Mf for ZCG
Good afternoon, ZCG members, ZCAP members, and interested forum members,
For privacy reasons, and also due to being present during the Berlin Blockchain Week, I’ve opted for a written explanation of my standpoints so as not to be a blocker within the ongoing application process.
(Saying hi from the ZCash Spati!)
My background can be found here for those curious, as my main focus is on the answers for the above questions.
ZCG receives 52,500 ZEC per year (during the current halving cycle). A year ago that was worth $2,625,000 per year. Now that is worth about $24,000,000 per year. What should change, if anything, about how ZCG does its work? (Zooko)
I’ve created a dashboard and analysed spending data from previous years to help answer this question.
Click here to see the dashboard
Click here to see the previous years’ data.
The current ZEC price gains allow us to scale up operations to reach new goals; however, as we’ve seen in blockchain markets, we can’t rely on the prices always being here, or continuously growing.
We also shouldn’t stay stagnant and not play within the rising awareness of ZCash.
As such, I’d see a few possible changes which would support the ZCG on a long-term basis:
Sustainability
Within roughly 1.1 yrs (≈ 2028), at the same spending level as 2025 (10 703 ZEC (≈ 4.64M USD)), and utilising a 7% return rate, we would be able to have a treasury setup that utilises the current ZCG treasury holdings and covers current spending. (10 703 ZEC)
Increasing our spending by 50% would allow the treasury to be self-sustaining at a 7% rate in 2.8 yrs.
(visible on dashboard → Sustainability → Timeline to a self-funding treasury)
On the sustainable tab of the dashboard, the model lets you experiment with additional spending rates alongside ZEC rates.
(Current data 03/06)
Spending levels
Currently, the blockchain/crypto space is going through a bear market, which makes our existing funds and treasury even more valuable to deploy.
It would make sense to allow an increased spending target that aligns with token growth, so as not to eat into the principal as much. However, we should make sure that, along with increased spending rates, we also maintain a tight grip on milestone delivery plans and success metrics (payouts for goals or overachievement, for example).
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What is ZCash’sbiggest opportunity right now? (Dismad)
I’m being careful not to put my own ideas and perspectives up front, as the power of ZCG lies in the community’s broader perspective. However, as the question directly involves my own perspectives:
I believe ZCash should continue its legacy of technical excellence and position itself to reach a mainstream level.
Cash → Private Digital Cash
Cash, as in fiat cash, is increasingly being phased out. Even in cash-heavy cities such as Berlin, more and more places are becoming card-only.
What building blocks do the builders and marketers need to integrate ZCash payments so it’s as easy for your average Joe as paying with Apple Pay?
Today, we live in a world with LLMs; the opportunity for non-technical people to be an “ev” and bring their ideas into reality is higher than ever.
We should tap into that.
Integrations, skills, MCPs, Bridges, SDKs, Cards, Payment terminals…
Following the mindset:
Will this allow more people to use ZCash, without them knowing how exactly it works?
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How would I like to see this being executed?
Form partnerships with (non-KYC)-based payment systems, and push the community into markets where there is a noticeable, large-scale (number-wise) increase in crypto spending and market share to capture. (Argentina, Nigeria, Korea,…)
Continue satellite events and coordinate them with the community and their products to serve as a ZCG showcase (which becomes a stable marketing push machine over time).
Be present at core industry events to stay aligned at the technical level; however, allow these satellite events to produce new highlights that are unique within the industry.
User Feedback Loops
I would also like ZCash and its community to do more user-based (anonymous) feedback loops. Thinking about these outcomes:
- Is what we are building relevant to you
- What are we not building that is relevant to you
- What’s annoying about ZCash
- How easy or hard is it to onboard your friends to ZCash
These aren’t limited outcomes; I’d like to create these feedback loops, as they can save us quite some resources in the long run. It’s possible new perspectives arise.
3 If you could change one thing about Zcash, what would it be and why? (frankbraun)
Currently, I’m noticing a large share of the spending going to technical initiatives.
(Funding till now)
visible on dashboard → overview → Funding by category
I would like to see increased ecosystem growth aligned with product integrations. ZCash has a fantastic reputation; it would be good to see a focus on increasing ZCash’s visibility among non-experts.
Example: Monero utilising cake-wallet to create payments in supermarkets
ZCash has a strong current position due to the privacy narrative and current market forces. We need a balanced force at both the technical and human adaptation levels.
To lead from the above information to my main answer to your question:
Adaptation: Increased progress, and practical, measurable results.