Foundry Digital, operator of Foundry USA Pool which controls the largest share of Bitcoin hashrate globally, will launch an institutional-grade Zcash mining poolFoundry Digital, operator of Foundry USA Pool which controls the largest share of Bitcoin hashrate globally, will launch an institutional-grade Zcash mining pool

Largest Bitcoin Mining Pool Is Launching an Institutional Zcash Pool

2026/03/12 09:27
3 min read
For feedback or concerns regarding this content, please contact us at crypto.news@mexc.com

Foundry Digital, operator of Foundry USA Pool which controls the largest share of Bitcoin hashrate globally, will launch an institutional-grade Zcash mining pool in April 2026, built on the same compliance framework as its Bitcoin operation and deliberately designed to avoid the privacy features that have made Zcash controversial with regulators.

The Structural Contradiction at the Center of This

Zcash exists to provide financial privacy. Its shielded transactions using zk-SNARK cryptography are the technical feature that distinguishes it from Bitcoin and every other transparent blockchain. Foundry’s institutional pool will distribute mining rewards exclusively through transparent t-addresses, the unshielded address type that functions identically to a Bitcoin address with full on-chain visibility.

An institutional mining pool for a privacy coin that requires participants to pass KYC and AML checks and pays out only through transparent addresses is, in a meaningful sense, a privacy coin pool that removes the privacy. Foundry CEO Mike Colyer frames this as addressing a critical gap in Zcash infrastructure. The gap he is describing is the absence of a compliance wrapper that allows regulated institutions to participate without triggering the same regulatory concerns that led the OFAC to sanction Tornado Cash and that have kept privacy coins off major U.S. exchange listings.

The pool will carry SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 compliance certifications, the same audited standards Foundry’s Bitcoin pool operates under. Institutional participants including public companies get specialized reporting tools and 24/7 dedicated support. Every participant passes KYC. Every payout is traceable.

What Foundry Brings to the Zcash Network

Foundry USA Pool processes approximately 30% of global Bitcoin hashrate, a concentration that gives it unmatched infrastructure, operational experience, and institutional relationships in the mining industry. Its entry into Zcash addresses a specific structural problem the network has: hashpower concentration among a small number of non-U.S. operators without the compliance frameworks that North American institutional miners require.

Vivek Ramaswamy’s Strive Just Passed Tesla on the Bitcoin Treasury Leaderboard

Zcash founder Zooko Wilcox noted that Foundry’s entry may attract miners who have avoided Zcash specifically because no U.S.-based operator with institutional-grade service and compliance infrastructure existed. The Pay Per Last N Shares payout model Foundry is using rewards miners based on recent contribution rather than luck, providing more predictable income than pure proportional models, which is important for institutional miners managing treasury and operational forecasts.

Hashpower diversification reduces the network’s vulnerability to coordinated attacks or policy decisions by any single dominant pool. A more distributed hashrate base across compliant and non-compliant operators also makes Zcash harder to target through regulatory action against any single pool operator.

The Broader Institutional Privacy Coin Question

Foundry’s launch is a test of whether institutional infrastructure can coexist with a privacy-focused asset without undermining the asset’s core value proposition. Miners using the Foundry pool will earn ZEC through a fully auditable, KYC-verified, transparent-address process. What those miners or their clients subsequently do with that ZEC, including potentially shielding it, is a separate question the pool design does not address.

The mining layer being compliant does not make the asset compliant. It makes one entry point into the Zcash ecosystem compliant. Whether that distinction satisfies regulators who have historically treated privacy coins as higher-risk regardless of acquisition method remains to be seen.

April 2026 will provide the first data point.

The post Largest Bitcoin Mining Pool Is Launching an Institutional Zcash Pool appeared first on ETHNews.

Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact crypto.news@mexc.com for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.

You May Also Like

MoneyGram launches stablecoin-powered app in Colombia

MoneyGram launches stablecoin-powered app in Colombia

The post MoneyGram launches stablecoin-powered app in Colombia appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. MoneyGram has launched a new mobile application in Colombia that uses USD-pegged stablecoins to modernize cross-border remittances. According to an announcement on Wednesday, the app allows customers to receive money instantly into a US dollar balance backed by Circle’s USDC stablecoin, which can be stored, spent, or cashed out through MoneyGram’s global retail network. The rollout is designed to address the volatility of local currencies, particularly the Colombian peso. Built on the Stellar blockchain and supported by wallet infrastructure provider Crossmint, the app marks MoneyGram’s most significant move yet to integrate stablecoins into consumer-facing services. Colombia was selected as the first market due to its heavy reliance on inbound remittances—families in the country receive more than 22 times the amount they send abroad, according to Statista. The announcement said future expansions will target other remittance-heavy markets. MoneyGram, which has nearly 500,000 retail locations globally, has experimented with blockchain rails since partnering with the Stellar Development Foundation in 2021. It has since built cash on and off ramps for stablecoins, developed APIs for crypto integration, and incorporated stablecoins into its internal settlement processes. “This launch is the first step toward a world where every person, everywhere, has access to dollar stablecoins,” CEO Anthony Soohoo stated. The company emphasized compliance, citing decades of regulatory experience, though stablecoin oversight remains fluid. The US Congress passed the GENIUS Act earlier this year, establishing a framework for stablecoin regulation, which MoneyGram has pointed to as providing clearer guardrails. This is a developing story. This article was generated with the assistance of AI and reviewed by editor Jeffrey Albus before publication. Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters: Source: https://blockworks.co/news/moneygram-stablecoin-app-colombia
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2025/09/18 07:04
Ripple share buyback program values the firm at $50 billion

Ripple share buyback program values the firm at $50 billion

The post Ripple share buyback program values the firm at $50 billion appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Ripple, the blockchain company closely associated with
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2026/03/12 12:44
The Smarter Web Company boosts Bitcoin holdings to 346 BTC after doubling fundraising target

The Smarter Web Company boosts Bitcoin holdings to 346 BTC after doubling fundraising target

The Smarter Web Company has expanded its BTC treasury to over 346 coins, following a a highly successful fundraise that brought in nearly double its initial target. On June 19, London-listed technology firm The Smarter Web Company announced that it had…
Share
Crypto.news2025/06/19 16:28