ZecMap — Where We Are, Where We’re Going
Hello Zcash community 
A few weeks ago, we launched the web version of ZecMap, a global, community-verified directory of merchants that accept Zcash. Since launch, we’ve been working intensively on development, and we wanted to take a step back to share where the project stands today, where it’s heading, and the thinking behind the roadmap.
Vision
Zcash doesn’t just need strong cryptography — it also needs places where it can be spent. Coverage from Forbes and WSJ, Grayscale’s spot ETF filing, and the Robinhood listing… all of these are bringing new users into the ecosystem. The next bottleneck is utility. People need to know where they can actually use ZEC, and merchants need a low-friction way to be discovered by coin holders.
ZecMap exists to close that loop. A privacy-first, community-verified, open directory that any wallet, app, or community can integrate with — not a closed ecosystem.
Where we are today
The web app is live at zecmap.com and the core system is working:
• 80+ registered users in the first weeks without any paid acquisition.
• 10 verified local businesses on the map, with a verification flow actively used by real community members.
• A pipeline of online services, VPNs, and Zcash-compatible wallets being added, with expectations to surpass 80+ listed entities as these land.
• Manual verification by design. A business does not receive a verified badge just by being submitted. A community member must visit the merchant, make a real payment, and report back. It is slower, but it ensures the green check actually means something — exactly the kind of trust signal a privacy-focused ecosystem like Zcash should have.
On the user side:
a unique username-based registration system, profile customization, the ability to edit submitted businesses over time (images, descriptions, wallet addresses), and an optional review system with photos.
What’s next
Mobile apps.
Android and iOS versions are currently in development and will be released soon on the App Store and Play Store. This is the version that really matters — you pull out your phone in a new city, find a place that accepts ZEC, pay, done.
Once the mobile MVP is live, the foundation will be in place and our focus will shift from building the base to building on top of it.
Roadmap beyond MVP
Three main layers we’re working on:
- Community contribution points system
Every meaningful action — adding a business, verifying an on-site payment, leaving a quality review — will earn points. At the end of each month, the top 5 contributors to the Zcash ecosystem via ZecMap will receive a small reward.
The point is not the reward itself, but to make contribution visible and recognized. Right now, the people doing the work are invisible. That will change.
- Merchant onboarding resources
Most businesses don’t reject ZEC — they simply don’t know how to accept it.
We will integrate clear, neutral guides for payment setups (CipherPay-style solutions, BTCPay, NOWPayments, or direct wallet acceptance). ZecMap should not only list merchants; it should also help create them.
- Communities & country leaderboards
This is the part we are most excited about.
Country and community pages with leaderboards showing:
how many businesses were added,
how many verifications were completed,
how active the local contributor base is.
A portion of donations received by ZecMap will be redistributed to the most active communities. This ensures that the regions doing the work get more resources to grow further.
The Zcash ecosystem is truly global (Brazil, Spain, Nigeria, Turkey, and many other communities are doing outstanding work), and we want the map to reflect and reward that.
A few additional features in development:
an activity feed showing new businesses, reviews, and verifications;
a contributor profile page aggregating full user impact;
and, further out, a tipping system allowing users to directly reward both merchants and contributors.
The tipping system is genuinely complex, and we prefer to design it properly rather than rush it.
Why share this now?
The MVP is starting to take shape and early signals are encouraging.
The community-driven verification system is working, contributors are showing up, and the model is proving itself.
From here, the work is mostly about acceleration:
shipping mobile apps,
expanding the verification network beyond personal reach,
and building integrations and partnerships that make ZecMap a default part of the Zcash ecosystem.
We would love to talk to:
• Wallet teams (Zashi, YWallet, Zingo, Nighthawk, etc.) interested in surfacing ZecMap directly inside their apps
• Regional community leaders who want to grow their country’s presence on ZecMap
• Anyone with grant, funding, or partnership experience who wants to discuss how ZecMap can scale sustainably
Feedback, criticism, and ideas are always welcome in the replies. DM’s are also open.
Let’s build the merchant layer Zcash deserves.
— The ZecMap Team
