Grayscale has identified four assets within its Currencies sector that demonstrate clear utility for digital payments: Bitcoin, Litecoin, XRP, and Zcash. According to the firm, this sector currently encompasses approximately 15 cryptocurrencies with a combined market capitalization of $1,6 trillion, with Bitcoin accounting for nearly 90% of that total value.
The firm highlights Zcash as a significant contender due to its focus on transaction privacy. Zcash utilizes zk-SNARKs, a form of zero-knowledge proof technology, to obscure transaction amounts and wallet details. By mid-2026, approximately 90% of all Zcash transactions were conducted using these shielded transfers.
Market data indicates substantial growth for Zcash, with its market capitalization increasing from roughly $4 billion in March to approximately $24,27 billion. During the past year, the price of Zcash has risen nearly 19-fold, trading near $1 431. Its market share relative to Bitcoin has grown from about 0,1% to roughly 1,5%.
