Zbase: Opening a New Space for Privacy in Turkey

[Batuhan]

Hello Zcash community,
As the leader of the Zcash Türkiye team, I am excited to introduce our new initiative: Zbase

Zbase was initiated by the Zcash Türkiye team and is fully aligned with the Zcash vision, yet it will operate independently in terms of funding and operations.
Our mission is not only to raise awareness of privacy in the crypto world but also in everyday life, while giving visibility to individuals and projects contributing to this critical field.

ZbaseTR

Our Purpose and Vision

At Zbase, we see privacy not just as a technology or feature, but as a fundamental principle critical to both individual freedoms and societal awareness.

Our key focus areas:

• Protecting people’s financial data,

• Securing personal privacy in the digital era,

• Preserving the existence of a free and open internet ecosystem.

Our vision is to become a bridge-building hub for privacy, both in Turkey and globally. In this context, our content will cover not only crypto topics but also social, legal, technological, and cultural aspects of privacy.

Community Engagement and Guests

One of Zbase’s main strengths will be bringing together people from different professions and communities.
We will invite university students, business owners, workers, lawyers, accountants, entrepreneurs, and more, to discuss the role and importance of privacy in their respective fields.

These conversations will go beyond theory, exploring real-life experiences with privacy, the challenges people face, and practical solutions.

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Content Plan

Zbase will offer a wide range of content:

• Podcast series: In-depth privacy conversations with various guests.

• Competitions: Interactive formats that allow the community to learn while having fun.

• Live broadcasts: Real-time discussions and Q&A sessions.

• Educational videos: Simple and accessible explanations of how privacy projects work.

• Project spotlight videos: Showcasing privacy-focused projects both in Turkey and worldwide.

Our top priority is to shape Zbase with community feedback, ensuring it is not a one-way platform but a community-guided initiative.

Collaborations and Ecosystem

Building a sustainable ecosystem requires collaboration.
We aim to work with privacy-focused projects, individuals, academic institutions, NGOs, and digital rights advocates.

Important note:
Zbase was not funded by Zcash.
It is an independent initiative, but donations will help us upgrade our studio, equipment, and accelerate progress.

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Feedback

Your opinions are very important to us.
In particular, we would like to ask the community:

Would producing content about other privacy projects (e.g., NYM, Firo) be valuable, or would it be distracting from Zcash’s mission?

Your input will guide Zbase’s direction.

Support

For those who wish to support Zbase, here is our donation address:

u1ena3axunfxfqufrtnmk46z7gspcj0ar9msyf8rx05xu9m9qsvwf8ke2tpac9mu4m7jenvxp67drxj25c2e2zc3lqzgu5usje99f7guddpaujc2lemw2tdhl7zefynqgtvxz7wpwrq6ukk3ayu793akgdrptueashnm95xqgta52quee7

Also, note that the $700 event budget from past Zcash Türkiye activities has never been used for Zbase.
Zbase will remain independent and self-financed moving forward.

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Thank you all!
Together, we can build a freer, safer, and more private digital future.

[outgoing.doze]

@Batuhan

In this context, our content will cover not only crypto topics but also social, legal, technological, and cultural aspects of privacy.

What I would love to see and would support: Physical spaces informing the general population about those things. There are so many awesome cafes themed for cyclists (and other themes!), I can totally see this eventually happen for privacy and/or crypto. That would get people curious for sure!

Your coffee 20% cheaper less if you pay in ZEC! How many coffees would that pay with a donation of USD$1000 in ZEC to the cafe? How many Zcash wallets installs would that create? Exciting stuff, we need exciting stuff!!

[Batuhan]

Thank you for your feedback.

Currently, cryptocurrency payments are prohibited in Turkey, but in the past, I had discussions with some small businesses to encourage them to accept payments for different projects. I even left QR codes on some tables.

