Grayscale says Zcash can challenge Bitcoin’s network effects as privacy demand grows

MarketsPublishedAug 27, 2026ZEC has climbed roughly 19-fold in a year, yet Grayscale says its sub-1% share of Bitcoin’s market cap leaves room for further upside. Zcash could emerge as a meaningful challenger to Bitcoin’s dominance among digital assets as the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence puts a premium on financial privacy and fuels concerns over AI-powered surveillance, according to Grayscale. In a new research report, Grayscale head of research Zach Pandl said Zcash (ZEC) has “second mover advantages” that could help it challenge Bitcoin’s (BTC) entrenched network effects, something previous alternatives such as Litecoin (LTC) have failed to achieve.Central to Pandl’s argument is financial privacy. Zcash can shield transaction information, which Grayscale argues could become increasingly valuable as AI systems become better at analyzing financial activity at scale.The report comes after ZEC’s roughly 19-fold increase over the past year. Despite those gains, Zcash remains valued at less than 1% of Bitcoin’s market capitalization, a disparity Grayscale sees as evidence of further upside if Zcash can capture market share.Pandl acknowledged that Bitcoin’s liquidity and e...