Here’s the latest ZEC (Zcash) updates — covering price, development, governance, and tech news as of January 11, 2026:
📊 Price & Market Dynamics
Current Market Snapshot (approx)
The price of ZEC remains volatile amid broader crypto pullbacks — recently dipping and rebounding — as Bitcoin’s movements influence altcoins.
🔥 Core Developer Exodus & Governance Crisis
A major shake‑up hit Zcash early January 2026:
• The Electric Coin Company (ECC) — historically the main developer group behind Zcash — resigned en masse due to a governance dispute with the Bootstrap board. 
• This sparked price volatility with ZEC dropping sharply as traders reacted to uncertainty. 
• News sources confirm the network remains operational, and developers are reportedly forming new teams or entities to continue work, but confidence is mixed. 
🛡️ Network & Development Activity
• The Zcash Foundation stressed that no single entity controls the network, and that Zcash’s decentralized design should withstand team changes. 
• On‑chain developer activity has fallen to one of its lowest levels in years, according to data firms. 
📈 Earlier Positive Trends Still Relevant
Before the governance drama, Zcash saw major growth and upgrades that shaped its market profile in 2025:
• ZEC rallied strongly in 2025 as privacy demand surged and institutional interest increased (e.g., Grayscale Zcash Trust participation). 
• Adoption of shielded transactions grew, with a rising share of supply moving into privacy mode. 
• Tech upgrades like Zashi CrossPay (private cross‑chain transfers via NEAR) have been rolled out, enhancing ZEC’s interoperability and privacy feature set. 
• Zebra 3.1.0 and other node improvements aim to make the protocol more robust and efficient. 
🧠 Community & Ecosystem Updates
• Anonymous/private ZEC swaps are now live through some wallets/DEFI rails, reducing dependency on centralized exchanges for privacy‑focused traders. 
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