Ideas are always there; what matters is taking concrete steps. At the moment, there are 2-3 active crypto cafés in Turkey:

• Altcoin

• DailyNisantası
  Crypto Lounge

These kinds of crypto-themed businesses exist, and they were also part of my dreams. However, budget and resources can limit these initiatives. In fact, I conducted research on this topic about 6-7 months ago.

Of course, such initiatives will likely become more common in the future. Why not have a Zcash Café?

• Zcash and privacy-themed cups

• Informative visuals and videos on digital screens

• Discounted coffee

• Educational seminars

When you think about it, there are actually many creative possibilities.

Currently, we cannot implement this directly, but we are aiming for community growth through Zcash and Zbase. I had even envisioned Zbase as a larger initiative; a space where people could come every day to enjoy tea/coffee, socialize, and learn, and I had prepared a presentation for this. However, I did not submit that proposal.

Ultimately, organizing community events and bringing people together will always be one of our priorities.

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“If you pay with ZEC, your coffee is 20% cheaper! By donating $1,000 worth of ZEC to the café, how many coffees could be served? How many Zcash wallets could be created? Exciting things require exciting ideas!”

This would not be sustainable at the moment, because we cannot process payments in cryptocurrency directly. However, if we agreed with a café to donate $1,000 in ZEC and ask them to offer a 20% discount, we could probably distribute around 300-400 cups of iced coffee. But how sustainable would that be? This needs to be discussed.

I will share a few visuals from the presentation I prepared about Zbase. Initially, we planned to launch Zbase linked with Zcash, and its scope would have been quite significant, as we would have had a professional office. However, we decided to launch it individually and move forward!

A few examples from the Zbase office presentation. I don’t know what the future holds. I guess I might be able to open a Zcash café when Zcash reaches around $1,500!

[outgoing.doze]

Thanks for taking time to answer thoroughly, I appreciate that. I love Turkey also (not the government)!

Looking forward to your updates on Zbase, good luck!!

[Batuhan]

Thank you for your support. Turkey is truly a beautiful country and ranks among the top in Europe for crypto usage.
I agree with you about the government… LOL, got censored

This forum post will cover Zbase’s latest videos, progress, received donations, and all other details. Right now, we have started in a small place. Growth always happens slowly. We believe that if we progress consistently, everything can turn out even better.

At the moment, we are in a small space. From the outside, it might look like a ruin, but what matters is the inside. Our plans for the future are as follows:

I will leave here the presentation I prepared in the past period. And maybe in the near future—or perhaps a year from now—I am determined to move to a more comprehensive office like this, making Zbase and the Zcash ecosystem sustainable, expansive, and connecting with many new people every day.

Here is the idea from months ago.

NOTE: THIS PROPOSAL WILL NOT BE SUBMITTED.

We are sharing this so that everyone can see the position of our goals and vision months or years from now.

If we can grow Zbase, form new partnerships, receive new donations, and accumulate existing funds, our dream is to move to an office where people can visit every day, meetings and small events can be held, and we have an official sign outside. Zcash is growing, and we are working as hard as possible.

[yoditar]

Hello Batuhan! You are doing an impressive job in Turkey. Congratulations! I also congratulate you on the ZBase podcast proposal, it is a great resource for informing, connecting, and building community. I hope that in the future you can expand this project to the Zcash Office in Turkey. It’s a great project!

[Batuhan]

• How Should Zbase Continue?
• Continue independently, publishing videos with sponsorships.
• Open an official office funded by ZCG, remain affiliated with Zcash, and return 50% of sponsorship revenue to Zcash.
• Continue independently, but grow in a way that increases interaction with the community and Zcash.
• Other (Please specify in the comments).

Dear Zcash Community,

It is really important for us to get feedback from you on a particular matter. For almost a year, I have been part of this community and have been trying to represent Zcash in the best possible way. I believe that with your feedback, we can lay the foundations for a more sustainable initiative.

Please, if you have time, leave your feedback and cast your vote on this topic.

