# ZCG gets too much ZEC. Here's our plan to fix that. 🛡️ **URL:** \ **Category:** Governance\ **Created:** [October 29, 2026, 1:34pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566 "2026-10-29T13:34:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![artkor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/artkor/32/28573_2.png) [@artkor](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/artkor)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:00pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/42 "2026-10-29T16:00:22Z")
> [@emersonian](#): > > You are showing weakness and caving to the pressure of a very small handfull of people. I honestly expected this. And it’s a fair reaction, one that I respect. Having said that, I believe it doesn’t matter how many people oppose the community grant program. At the moment, some of their arguments resonate with me as well. We’re discussing real threats and have come to the conclusion that they’re right in saying that, at this moment, ZCG doesn’t need that much funding. That’s exactly why we’re proposing to reallocate the community’s resources for future periods. And, as we all know, no one knows what the future holds. I do not believe that we are showing weakness by doing this. We are proposing an option that we hope will be a compromise for the majority of community members. And here’s what I’m also convinced of: the NSM adds a time-based supply to Zcash so that it can gain widespread adoption as a means of payment in a volume sufficient to make mining profitable for many epochs, not just in the foreseeable future (paragraph 6 of Satoshi Nakamoto’s white paper “Incentives”). And I am convinced that only the community can become the first major contributor to this system. ---
**Author:** ![emersonian](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/emersonian/32/42565_2.png) [@emersonian](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/emersonian)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:03pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/43 "2026-10-29T16:03:00Z")
> [@artkor](#): > > We’re discussing real threats and have come to the conclusion that they’re right in saying that, at this moment, ZCG doesn’t need that much funding. How can you possibly know that? Did you ask for proposals for what this new large amount of funding could be used for? Has every other well-funded top-10 currency completely misused their large budgets, provably? Stop acting out of X drama and talk to your actual community. ---
**Author:** ![artkor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/artkor/32/28573_2.png) [@artkor](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/artkor)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:06pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/44 "2026-10-29T16:06:17Z")
The fact that there are people who disagree on both sides tells me that if this isn’t a compromise, it’s close to one. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I have the deepest respect for you. ---
**Author:** ![emersonian](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/emersonian/32/42565_2.png) [@emersonian](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/emersonian)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:14pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/45 "2026-10-29T16:14:13Z")
> [@maxdesalle](#): > > The reality is that no committee, whether elected by ZCAP or coinholders, can prosper. Committees never work. ZCG is akin to central planning in communist regimes, it cannot work. Coinholders voting by the amount of ZEC held is a committee. No country lets people vote with their money, Zcash does. ---
**Author:** ![maxdesalle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/maxdesalle/32/42572_2.png) [@maxdesalle](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/maxdesalle)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/46 "2026-10-29T16:15:35Z")
> [@emersonian](#): > > You want to kill the community funding path, and you insist that it’s not the opinion of your employer. I never said this. I said I was acting on my own behalf. These are two very different things. > [@emersonian](#): > > Granting bodies will fund things you don’t agree with. Just like politicians will! Except unlike politicians, we can’t vote out ZCG, as ZCAP is in control. Apples and oranges. > But you don’t want the world to use Zcash. > > You want your boss to make more money. This is insulting and low. I’m disappointed as I hold you in high esteem. See [this post](https://x.com/maxdesalle/status/2115525965149569192) from me yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![emersonian](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/emersonian/32/42565_2.png) [@emersonian](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/emersonian)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:21pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/47 "2026-10-29T16:21:51Z")
