Zcash vs Tether

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?
Tether Logo
Tether
 (USDT)

Tether (USDT) is a stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the US dollar. Issued by Tether Limited, each token is backed by reserves including US Treasury bills, cash, and other assets. USDT acts as a digital dollar in the crypto market, commonly used for short-term capital parking, trading, and fast cross-border transfers without the volatility of traditional cryptocurrencies.

What is Tether?

Purpose and goals

Zcash Logo
Zcash
 (ZEC)
  • Digital currency
  • Privacy
  • Shielded transactions (zk-SNARKs)
Tether Logo
Tether
 (USDT)
  • Digital dollar
  • Trading & liquidity
  • Fast transfers

Price and market data

Price chart

Zcash
 (ZEC)

$420.40

-13.07%
Tether
 (USDT)

$1.00

+0.036%
Market data
ZcashTether
Market cap
$6.94B
$186.78B
Market share
0.21%
5.56%
Current price

$420.40

+$28.51+6.78%

$1.0

+$0.00062+0.062%
ZEC converterUSDT converter
All-time high
$3,191.93
Oct 29, 2016-86.83%
Crypto all-time highs
Cycle low
$16.04
+2,508.01%Jul 05, 2024
Prediction for 2026
Powered by AI
$1,043.15
+147.50%
ZEC prediction
Price trend
Negative
(16/30 days)
Momentum
Negative
NegativePositive
Negative
Relative Strength Index
Neutral
BuySell
Neutral (41.51)
News sentiment
Negative
NegativePositive
Negative (19/100)

Last 7 days

Positive
NegativePositive
Positive (67/100)

Last 7 days

ZEC newsUSDT news
Price performance
+740.07%
+0.0014%
Price performance
+1,010.49%
-0.053%
Price performance
+3.00%
-0.051%
Price performance
-13.07%
+0.036%
Price performance
+6.78%
+0.062%
Price performance
+1.03%
+0.0030%
Annual return
-23.33%
+0.056%
Annual return
+808.60%
+0.089%
Annual return
+101.95%
-0.14%
ZEC returns
Total return
-87.32%
2016 – 2026
-17.40%
2015 – 2026
Average annual return
+156.63%
-1.42%
Transaction volume
$781.09M
24h
$118.11B
24h
Max supply
21M
Circulating supply
16.5M
186.85B
Inflation
0.96%
Year
35.94%
Year
Crypto inflation

On-chain data

Market data
ZcashTether
Total Value Locked (TVL)
What is Total Value Locked?
Market cap/TVL (ratio)
Transactions (24h)
5,756
3.9M
Active addresses (24h)
5,477
1.99M

Our rating

Our rating
ZcashTether
Our overall rating
Zcash
Tether
How we evaluate cryptocurrencies

Our individual ratings

Risk
Zcash: 6 of 10
Risk (Zcash)
Tether: 8 of 10
Risk (Tether)
Zcash Logo
Tether Logo
riskyless risky
Community
Zcash: 5 of 10
Community (Zcash)
Tether: 10 of 10
Community (Tether)
Zcash Logo
Tether Logo
smalllarge
Hype & momentum
Zcash: 6 of 10
Hype & momentum (Zcash)
Tether: 7 of 10
Hype & momentum (Tether)
Zcash Logo
Tether Logo
weakstrong
Active usage
Zcash: 6 of 10
Active usage (Zcash)
Tether: 10 of 10
Active usage (Tether)
Zcash Logo
Tether Logo
lowhigh
Network effect
Zcash: 5 of 10
Network effect (Zcash)
Tether: 9 of 10
Network effect (Tether)
Zcash Logo
Tether Logo
weakstrong
Decentralization
Zcash: 5 of 10
Decentralization (Zcash)
Tether: 1 of 10
Decentralization (Tether)
Zcash Logo
Tether 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?
Tether Logo
Tether
 (USDT)
Tether has established itself as an indispensable tool in the crypto market. No other stablecoin offers comparable liquidity and global availability. For traders and users in emerging markets, USDT is often the most practical way to hold value in US dollars. That said, the criticism is valid: Tether Limited operates offshore, full audits are still missing, and the freeze function highlights how centralized the system is. For EU users, MiCA adds another factor, as USDT is increasingly restricted on regulated platforms. Despite this, Tether has weathered every major crisis and has processed billions in redemptions without issues. We see USDT as a highly practical trading instrument with clear utility, but not as a long-term store of value. Anyone holding larger amounts should keep issuer risk in mind and consider diversifying into regulated alternatives such as USDC.
What is Tether?

Details

Info
ZcashTether
Founder
Zooko Wilcox, Electric Coin Company
Brock Pierce, Reeve Collins, Craig Sellars
Developer
Electric Coin Company
Tether Limited
Published
2016
2014
Open source
Yes
No
Sector
Privacy
Stablecoin
Key feature
Shielded Transactions (zk-SNARKs)
Price stability (USD peg)
Blockchain
Zcash Blockchain
Multi-chain
Staking
No
No
Consensus mechanism
Proof of Work
Network-dependent (multi-chain)
Energy consumption
High
Low
Transactions per second
20 TPS
Institutional investors
  • Pantera Capital
  • Digital Currency Group (DCG)
  • Fenbushi Capital
  • Boost VC
  • Placeholder Ventures
  • Winklevoss Capital
  • etc.
Community
60,922 followers
556,661 followers
Website
z.cash
tether.to
Whitepaper
Whitepaper
Whitepaper
Zcash vs Tether

Zcash or Tether

Market data comparison of ZEC versus USDT

The current price of Zcash is $420.40 and has increased by in the last 24 hours. Tether is currently trading at $1.0, with a gain of over the same period. Zcash has a market cap of $6.94B and ranks 28th. Tether follows with a market cap of $186.78B, ranking 3rd — meaning it is valued higher.

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

Should I buy Zcash or Tether?

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

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

Zcash currently has a 99.34% lower 24h transaction volume of $781.09M compared to Tether with $118.11B.
Over the past year, Zcash achieved a total return of , while Tether 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 Zcash and Tether. 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 Tether?

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

If you want to store cryptocurrencies like Zcash or Tether 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, Tether, 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 2026-01-14T15:05:22.477388+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.