Research #17
Updated by didi almost 8 years ago
Zcash is a clone of the bitcoin software, with added privacy.
It uses [zero-knowledge proofs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-knowledge_proof) to allow hiding of sender, receiver and amount of transactions.
A much criticized side effect is that the overall coin supply at a given moment can not be checked by anybody.
Another implication was the creation of [_toxic waste_](https://z.cash/blog/the-design-of-the-ceremony.html?page=0) which needed to be destroyed in a so called ceremony right before the start of the main chain. See [report](https://petertodd.org/2016/cypherpunk-desert-bus-zcash-trusted-setup-ceremony) of a participant. https://github.com/zcash/zcash/wiki/Beta-Guide
The project is quite experimental, because the used crypto is fairly new.
Obfuscation of transaction is optional, unlike with Monero where it's always on.
According to (TODO: insert source) the creation of obfuscated transaction currently requires a lot of computing power (several GB of RAM), rendering it unsuited for mainstream use for now.
The mainnet started starts on Oct 28 with mining 28. Mining reward linearly transitioing transitions from 0 to 12,5 ZEC block reward during the first 840.000 blocks (~34 days) [source](https://z.cash/blog/slow-start-and-mining-ecosystem.html). ("source":https://z.cash/blog/slow-start-and-mining-ecosystem.html).
The mining algo is named [Equihash](https://z.cash/blog/why-equihash.html) "Equihash":https://z.cash/blog/why-equihash.html and intended to be ASIC resistant.
Pool:
So far, no GPU miner is publicly available. See "forum":https://forum.z.cash/ in order to keep updated.
Potential pool: https://zec.suprnova.cc/
CT for mining set up at zcash.d10r.net
It uses [zero-knowledge proofs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-knowledge_proof) to allow hiding of sender, receiver and amount of transactions.
A much criticized side effect is that the overall coin supply at a given moment can not be checked by anybody.
Another implication was the creation of [_toxic waste_](https://z.cash/blog/the-design-of-the-ceremony.html?page=0) which needed to be destroyed in a so called ceremony right before the start of the main chain. See [report](https://petertodd.org/2016/cypherpunk-desert-bus-zcash-trusted-setup-ceremony) of a participant. https://github.com/zcash/zcash/wiki/Beta-Guide
The project is quite experimental, because the used crypto is fairly new.
Obfuscation of transaction is optional, unlike with Monero where it's always on.
According to (TODO: insert source) the creation of obfuscated transaction currently requires a lot of computing power (several GB of RAM), rendering it unsuited for mainstream use for now.
The mainnet started starts on Oct 28 with mining 28. Mining reward linearly transitioing transitions from 0 to 12,5 ZEC block reward during the first 840.000 blocks (~34 days) [source](https://z.cash/blog/slow-start-and-mining-ecosystem.html). ("source":https://z.cash/blog/slow-start-and-mining-ecosystem.html).
The mining algo is named [Equihash](https://z.cash/blog/why-equihash.html) "Equihash":https://z.cash/blog/why-equihash.html and intended to be ASIC resistant.
Pool:
So far, no GPU miner is publicly available. See "forum":https://forum.z.cash/ in order to keep updated.
Potential pool: https://zec.suprnova.cc/
CT for mining set up at zcash.d10r.net