Recently, we launched an initiative called Zbase. This is a privacy-focused series of podcasts, competitions, and events that we started entirely on our own initiative. Months ago, I prepared a presentation about this, but I never submitted an official proposal to ZCG.

Zbase was launched as an independent initiative covering all privacy-focused projects, wallets, VPNs, and individuals.

However, I have some questions in mind, and resolving them is very important for creating a more sustainable system.

We see two possible paths forward and would like feedback from the community:

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Option 1: Maintain Independence

• Zbase will continue as an independent initiative, just as it started.

• To ensure sustainability, it will publish videos with sponsorships from various projects, wallets, or VPNs.

• Currently, the studio we have set up is a small space created with our own resources; hosting guests, organizing events, and holding live broadcasts will be relatively challenging.

• In other words, it will operate independently from Zcash.

Option 2: Official ZCG-Funded Office

• Zbase would request funding from ZCG and operate from a larger, higher-quality office.

• In this office, people could visit six days a week during set hours, enjoy tea/coffee, pick up Zcash brochures, attend live broadcasts, and participate in community events.

• With Zcash funding, Zbase would be able to create a professional office and continue its activities.

• Video sponsorships from other projects, wallets, VPNs, or individuals would have 50% of the funds directed to ZCG, ZecHub, or a designated wallet address, with proper reporting.

• This way, Zbase would continue to grow while returning a portion of its sponsorship income to the Zcash ecosystem, creating a sustainable model.

  Since we launched Zbase, we have received a lot of positive feedback from the community, and even some donations. However, as the regional representative funded by Zcash and working to grow Zcash in Turkey, I want to emphasize that I am fully committed to making every effort to ensure our project develops and succeeds in the best possible way.

  My goal is to establish an official Zcash-affiliated office—a space where people can visit, access Zcash brochures, and participate in live broadcasts and community meetings.

  As noted in the Zbase document, the estimated monthly cost for such a space is around $700–800. Currently, without a collective budget, it is not feasible to set up this office independently.

  My dedication to Zcash and my passion for privacy remain unwavering. As the leader of the Zcash Turkey Team, I believe that the direction and positioning of our progress should be determined by individuals affiliated with Zcash, ensuring alignment with the community and ecosystem.

  Because I want to remain here for many years to support the adoption of Zcash and privacy.

  Also, I would like to thank StackWallet for sponsoring the first 10 episodes of our videos. Currently, StackWallet is sponsoring 10 episodes of our videos. Many thanks to Diego.

  

  I believe and trust that Zbase can attract many sponsors. While carrying out this initiative, I strongly want to remain affiliated with Zcash and create a sustainable ecosystem.

  The costs mentioned in the presentation above are annual, and there will be no other expenses.

  As I move forward step by step, it is important for me to make the right decisions and maintain my position.

  Many thanks to @squirrel for helping me resolve the questions I had in mind.

  Dear Zcash community, since joining this project, all of my efforts have been focused on promoting our project to more people and being fair and transparent. I promise to continue this always.

  Additionally, if funding is provided by ZCG under the second option, I want to state that I am open to signing a contract and allowing wallet audits.

  BECAUSE I AM AFFILIATED WITH ZCASH!

[squirrel]

Congrats on landing the sponsorship! The Bitcoin Takeover Podcast is always impressive with its long list of sponsors.

Whichever option is best for Zbase to be long term sustainable is the one I would recommend.

[Batuhan]

Thank you very much for your feedback.
Of course, I personally have some ideas, but getting input from the community is much more important. So far, I see that only 5 people have voted, which makes me think we haven’t been able to provide enough information.
Maybe this initiative seems like a dream for now, but it will be heard as the voice of the privacy that Turkey both seeks and needs.

Naturally, I would love to realize this in a professional Zcash office space where people could visit every day. However, if that would cause financial strain, I would prefer to continue individually.