> [@maxdesalle](#): > > This is insulting and low. I’m disappointed as I hold you in high esteem. You should be publicly apologizing for your promotion of hate on X. I once held you in high esteem as well. Now I see who you really are. I’m sure coinholder votes will sway in whatever way your team wants them to. You think you’ve bought Zcash itself. Sure, Zcash _funding_ has temporarily been captured. Founders are afraid to speak up because your employer is the only major Zcash VC. If people weren’t afraid of losing funding you’d see a lot more protesting going on here. This is all disgusting. But Zcash will win, because Zcash will save the lives of at-risk people (who you support hate speech against). Some disgusting people will profit along the way, because Zcash is money, and money invites greed. Good projects will close funding regardless of anyone’s beliefs, and hopefully hateful people are outnumbered by kind people some day. I am firmly against hate speech. I am firmly against how you and your X cronies have acted publicly in the name of Zcash. You do not represent us. ---
**Author:** ![seernet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@seernet](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/seernet)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:42pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/48 "2026-10-29T16:42:09Z")
Sure, Ethereum is a great example of having provably completely misused their large budget by building an L2 roadmap that was met with heavy criticism, succumbed to bureaucracy, and went down a bad path with no one held responsible. Cosmos ecosystem had similar mistakes, and there happen to be quite a few ties to these ecosystems and ways of thinking by ZCG. ZCG has shown the same level of failure with ZSAs. It does not matter what the justifications are. No one is to blame, and it does not mean that the people in ZCG are bad people or anything like that. They just went down the wrong path and with how much money is at stake, it is best to fix it right now, before even more money is at stake and further mistakes are made. ---
**Author:** ![seernet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@seernet](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/seernet)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/49 "2026-10-29T16:44:23Z")
Can you provide some examples of what ZCG has done well? Grants that have been given to useful things that everyone loves etc. We have a lot of infighting in this thread about morals and such, why don’t we look at the track record. ---
**Author:** ![strahncryptography](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/strahncryptography/32/46464_2.png) [@strahncryptography](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/strahncryptography)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/50 "2026-10-29T16:51:15Z")
Indeed, let’s start! - [Lightwalletd.com](http://Lightwalletd.com), the lightwallet server, its hosting was funded by ZCG in the amount of ~$30k for 2 years - Zcash x Ledger, which allows shielded transactions to be made from a Ledger device, was funded by ZCG - Funded a Tor co-founder to build [Getting started with Arti | Arti](https://arti.torproject.org/), the Arti Project - Zcash x Trezor, allowing shielded transactions on Trezor wallets, was bankrolled by ZCG - BTCPayServer Zcash integrations, bankrolled by ZCG - THORChain x Zcash, bankrolled in its entirety by ZCG - Arborist call notes are funded by ZCG - Taylor Hornby, @earthrise, who found the Orchard bug, was funded by ZCG for ages as Ecosystem Security Lead - YWallet, funded by ZCG - ZecHub, funded by ZCG - Zcash-Avalanche Red Bridge, touted by @zooko, funded by ZCG - Nym integrations for Zcash wallets, funded by ZCG - Zcash x Maya Protocol, including most of Zcash liquidity on Maya, funded by ZCG - WebZJs, a WASM library for Zcash that allows Metamask to add Zcash, funded by ZCG - The Metamask integration itself, bankrolled by ZCG - PGPZ lobbying efforts, bankrolled by ZCG Sources: [Zcash Community Grants + Coinholder Grants Dashboard (Updated Version) - Google Sheets](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FQ28rDCyRW0TiNxrm3rgD8ai2KGUsXAjPieQmI1kKKg/edit?gid=803214474#gid=803214474) ---
**Author:** ![dans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7993a0/32.png) [@dans](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/dans)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:58pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/52 "2026-10-29T16:58:01Z")
I am against this proposal and it does not solve the issue as mentioned by Dev, Tom, and others. Disclosure: I work at ZODL. These are my own views. ---
