Zcash Foundation Weekly Update (August, 2019)

Originally sent as a newsletter.


Happy Saturday! It’s been a busy couple of weeks, so here’s a rundown of links without much fuss.

Two Happy Notes

First: ZF hired Chelsea Komlo! She has joined the Foundation as a core engineer and researcher.

Second: Defcon went well. Our thanks to everyone who came out to say hello, and especially to the Monero Village organizers!

Governance

What will be the future of Zcash development funding? We’re continuing to figure that out. ECC and ZF have written several important statements:

Zcash community member @kimziv wrote a Chinese translation of ZF’s guidance, available on Steemit and Bihu.

Blocktown Capital wrote “Proposal for the Zcash 2020 Network Upgrade”, which was discussed on Twitter and the Zcash Community Forum.

@CloudedLogic wrote “Zcash Dev Fund Suggestion.”

Also, the list of proposals has been updated again! Make sure to check out the new ones.

Zcash Ecosystem Highlights

Exciting new campaign on ZF Grants: ZecWallet Desktop Light Client, a shielded-first light client with “the exact same functionality of the desktop ZecWallet UI, except it uses the light client protocol to avoid downloading the entire blockchain.”


Coinbase UK delisted Zcash after being dropped by Barclays:

Earlier this week, Coinbase de-listed zcash, the privacy-centric cryptocurrency, which uses a technology called zero-knowledge proofs to mask details of transactions from blockchain watchers. A person familiar with the decision said it was “completely to do with the new bank”; ClearBank was uncomfortable indirectly supporting a currency with features that make law enforcement’s job harder.

ECC head of marketing and business development Josh Swihart remarked on Twitter:

In our conversations, regulators see the importance of encryption to individual, business and national security. If they can see blockchain txs, everyone can. @Gemini is highly regulated. They support Zcash in the UK. The Coinbase decision is not related to regulation.


More delightful coverage of the Crypto Community Project, which was highlighted in our previous ZF update :sparkling_heart:


Until next time! As always, feel free to respond with questions or comments.

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