Bitcoin's rebellious younger cousin is having a blockbuster year. **Zcash**, a lesser-known cryptocurrency built for privacy, has soared roughly **1,140%** over the past 12 months, far outpacing bitcoin's 24% slump. Founded in 2016 by scientists and engineers, Zcash works like bitcoin but adds an **optional privacy layer**: users can encrypt transaction details while allowing "viewing keys" for auditors or regulators.

This mix of secrecy and flexibility is attracting early bitcoin champions. The Winklevoss twins have backed **Cypherpunk Technologies**, a firm stockpiling Zcash. **Digital Currency Group** has made it one of its largest holdings, and **Grayscale** wants to convert its Zcash trust into an ETF. Barry Silbert says, "It feels like bitcoin circa 2013."

Zcash's market value is around **$8.9 billion**, tiny next to bitcoin's $1.6 trillion. Regulators still eye privacy coins warily, though the SEC recently closed a probe into Zcash. Another key difference: bitcoin has an elusive creator, Zcash doesn't.

Bitcoin's rebellious younger cousin is having a blockbuster year. The   Wall Street Journal   reports that Zcash—a lesser-known cryptocurrency built to make transactions...

4 weeks ago Bitcoin Articles Digested