**Author:** ![strahncryptography](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/strahncryptography/32/46464_2.png) [@strahncryptography](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/strahncryptography)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 4:59pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/53 "2026-10-29T16:59:50Z")
Would you support a proposal which: - Completely ends the funding conditionally for ZCG, immediately in effect, via a staggered system. - ZCG only accesses the funds accumulated for the year if its (ZCG’s current fund’s) USD value drops over 75%, via coinholder vote. If they vote no, the money goes to the NSM wholesale. - ZCG radically restructures into multiple committees on appropriations, with coinholders explicitly allocating funding into areas, and every grant having a champion/program manager who is accountable, the same structure used by DARPA? ---
**Author:** ![thailand85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@thailand85](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/thailand85)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 5:04pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/54 "2026-10-29T17:04:17Z")
> [@strahncryptography](#): > > - [Lightwalletd.com](http://Lightwalletd.com), the lightwallet server, its hosting was funded by ZCG in the amount of ~$30k for 2 years > - Zcash x Ledger, which allows shielded transactions to be made from a Ledger device, was funded by ZCG > - Funded a Tor co-founder to build [Getting started with Arti | Arti](https://arti.torproject.org/), the Arti Project > - Zcash x Trezor, allowing shielded transactions on Trezor wallets, was bankrolled by ZCG > - BTCPayServer Zcash integrations, bankrolled by ZCG > - THORChain x Zcash, bankrolled in its entirety by ZCG > - Arborist call notes are funded by ZCG > - Taylor Hornby, @earthrise, who found the Orchard bug, was funded by ZCG for ages as Ecosystem Security Lead > - YWallet, funded by ZCG > - ZecHub, funded by ZCG > - Zcash-Avalanche Red Bridge, touted by @zooko, funded by ZCG > - Nym integrations for Zcash wallets, funded by ZCG > - Zcash x Maya Protocol, including most of Zcash liquidity on Maya, funded by ZCG > - WebZJs, a WASM library for Zcash that allows Metamask to add Zcash, funded by ZCG > - The Metamask integration itself, bankrolled by ZCG > - PGPZ lobbying efforts, bankrolled by ZCG Almost no adoption from anything on this list. Wallet adoption penetration is ZODL/Vizor/Ledger. Metamask snaps are not going to be supported by metamask much longer. NYM didn’t integrate into the widely used mobile wallets. Zero volume on Thorchain/Avalanche Red Bridge vs NEAR Intents. UI on YWallet is terrible compared to Vizor desktop that has existed for 3 months. The only important thing (Ledger wallet) had to be picked up by Zcash Labs because of the governing crisis not being able to handle an additional $80,000 to Ledger for Ironwood. (No, ZCAP/ZCG does not get credit. Being unable to get the most important thing across the finish line when you have $100mil and 1+ yr delayed is not a success story.) This is because ZCAP/ZCG isn’t accountable and self deals (puts anyone with a project on ZCAP who elects ZCG who chooses funding) ---
**Author:** ![artkor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/artkor/32/28573_2.png) [@artkor](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/artkor)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 5:05pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/55 "2026-10-29T17:05:22Z")
Thanks for your feedback. I’ll include a bit of historical context [here](https://zodl.com/ecc-restructuring-to-better-serve-zcash/) for all devs. Unfortunately, Zashi with built-in Near wasn’t available yet at that time. ---
**Author:** ![strahncryptography](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/strahncryptography/32/46464_2.png) [@strahncryptography](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/strahncryptography)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 5:05pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/56 "2026-10-29T17:05:28Z")
> [@thailand85](#): > > Being unable to get the most important thing across the finish line when you have $100mil and 1+ yr delayed is not a success story. They have $100M now. Back then, ZEC’s price was 7x to 10x lower than today’s. But I agree. But what do you think about my proposal? > [@strahncryptography](#): > > Would you support a proposal which: > > - Completely ends the funding conditionally for ZCG, immediately in effect, via a staggered system. > - ZCG only accesses the funds accumulated for the year if its (ZCG’s current fund’s) USD value drops over 75%, via coinholder vote. If they vote no, the money goes to the NSM wholesale. > - ZCG radically restructures into multiple committees on appropriations, with coinholders explicitly allocating funding into areas, and every grant having a champion/program manager who is accountable, the same structure used by DARPA? ---
**Author:** ![thailand85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@thailand85](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/thailand85)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 5:09pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/57 "2026-10-29T17:09:32Z")
My #1 issue is ending block subsidies going to ZCAP/ZCG over moral hazard. This is more important than how they spend the money they already have. Moral hazard is impacting adoption. > Completely ends the funding conditionally for ZCG, immediately in effect, via a staggered system. I would support this depending on how it was done. (Pay all existing projects, pay out all ZCG members for the remainder of their term, move unapproved applications to coin holder voting). ---
