Zcash 101 –The Private Blockchain

[mskumar]

Zcash is an open-source, decentralized cryptocurrency which fully protects the privacy of the transactions carried out on its blockchain. The cryptocurrency shields transactions in a way such that the transactions are listed on a public blockchain but the sender, receiver, and amount details are not.

How does Zcash work?

Zcash is cryptographically private. The network employs a zero-knowledge proof construction which allows it to maintain a secure balance ledger without having to reveal the parties and amount involved.

The coin is built upon and extends the Bitcoin protocol. It adds an enhanced layer of security to offer privacy to its users and cater to the problems of anonymity. Through the zero-knowledge proof, the platform guarantees the validity of transactions without revealing additional any information about them.

Choice of Privacy

A salient feature of the network is that it allows for both shielded and transparent transactions thereby offering a choice of privacy to users. What is to be noted is that the transactions made from a shielded address to a transparent one will reveal the balance but the other way around, it will be protected.

Zero-knowledge Proof

Zero-knowledge proofs are a breakthrough in the crypto ecosystem. The Zcash platform uses a particular type of zero-knowledge proof called the zk-SNARKS (“zero-knowledge succinct non-interactive arguments of knowledge”) which guarantees the creation of a unique nullifier which is used to mark tokens as spent when they have been actually been spent therefore allowing for the validity and verification of transactions without compromising the privacy

SOURCE:https://itsblockchain.com/zcash-101/

[btyco]

It's a good coin as it can offer both private and public transactions. However, that is largely how many privacy coins work and you can get stealth mode activated or left off.