Zcash vs Monero

General

Description

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.

What is Zcash?
Monero Logo
Monero
 (XMR)

Monero is a decentralized cryptocurrency designed for private and difficult-to-trace payments. Unlike most public blockchains, the sender, recipient and amount of every transaction are concealed by default. This protects users’ financial privacy and prevents individual XMR from being treated differently based on their transaction history.

What is Monero?
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Purpose and goals

Zcash Logo
Zcash
 (ZEC)
  • Digital currency
  • Privacy
  • Shielded transactions (zk-SNARKs)
Monero Logo
Monero
 (XMR)
  • Digital currency
  • Private and censorship-resistant payments
  • Decentralized mining on standard hardware
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Price and market data

Chart

Zcash
 (ZEC)

$523.24

+13.9%
Monero
 (XMR)

$353.62

+1.6%
Market data
ZcashMonero
All-time high
$3,191.93
Oct 28, 2016
-83.6%
$797.73
Jan 14, 2026
-55.7%
Crypto all-time highs
Market cap
$8.78B
$6.64B
Market share
0.38%
0.29%
Transaction volume (24h)
$252.11M
+25.5%
$84.92M
+20.5%
Exchange rate

1 ZEC = $523.24

1 XMR = $353.62

ZEC converterXMR converter
Prediction for 2026
Powered by AI
$665.14
+26.8%
$468.72
+32.0%
ZEC predictionXMR prediction
Price trend
Positive
(15/30 days)
Positive
(17/30 days)
Momentum
Positive
NegativePositive
Positive
Positive
NegativePositive
Positive
Relative Strength Index
Neutral
BuySell
Neutral (52.67)
Neutral
BuySell
Neutral (54.1)
News sentiment
Positive
NegativePositive
Positive (100/100)

Last 7 days

Neutral
NegativePositive
Neutral (43/100)

Last 12 months

ZEC newsXMR news
Price performance
++7.4%
--2.2%
Price performance
++13.9%
++1.6%
Price performance
++18.2%
++10.8%
Price performance
++1,333.3%
++19.5%
Annual return
--4.2%
--20.0%
Annual return
++808.6%
++130.0%
Annual return
++102.0%
++15.1%
ZEC returnsXMR returns
Average annual return
++158.4%
++397.4%
Max supply
21M
Circulating supply
16.86M
18.79M
Inflation
3.70%
Year
1.85%
Year
Crypto inflation

On-chain data

ZcashMonero
Total Value Locked (TVL)
$1.91M
What is Total Value Locked?
Market cap/TVL (ratio)
4,586.61
Transactions (24h)
4,261
28,814
Active addresses (24h)
4,829

Our rating

Our rating
ZcashMonero
Our overall rating
Zcash
Monero
How we evaluate cryptocurrencies

Our individual ratings

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

Our opinion

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.
What is Zcash?
Monero Logo
Monero
 (XMR)
Monero is the most uncompromising major crypto project focused on private payments. Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, it conceals the sender, recipient and amount by default, strengthening fungibility and censorship resistance. Its real-world use for legitimate private payments and on darknet marketplaces demonstrates genuine demand, while also explaining the intense regulatory pressure. Monero also benefits from its long track record, fair launch without an ICO or pre-mine, and independent open-source development. At the same time, exchange delistings restrict access, liquidity and institutional adoption. Monero does not guarantee complete anonymity either, as exchange data, IP addresses or compromised devices may still reveal information about users. Overall, we view Monero as the strongest project for private digital money, although regulatory risks are likely to limit its long-term growth.
What is Monero?
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Key data

Key data
ZcashMonero
Sector
Privacy
Privacy
Key feature
Shielded Transactions (zk-SNARKs)
Private transactions by default
Founder
Zooko Wilcox, Electric Coin Company
thankful_for_today (pseudonym)
Developer
Electric Coin Company
Monero Project (open source)
Published
2016
2014
Institutional investors
  • Pantera Capital
  • Digital Currency Group (DCG)
  • Fenbushi Capital
  • Boost VC
  • Placeholder Ventures
  • Winklevoss Capital
  • etc.
Social media
70,470 followers
530,292 followers
Website
z.cash
www.getmonero.org
Whitepaper
Whitepaper
Whitepaper

Technical details

Technical details
ZcashMonero
Blockchain
Zcash Blockchain
Monero Blockchain
Consensus mechanism
Proof of Work
Proof of Work (RandomX)
Staking
No
No
Open source
Yes
Yes
Energy consumption
High
High
Transactions per second
20 TPS
90 TPS
Zcash vs Monero

Zcash or Monero

Market data comparison of ZEC versus XMR

The current price of Zcash is $523.24 and has increased by 7.4% in the last 24 hours. Monero is currently trading at $353.62, with a drop of 2.2% over the same period. Zcash has a market cap of $8.78B and ranks 14th. Monero follows with a market cap of $6.64B, ranking 17th — 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 Zcash or Monero?

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 Zcash and Monero. What target markets and problems are these two projects aiming to address?

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

Currently, Zcash is about -83.6% below it's all-time high of $3,191.93 reached Oct 28, 2016.
In comparison, Monero is down approximately -55.7% from it's all-time high of $797.73 Jan 14, 2026.
Zcash currently has a 196.9% higher 24h transaction volume of $252.11M compared to Monero with $84.92M.
Over the past year, Zcash achieved a total return of +1,333.3%, while Monero returned +19.5%. 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 Zcash and Monero. 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 Zcash or Monero?

Today, there are many reputable and secure exchanges that make it easy to invest in Zcash and Monero. 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 Zcash and Monero 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 Zcash and Monero?

If you want to store cryptocurrencies like Zcash or Monero 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 Zcash, Monero, and many other cryptocurrencies.

Crypto wallets comparison