### Terms and Conditions
- [x] I agree to the [Grant Agreement](https://9ba4718…c-5c73-47c3-a024-4fc4e5278803.usrfiles.com/ugd/9ba471_f81ef4e4b5f040038350270590eb2e42.pdf) terms if funded
- [x] I agree to [Provide KYC information](https://9ba4718c-5c73-47c3-a024-4fc4e5278803.usrfiles.com/ugd/9ba471_7d9e73d16b584a61bae92282b208efc4.pdf) if funded above $50,000 USD
- [x] I agree to disclose conflicts of interest
- [x] I agree to adhere to the [Code of Conduct](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-code-of-conduct/41787) and [Communication Guidelines](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-communication-guidelines/44284)
- [x] I understand all milestone deliverables will be validated and accepted by their intended users or their representatives, who will confirm that the deliverables meet the required quality, functionality, and usability for each user story.
- [x] I agree that for any new open-source software, I will create a `CONTRIBUTING.md` file that reflects the high standards of Zcash development, using the [`librustzcash` style guides](https://github.com/zcash/librustzcash/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#styleguides) as a primary reference.
- [x] I understand when contributing to existing Zcash code, I am required to adhere to the project specific contribution guidelines, paying close attention to any [merge](https://github.com/zcash/librustzcash/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#merge-workflow), [branch](https://github.com/zcash/librustzcash/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#branch-history), [pull request](https://github.com/zcash/librustzcash/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#pull-request-review), and [commit](https://github.com/zcash/librustzcash/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#commit-messages) guidelines as exemplified in the `librustzcash` repository.
- [x] I agree to post request details on the [Community Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/c/grants/33)
- [x] I understand it is my responsibility to post a link to this issue on the [Zcash Community Forums](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/c/grants/33) after this application has been submitted so the community can give input. I understand this is required in order for ZCG to discuss and vote on this grant application.
### Application Owners (@sondotpin)
@sondotpin
### Organization Name
Alpha Labs
### How did you learn about Zcash Community Grants
We are Zcash OGs but I am just now starting to build on zcash. Seen on Twitter
### Requested Grant Amount (USD)
20700
### Category
Infrastructure
### Project Lead
```project-lead.yaml
Name: Son Pin
Role: CEO
Background: Multi-chain builder and researcher with hands-on experience across BTC, EVM, SVM, Move, and Circom. Deep understanding of blockchain infrastructure, smart contracts, and privacy-preserving systems.
Responsibilities: Oversee product strategy and technical direction; coordinate cross-chain development; lead partnerships and community growth; and ensure alignment between research outcomes and business goals.
```
### Additional Team Members
```team-members.yaml
Name: C9
Role: Researcher
Background: Experienced in blockchain analytics and cryptography. Specialized in exploring ZK technologies, privacy protocols, and interoperability solutions.
Responsibilities: Conduct research on Zcash, zero-knowledge proofs, and related cryptographic primitives; analyze potential integrations with existing ecosystems; and provide technical reports and insights for protocol development.
```
### Project Summary
**Zcatch** is a next-generation Zcash explorer designed to bring transparency, usability, and insights to the privacy-focused blockchain. In the future, **Zcatch** will expand into a full service layer supporting **ZSA** for seamless asset issuance, tracking, and analytics.
https://zcatch.xyz
<img width="1776" height="997" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/3c6695f8-56b5-49e7-a5dd-27ad4920b448" />
### Project Description
Zcatch is an advanced blockchain explorer built for the Zcash ecosystem, focusing on delivering deep transparency and intuitive insights into both transparent and shielded transactions. Unlike traditional explorers, Zcatch is designed to balance usability with Zcash’s core privacy principles — allowing users, developers, and researchers to visualize network activity without compromising sensitive data.
The long-term goal of Zcatch is to evolve beyond an explorer into a service platform for ZSA (Zcash Shielded Assets). This will enable users to create, manage, and analyze shielded assets directly within the Zcatch ecosystem. By integrating advanced indexing, privacy-preserving analytics, and developer APIs, Zcatch aims to become a key infrastructure layer supporting the next wave of private DeFi and asset tokenization on Zcash.
Ultimately, Zcatch’s mission is to make the Zcash ecosystem more accessible, transparent, and developer-friendly — bridging the gap between privacy and usability while empowering builders to innovate with confidence.
