@TheJerz @mista.mist I’d be surprised if VCs or hedge funds lift a finger to fund Zcash development. As a firm, it would probably make more financial sense to write off the investment, versus ponying up $13+ million yearly… even collectively! (Modulo investment time horizons.)
Grayscale, Placeholder, Amentum et al have given no indication of willingness to foot the bill. Granted, it is possible that a no-dev-fund outcome would prompt them to step up. They could be biding their time to preserve optionality.
My guess is that investment firms with large ZEC positions would prefer protocol-based dev funding. Externalized costs are more attractive than internalized ones, after all. If I’m right, strategically it wouldn’t make sense for investment firms to offer a lifeline for Zcash dev funding unless forced. Even if it’s an option they’re considering behind the scenes.
OTOH, maybe a smaller amount than ECC’s current ask would be feasible? Or I could just be wrong, and institutional Zcash investors are willing to spend some of their ZEC reserves to defend the value of the rest.
But to the tune of at least a couple million each, minimum? Yearly?
I’m not sure where else the money could come from. If there are a bunch of Zcash whales keeping an eye on this discussion, they certainly haven’t identified themselves as such or volunteered to contribute funding.
That said, I don’t think no dev fund would kill Zcash. Set back progress? Absolutely. Change the trajectory? Also yes. But kill it altogether? No.