Perhaps the community will want us to move forward with Zcash, or to continue independently. Or maybe an investor will propose a partnership. We’ll see in time.

We are moving forward.

Note: We have signed a sponsorship deal with Stackwallet for 10 videos, for which we received a $550 payment.
New sponsors coming soon!

[gordonesTV]

Impressive! Keep up the good work.

[Batuhan]

Thanks for the feedback! The more people vote in the poll, the more decisive steps we’ll take in that direction. Let’s keep moving forward!

[Batuhan]

Hello Zcash Community,

About 12 people participated in our survey, and after reviewing the results, we decided to close it.

The majority of respondents expressed that Zbase should continue independently. After sharing my personal thoughts, I will be moving the project forward independently.

Honestly, I would have loved to run this initiative under Zcash. It would have allowed us to progress while staying connected to Zcash and also improve aspects like equipment and environment.

However, with an annual cost of around $8,000, relying on Zcash resources might be too much, and we respect that decision.

I believe that moving forward independently, every step we take will bring us to a better level. In the survey, I deliberately included the option “Continue independently, but grow in a way that increases interaction with the community and Zcash”, because this is exactly what I intend to do. While progressing independently, I will continue to contribute to Zcash. In fact, in our first episode, I wore a Zcash-branded t-shirt.

We experienced some issues with the camera, so the video quality is unfortunately low. We need to get a better camera and, with some sponsor support, move to a more suitable setup. You can even notice the curtain hanging in the top right corner of the video; we tried to make it feel natural. LOL

Thank you all for your support. Privacy is one of the most important values for individuals and for our country, and with Zbase, we aim to make it more widespread.

Our first episode is now live!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy1R8W2nhG4

[Batuhan]

🎙 ZBASE – Kimiz, Ne Yapıyoruz ve Neden Buradayız?

[Batuhan]

An update: Today marks my 1-year anniversary of joining the Zcash Forum! I’m proud.

While making steady progress on the Zcash side, we are also continuing our efforts for the growth of Zbase.

Zbase will keep growing as an independent initiative, integrated with Zcash and the community.

Good News: In the AI Video Contest organized by Genzcash, Zbase’s submission ranked 1st place, and we received a reward of 25 ZEC!

Many thanks to everyone for the support.

Here’s the winning video:

ZbaseTR

This week, we will release another episode featuring a new guest. Thanks to the donations and the contest prize, we are continuing to invest in cameras and equipment.

Currently, the Zbase treasury holds 30 ZEC (part of which will be used for equipment).

At the same time, we are in sponsorship talks with several wallet and VPN projects. Hopefully, we will be able to announce a positive deal soon.

I want to state my goal transparently: I have big dreams for the future.

If our current budget reaches the proposal level I prepared for Zcash — that is, if the Zbase treasury grows to 175 ZEC — I plan to rent a 2-room office.

• One room will be dedicated to recording Zbase episodes,
• The other will host Zcash podcasts, guest sessions, events, and video productions.

In this way, as we progress independently, achieving the necessary resources will mark a major step forward for both Zbase and Zcash in Türkiye.

I consider it my duty to regularly share these details, because as the leader of Zcash Türkiye, I take bigger steps every day thanks to your support.

Additionally, part of the funds we receive from sponsors, contests, and donations will be used for YouTube and X ads to grow our audience even further.

Sponsorship Proposal:
Since our initiative is new, we are requesting $45 per video for a 10-episode sponsorship package.

Details:

• Sponsor logo displayed on the right or left side throughout each video,
• A 10-second sponsor feature in every video over 10 minutes,
• Sponsor link included in the video description.

Total: $450 for 10 episodes.

We are open to sponsorship discussions with anyone interested.

Lastly, if anyone would like to support us independently as a partner, angel investor, or on behalf of Zcash, we would be delighted.

Privacy will become an important value in Türkiye, and with Zbase we will achieve this. (Of course, Zcash will lead the way!)