Monero & Zcash
Whenever I think of privacy coins, the first names that come to mind are Monero and Zcash. Both these coins have not only survived but also have strong positions according to market cap, trading volume and community support. I was in Crypto when Zcash first launched and it was one of the first altcoins that I ever owned. Monero has perhaps enjoyed more fame but the zk-SNARKs technology has been adopted by a number of top coins, making Zcash a pioneer within the Crypto space.
A Zcash address can either be private or transparent, depending on the choice of the user. There are actually 4 different transaction types available on Zcash and they as follows:
Private - From a z-address to a z-address.
Deshielding - From a z-address to a t-address.
Shielding - From a t-address to a z-adresss.
Public - From a t-address to a t-address.
A z-address is a private address, while a t-address is a transparent address and even though a z-address transaction is visible on the public blockchain, the address, amount and memo field are not displayed publicly. The owner of a z-address can choose to disclose more information to a trusted party if it is required. Zcash fees are also relatively low, which helps contribute to making the network a viable option for transferring value.
Monero has recently seen a surge in price to approximately $130 but ZEC is yet to establish itself above $65! It is possible that the upcoming halving will be a catalyst to initiate a move above $100!
The ZEC Halving Is Weeks Away!
It may be an idea to monitor the price of ZEC, as often there is some anticipation leading into a halving that can potentially trigger some profitable price action. The halving is scheduled for the 17th of November and I will be keeping a close eye on the price as I am still hodling some ZEC.
I know that there is a fair amount of debate surrounding privacy coins and whether or not they are going to survive the regulators or not but Zcash is much more than a privacy coin. Zcash is a chain that has proven it's value over time and is also able to send completely transparent transactions, if so desired.
Take a look at other privacy coins from 2017, such as Verge. You cannot compare the superiority of a coin like Zcash with Verge. Vitalik has often spoken very highly of Zcash and to be honest I am not sure why that alone has not had more impact on the value of ZEC. Anyway, we wait and watch in anticipation of the upcoming ZEC halving.
