Grayscale Chief Legal Officer: Zcash Ecosystem Enters a New Phase of Institutionalization After Nearly a Decade of Development

Odaily News Digital asset manager Grayscale Investments' Chief Legal Officer Craig Salm stated that the company's Zcash investment product has been upgraded to the world's first Zcash Exchange-Traded Product (ETP), marking a move of privacy-focused crypto assets into broader compliant investment channels. Following the launch of this Zcash ETP, investors can gain exposure to ZEC through SEC-registered traditional financial products. Grayscale noted that this signifies the Zcash ecosystem, after nearly a decade of development, is entering a new phase of institutionalization.

Salm recalled that Grayscale launched the Zcash Investment Trust in 2018, when the ZEC trust product was just one of four products offered by the company. After years of regulatory engagement, the product was recently converted into the Zcash ETP, with the ticker symbol ZCSH. The process of bringing the Zcash product to the public market was not easy. Due to ZEC's privacy features, the company underwent greater regulatory scrutiny when launching its first publicly quoted Zcash fund in 2021, but ultimately completed the product rollout.

Data shows that the adoption rate of Zcash's private transaction features has been steadily rising recently. In February 2026, ZEC shielded transactions reached an all-time high of 59.3% of total transactions, and after the latest Ironwood upgrade, it has again approached this level. Currently, the shielded pool holds approximately 4.4 million ZEC, accounting for about 26% of the circulating supply.