### Proposed Problem
Existing blockchain explorers for Zcash offer limited usability and are often built as part of multi-chain platforms, meaning they lack a deep focus on Zcash’s unique privacy and technical architecture. As a result, users — especially developers and researchers — face difficulty accessing clear, contextual, and privacy-respecting insights about on-chain data.
Zcatch aims to solve this by creating a Zcash-dedicated explorer with a modern UX, detailed analytics, and native support for shielded transactions, ensuring that both transparency and privacy coexist seamlessly.
### Proposed Solution
N/A
### Solution Format
N/A
### Dependencies
N/A
### Technical Approach
Zcatch currently uses Zebrad and Zainod to synchronize on-chain data, covering both transparent and shielded transactions. These components handle the initial data ingestion and parsing of blocks and transactions into structured events (blocks, notes, outputs, memos, and address statistics).
If Zainod fails to meet performance or synchronization requirements in the future, the team plans to implement a custom Rust-based indexer. This indexer will directly process compact blocks and leverage gRPC streaming and batch prefetching for optimized throughput and latency.
### Upstream Merge Opportunities
N/A
### Hardware/Software Costs (USD)
0
### Hardware/Software Justification
N/A
### Service Costs (USD)
1200
### Service Costs Justification
We need to maintain a **$200/month server cost**, which covers **Zebrad, Zainod, and PostgreSQL nodes**.
Over a **6-month period**, this amounts to a total of **$1200**.
### Compensation Costs (USD)
19500
### Compensation Costs Justification
backend: 4000*3 = 12000
fe: 2500*3=7500
### Total Budget (USD)
20700
### Previous Funding
No
### Previous Funding Details
_No response_
### Other Funding Sources
No
### Other Funding Sources Details
_No response_
### Implementation Risks
N/A
### Potential Side Effects
N/A
### Success Metrics
N/A
### Startup Funding (USD)
6700
### Startup Funding Justification
BE dev: 4000
FE dev: 2500
Infra: 200
### Milestone Details
```milestones.yaml
- Milestone: 1
Amount (USD): 6,700
Expected Completion Date: 2025-10-25 (Done)
User Stories:
- "As a developer, I want to synchronize the Zcash blockchain using Zebrad and Zainod, so that I can access reliable on-chain data for the explorer."
- "As a researcher, I want to analyze basic transaction and block information, so that I can understand Zcash network activity."
Deliverables:
- Deploy Zebrad and Zainod full nodes for mainnet synchronization.
- Build ETL script to extract and store block and transaction data into PostgreSQL.
- Implement database schema for core entities: blocks, transactions, and addresses.
Acceptance Criteria:
- Zebrad and Zainod are fully synced and accessible locally.
- PostgreSQL contains up-to-date block and transaction data.
- Internal queries successfully return recent blocks and transactions.
- Milestone: 2
Amount (USD): 6,700
Expected Completion Date: 2025-12-31
User Stories:
- "As a user, I want to browse Zcash blocks and transactions through a simple and fast web interface, so that I can easily explore the network."
- "As a developer, I want to provide public API endpoints, so that others can query block and transaction data."
Deliverables:
- Develop REST API (Node.js + Express) for blocks, transactions, and addresses.
- Build frontend interface using Next.js + TailwindCSS.
- Implement pagination, search, and block/transaction detail views.
Acceptance Criteria:
- REST API responds within <500ms for basic queries.
- Explorer web UI displays blocks, transactions, and search results accurately.
- Internal testers confirm data consistency between node and frontend.
- Milestone: 3
Amount (USD): 400
Expected Completion Date: 2026-01-31
User Stories:
- "As a community user, I want a stable, publicly available Zcash explorer, so that I can track network activity in real time."
- "As a developer, I want monitoring and deployment tools, so that the explorer remains stable and easy to maintain."
Deliverables:
- Deploy public version of Zcatch explorer (mainnet) with domain and SSL.
- Add live update for new blocks (via WebSocket or polling).
- Set up server monitoring, logging, and backup system.
Acceptance Criteria:
- Public explorer accessible at official domain with uptime >99%.
- New blocks appear in real time on the interface.
- Monitoring confirms system stability and data accuracy.
```
### Supporting Documents
```files.yaml
```
)
