ZCoin

ZCoin is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that was launched in 2016 as one of the early projects dedicated to enhancing user anonymity in digital transactions. It aimed to provide private, fungible payments by enabling users to conceal transaction origins and amounts from the public blockchain.

Historically, ZCoin implemented the Zerocoin protocol, which allows users to mint zerocoins that can later be spent privately, breaking the link between sender and recipient. This approach differentiates ZCoin from many other public blockchains by emphasizing transaction confidentiality and asset fungibility. Over time, the project introduced several privacy-oriented upgrades intended to improve efficiency and usability.

Key technology upgrades include the Sigma protocol, introduced to enable private transactions without relying on a trusted setup, and further developments such as Lelantus, which sought to improve privacy and scalability while reducing on-chain data requirements. These innovations reflect ZCoin’s ongoing focus on advancing private transactions within a proof-of-work blockchain framework.

In 2020, the project underwent a rebranding to FIRO, with the new name and ticker FIRO used to continue its mission under a refreshed identity. Despite the branding change, FIRO maintains its core emphasis on privacy, with continued development of wallets, network upgrades, and research into advanced privacy technologies. The project remains active in the open-source community, contributing to discussions on privacy, fungibility, and scalable private transactions in cryptocurrency.

See also: privacy coins, zerocoin protocol, Lelantus, Sigma protocol.