Zcash price soars after SEC scraps investigation into privacy coin

Zcash shot up on Wednesday after a foundation promoting the privacy-focused cryptocurrency said the Securities and Exchange Commission had dropped an investigation into the organisation.

Zcash jumped nearly 6%, to $445, following the announcement, extending a rally that began Tuesday afternoon. As of 5:00 pm in New York, it had jumped nearly 14% in the preceding 24 hours.

Zcash is the 27th biggest digital coin, with a market capitalisation of $7.2 billion. It has recently traded places with Monero for the title of largest privacy coin.

“This outcome reflects our commitment to transparency and compliance with applicable regulatory requirements,” the foundation said.

“Zcash Foundation remains focused on advancing privacy-preserving financial infrastructure for the public good.”

The Zcash Foundation did not immediately respond to DL News’ request for comment.

Wednesday’s rally halted a slide that began last week after developers at Electric Coin Company, the firm that created Zcash, quit en masse. The controversy erased an end-of-year rally for Zcash, even as similar coins continued to benefit from a renewed interest in blockchain privacy.

The SEC in 2023 issued the Zcash Foundation a subpoena as part of a broader crackdown on the industry to determine which digital assets had been issued in violation of securities laws.

But since the 2025 inauguration of crypto-friendly US President Donald Trump, the Wall Street regulator has dropped a number of lawsuits against digital asset companies.

Zcash rocketed last year amid growing interest in privacy-focused blockchains. The cryptocurrency jumped in October when AngelList founder Naval Ravikant wrote that while Bitcoin was “insurance against fiat,” Zcash was “insurance against Bitcoin.” Over the past year, Zcash is up 758%.

Still, despite its gains, the cryptocurrency is still well below its 2016 record of nearly $3,192.

Mathew Di Salvo is a news correspondent with DL News. Got a tip? Email at mdisalvo@dlnews.com.