Governance
A short note on governance
Governance will decide Zcash’s long-term fate more than any single technology upgrade.
In the last days I’ve seen several interesting discussions on this topic in the forum, so I wanted to share a few thoughts that are central to how I would approach the committee.
In the long run, effective governance, not just technology, will determine Zcash’s success and survival.
There is no bulletproof solution. Every design choice eventually reveals flaws that will be exploited. Good governance must therefore be both stable enough to provide continuity and trust, and flexible enough to adapt to new realities.
I see real strength in the fact that Zcash’s institutions (ZF, ECC, ZCAP, ZCG, ZIP process, Shielded Labs) operate under different governance models, funding sources, missions, and time horizons. This deliberate diversity spreads power, reduces single points of failure, and lets competing approaches learn from one another. Some overlap of talented individuals across organizations is normal and actually helps coordination, you see the same in mature political, financial, and economic systems.
Building truly excellent governance is inherently slow work.
I participated in the preparatory work and committees that created the international Financial Stability Board in 2008–2009. That experience taught me just how delicate and high-stakes these decisions are, which is why I believe any further evolution of Zcash governance must be thought through very carefully.
Happy to discuss any of this.