Zcash has climbed to around $975 and sits tenth by market cap
Zcash ($ZEC) surged nearly 18% in a single session to almost $977, reaching tenth place by market cap, as Grayscale's spot Zcash ETF on NYSE Arca draws hard-money and digital privacy demand.
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$ZEC Posts Sharp Single-Session Gain
Zcash ($ZEC) traded as high as $976.91 on Thursday, a gain of more than 18% over 24 hours, pushing the privacy-focused cryptocurrency to tenth place by global market capitalisation at $16.17 billion. Trading volume climbed 66% to $1.07 billion, reflecting a broad surge in market interest that was concentrated almost entirely within one session.
The move extends a strong run for $ZEC. Zcash led major cryptocurrencies in August, surging 82% during the month amid a broad market rebound. Grayscale has also linked growing AI surveillance concerns to rising demand for Zcash's shielded transactions, a narrative that appears to be gaining traction with investors seeking credible hard-money and privacy alternatives.
Grayscale ETF Opens Up Institutional Access
A key catalyst behind the renewed interest is the arrival of a regulated investment vehicle. The Zcash ETF, ticker $ZCSH, built by Grayscale, began trading on NYSE Arca on August 25, 2026, becoming the first exchange-traded product in the world to offer spot exposure to $ZEC.
The structure converts Grayscale's long-running private Zcash Trust into a redeemable ETP holding actual $ZEC, custodied by Coinbase, with BNY as administrator and Jane Street and Virtu serving as authorised participants. The fund launched with roughly 387,000 ZEC (around $313 million in assets under management) and carries an annual fee of 2.50%, with early fee revenue earmarked for Zcash ecosystem development.
Launched in 2016, Zcash pairs Bitcoin-like features, including a 21-million-coin supply cap and proof-of-work consensus, with optional transaction privacy. Grayscale has leaned into that positioning, stating that $ZCSH is designed to meet investor demand for crypto exposure beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum through traditional brokerage accounts.
The ETF listing followed a 65% weekly rise in $ZEC amid increased institutional activity, suggesting improved adoption and potential inflows, though further trading and institutional flows will determine whether demand is sustained.
Sources:
GlobeNewswire: The Zcash ETF (Ticker: ZCSH), Built By Grayscale, Begins Trading on NYSE Arca
Yahoo Finance: Grayscale Launches First Zcash Exchange-Traded Fund
CoinMarketCap: Latest Zcash News and Market Insights
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Crypto RichRich has been researching cryptocurrency and blockchain technology for eight years and has served as a senior analyst at BSCN since its founding in 2020. He focuses on fundamental analysis of early-stage crypto projects and tokens and has published in-depth research reports on over 200 emerging protocols. Rich also writes about broader technology and scientific trends and maintains active involvement in the crypto community through X/Twitter Spaces, and leading industry events.