comparison · Privacy coins

Firo vs Zcash

Both are listed in Privacy coins. The table below pulls directly from each service’s data sheet; see each entry for sourcing.

Firo — summary

Firo (formerly Zcoin) is the original Sigma / Lelantus / Spark protocol implementation.

• + Lelantus Spark provides zero-knowledge privacy without a trusted setup.
• + Independent research lineage (Lelantus, Spark) is well-published.
• − Smaller user base than XMR or ZEC.
• − Privacy is opt-in; anonymity set scales with shielded usage.
• − Facts need re-verification by operator (last seeded 2026-01).

Full entry → Firo

Zcash — summary

Zcash has the strongest cryptographic privacy primitives in production but a smaller shielded anonymity set than Monero's mandatory-privacy model produces.

• + zk-SNARK shielded pool offers strong cryptographic privacy.
• + Active research program; introduced Halo recursive proofs and ongoing pool migrations.
• − Privacy is opt-in (shielded vs transparent addresses); the anonymity set has historically been smaller than Monero's.
• − The 2022 Sapling-to-Orchard pool migration changes the practical anonymity set you join.
• − Trusted setup ceremonies are part of the protocol's history; the current Halo/Halo2 model removes that requirement going forward.

Full entry → Zcash

When to choose which

Treat this section as heuristic. Privacy properties depend on how you use the service, not just which one you pick.

• Choose Firo if lelantus spark provides zero-knowledge privacy without a trusted setup..
• Choose Zcash if zk-snark shielded pool offers strong cryptographic privacy..
• Either way, re-check the entry’s last verified date — the Privacy coins category churns.

Mentioned in (combined)

Pages on the site that reference Firo, Zcash, or both.

Compared as of Jan 1, 2026.