**Author:** ![strahncryptography](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/strahncryptography/32/46464_2.png) [@strahncryptography](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/strahncryptography)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 5:12pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/58 "2026-10-29T17:12:58Z")
I don’t think paying all existing projects is an issue. It would simply end any additional funding into the pool, and completely restrict how spending can work from now on. ZCG will now have to work with a limited endowment (the $125M they have already received), manage its own investments responsibly, and radically be restructured. **All existing subsidies will stop with immediate effect** , instead going to a staggered pool which has either an annual or a twice-yearly coinholder vote on whether to release to ZCG or not, based on ZCG’s pool condition and track record. If rejected, it always directly goes to the NSM, **by default**. Grants get a program manager that is accountable, and champions ensure we always know who exactly is the person who brought it to ZCG. Sound good? ---
**Author:** ![mrkit2u](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/mrkit2u/32/27283_2.png) [@mrkit2u](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/mrkit2u)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 5:24pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/59 "2026-10-29T17:24:04Z")
For another example of a ZCG success, please see our latest red·bridge update. > [@Zcash Elastic Subnet Bridge on Avalanche](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-elastic-subnet-bridge-on-avalanche/44220/128): > > Here is the red·bridge October update. It seems like an opportune time to write it since ZCG’s effectiveness is again under review. red·bridge is a ZCG-funded project, and we support ZCG’s mission and think ZCG serves a critical role in supporting the Zcash ecosystem as a community-oriented fund. tl;dr: Logistics of launching two tokens is challenging, and progress is being made Liquidity of AVAX obtained for both RBR and ZEC.rbr! Explainer video with ZK AV Club has been released, for Guardin… ---
**Author:** ![seernet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@seernet](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/seernet)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 5:37pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/60 "2026-10-29T17:37:53Z")
Thanks for sharing! To my eyes, this list is an absolute disaster. It’s good to have it out there though, so we can see the list of everything ZCG has done and let people decide if the track record is good or not for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![seernet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@seernet](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/seernet)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 5:41pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/61 "2026-10-29T17:41:57Z")
This almost seems like a joke, no one has used avalanche in 3 years. I truly think there has to be some sort of self-dealing involved for something like this. If “billions” move through the red bridge I will eat my shoe on camera. ---
**Author:** ![strahncryptography](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/strahncryptography/32/46464_2.png) [@strahncryptography](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/strahncryptography)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 5:46pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566/62 "2026-10-29T17:46:39Z")
> [@strahncryptography](#): > > I don’t think paying all existing projects is an issue. It would simply end any additional funding into the pool, and completely restrict how spending can work from now on. ZCG will now have to work with a limited endowment (the $125M they have already received), manage its own investments responsibly, and radically be restructured. > > **All existing subsidies will stop with immediate effect** , instead going to a staggered pool which has either an annual or a twice-yearly coinholder vote on whether to release to ZCG or not, based on ZCG’s pool condition and track record. If rejected, it always directly goes to the NSM, **by default**. > > Grants get a program manager that is accountable, and champions ensure we always know who exactly is the person who brought it to ZCG. > > Sound good? What do you think of this? [Previous page](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566.md?page=2) [Next page](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-gets-too-much-zec-heres-our-plan-to-fix-that/58566.md?page=4)