Zcash Resigned Team Members Announce CashZ Wallet

Entire ECC Team Resigns

On January 7, 2026, all employees at ECC, including engineers, marketers, and leadership, stepped down from their roles. ECC had been the primary development arm behind Zcash since 2016.

The team’s departure followed growing tension with Bootstrap, the nonprofit overseeing ECC. Bootstrap’s board members and ECC leaders reportedly clashed over governance direction and strategic decisions. Those included proposals to privatize Zashi, the mobile Zcash wallet developed by ECC.

Governance Breakdown Led to the Exit

Former ECC CEO Josh Swihart described the departure as a “constructive discharge.” According to him, Bootstrap’s board introduced changes that made it difficult for the team to operate with integrity. He also accused certain board members of pushing governance decisions that were not aligned with Zcash’s core mission.

Some of the key figures on the Bootstrap board include Zaki Manian, Christina Garman, Alan Fairless, and Michelle Lai. Swihart claimed their approach prevented ECC from executing on its roadmap.

Introducing CashZ

In response, the former ECC team has launched a new company called CashZ. The startup is focused solely on continuing Zcash development, but outside the influence of Bootstrap’s governance structure. They made it clear: no new coin is launching, and the mission remains tied to Zcash.

CashZ says its vision is to scale private digital money to billions of users while preserving cypherpunk values. They aim to build a structure that avoids the confusion that can come from mixing nonprofit goals with for-profit startup execution.

CashZ Wallet to Compete With Zashi

As part of their rollout, the CashZ team introduced a new wallet also named CashZ. This wallet is built on the same codebase as Zashi and is designed for easy migration. It focuses on usability, privacy, and adoption.

A waitlist for the wallet has already gathered over 4,000 signups. According to the team, the wallet is expected to launch within weeks. Users can join the waitlist on cashz org website.

Zcash Community Reacts

Following the resignation, the price of ZEC fell sharply, dropping between 10 and 25 percent within a day. The reaction from the broader crypto market was muted, but Zcash clearly underperformed.

Community members expressed a mix of concern and optimism. Some viewed the mass exit as a major blow to Zcash’s credibility. Others saw it as a much-needed reboot for privacy-focused innovation.

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What Happens Next?

The Zcash protocol remains functional since it is open-source and decentralized. However, the departure of the ECC team creates uncertainty around key improvements and development plans. It also raises questions about Bootstrap’s future role in the ecosystem.

With CashZ taking the reins on wallet development and public messaging, the next few months will be critical for restoring trust and clarifying direction.

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