web interfaces (API) from CoinGecko, DefiLlama, CoinCodex and many more

Research & Deepdive

We regularly sift through a jungle of technical whitepapers, websites, social media and forums for you. In doing so, we filter out essential and relevant information in order to present it to you clearly and comprehensibly in our comparison

Analysis & Valuation

We research and use analysis tools for blockchains and their networks, to form a fact-based foundation for our valuation. Please note that this is not an investment recommendation, but merely our personal opinion.

Community & Feedback

We check our information every 1-2 months to ensure it is up to date and correct. With the help of our community, we can find outdated or incorrect data even faster. Of course, we also welcome your feedback or suggestions for improvement!

Our data on cryptocurrencies was last updated on 2025-11-25T14:50:38.459571+00:00. Sources: CoinGecko, defillama.com, coincodex.com.

The content on this website is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice. It should not be interpreted as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold cryptocurrencies, nor as a guarantee of future price developments. You are responsible for independently verifying any information before using a listed service. Trading cryptocurrencies involves significant risk and can result in the total loss of your capital. Past performance is not indicative of future results. We do not accept any liability for the timeliness, accuracy, or completeness of the information provided, including content from external or third-party sources. All actions are taken at your own risk. Some links on this website are affiliate links. If you purchase a product or use a service through these links, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Our content, comparisons, and rankings remain editorially independent. This helps us provide free content and continue developing the platform. Thank you for your support.