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Comparison

Ethereum vs Zcash

A side-by-side look at Ethereum (ETH) and Zcash (ZEC) — live price, market capitalization, supply, all-time records and project fundamentals. Figures refresh hourly from public market data. For informational purposes only; not financial advice.

Side by side Source CoinPaprika Updated hourly
Ethereum ETH
Rank #2
$1,697.34
-4.31% 24h
Market cap
$204.40B
24h volume
$10.69B
Zcash ZEC
Rank #16
$460.75
-7.31% 24h
Market cap
$7.52B
24h volume
$537.51M

Ethereum vs Zcash: Key Metrics

Metric ETH ZEC
Market cap rank #2 #16
Price $1,697.34 $460.75
Market capitalization $204.40B $7.52B
24-hour trading volume $10.69B $537.51M
24-hour change -4.31% -7.31%
Circulating supply 120,684,109 16,770,650
Maximum supply No fixed cap 21,000,000
All-time high $4,946.05 $3,191.93
All-time low $0.432979 $16.08
Genesis / launch July 30, 2015 October 28, 2016
Hashing algorithm Ethash Equihash
Categories tracked 15 10

Bold values mark the larger figure for size-based metrics (market cap, volume). Larger is not inherently “better.”

What Are Ethereum and Zcash?

Ethereum ETH

Ethereum is a global, open-source platform for decentralized applications. In other words, it is a decentralized blockchain platform that enables developers to build and deploy smart contracts and applications without central authority control. Unlike Bitcoin, which primarily functions as digital currency, Ethereum operates as a programmable global computer where developers can create any type of decentralized service. The platform hosts over $14 billion in DeFi applications with hundreds of thousands of active users across financial protocols, NFT marketplaces, and gaming platforms.

Full Ethereum profile →

Zcash ZEC

Zcash is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that uses trustless zero-knowledge proofs to enable fully encrypted transactions while maintaining blockchain transparency and security. It was the first cryptocurrency to implement zero-knowledge encryption for private peer-to-peer payments, addressing the fundamental privacy gap in traditional cryptocurrencies that expose transaction details publicly. With a fixed supply of 21 million ZEC and a halving schedule similar to Bitcoin, Zcash allows users to prove transactions are valid without revealing sensitive information like wallet balances, transaction amounts, or participant identities, making it suitable for everyday payments, long-term savings, and cross-border money transfers where financial confidentiality matters. The protocol operates on its own blockchain currently using Proof-of-Work consensus, though it's evolving toward Proof-of-Stake through the planned "Crosslink" upgrade to enhance security, scalability, and energy efficiency.

Full Zcash profile →

Category Overlap

How Ethereum and Zcash are classified by CoinPaprika, and where they overlap.

Shared
Layer 1 (L1)Coinbase 50 Index
Ethereum only
Smart Contract PlatformEthereum EcosystemFTX HoldingsMulticoin Capital PortfolioProof of Stake (PoS)Alameda Research PortfolioAndreessen Horowitz (a16z) PortfolioGMCI Layer 1 IndexGMCI 30 IndexDelphi Ventures Portfolio
Zcash only
Privacy CoinsNear Protocol EcosystemZero Knowledge (ZK)Proof of Work (PoW)Pantera Capital PortfolioMade in USAQuantum-ResistantPrivacy

Ethereum vs Zcash FAQ

Which has a bigger market cap, Ethereum or Zcash?
Ethereum has the larger market capitalization ($204.40B) compared with Zcash ($7.52B), roughly 27.2× larger.
What do Ethereum and Zcash have in common?
Both are classified by CoinPaprika under: Layer 1 (L1), Coinbase 50 Index.
Do Ethereum and Zcash use the same technology?
Ethereum uses the Ethash hashing algorithm, while Zcash uses Equihash.
Is Ethereum or Zcash a better investment?
We don’t provide financial advice or price predictions. This page compares factual market data only. Which asset suits you depends on your own research, goals and risk tolerance — always do your own due diligence before investing.

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