# Zcash surges 121% this year as institutions back privacy coins

> Zcash jumps 121% this year as institutions like Grayscale and Robinhood back privacy coins.
- Title: Zcash surges 121% this year as institutions back privacy coins
- Summary: Zcash jumps 121% this year as institutions like Grayscale and Robinhood back privacy coins. Zcash rose 121% this year as institutions including Grayscale and…
- Keywords: zcash, grayscale, robinhood, privacy coins, institutional investment, quantum computing, ai threat, zcash shielded transactions, startups, business, surges, 121
- Source: Startup Fortune — https://startupfortune.com/zcash-is-up-over-1000-this-year-and-institutions-are-openly-behind-it
- Published: 2026-10-17T05:59:17+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: zcash, grayscale, robinhood, privacy coins, institutional investment, quantum computing, ai threat, zcash shielded transactions, startups, business
## Zcash performance
Zcash gained 121% this year, outperforming bitcoin and becoming crypto's best-performing asset.
## Naval Ravikant's tweet
Naval Ravikant tweeted Bitcoin is insurance against fiat while Zcash is insurance against Bitcoin.

> Bitcoin is insurance against fiat, while Zcash is insurance against Bitcoin
## Institutional adoption
Multicoin Capital built a significant position in ZEC and Grayscale converted Zcash to a listed ETF.

> built a significant position
## Zcash ETF growth
Grayscale's Zcash ETF pulled in $70 million in net new inflows within two weeks of launch.
## Shielded transactions
Zcash shielded transactions grew from 11% to 31% of total volume in the past year.
## AI threat to crypto
Ethereum researcher Justin Drake warned AI could break crypto wallet security within months.
## Zcash's response
Zcash developers plan hash-based signatures to resist quantum and AI attacks by January 2027.
## Key takeaway

Zcash rose 121% this year as institutions including Grayscale and Robinhood increased demand for privacy coins.