Grayscale Lists First Zcash ETF as ZEC Surges Ahead of Launch

Grayscale launched its first Zcash exchange-traded fund (ETF) on NYSE Arca under the ticker ZCSH, marking a major milestone for the privacy-focused cryptocurrency. The fund is a conversion of the Grayscale Zcash Trust, originally launched in October 2017 as a private placement, and now carries a 2.5% fee with revenue directed back to the Zcash ecosystem.

The launch follows a critical vulnerability patch in May, which affected Zcash's Orchard shielded pool, but was addressed by the Ironwood upgrade in July that replaced the vulnerable pool with a new one. Grayscale Head of Index Steve Vanourny said the firm will monitor the continued rollout and adoption of Ironwood as a measure of Zcash's progress.

ZEC surged approximately 45% ahead of the listing, which is now trading on NYSE Arca. Vanourny described ZCSH as a focused, higher-risk satellite position within a broader digital asset allocation, complementary to but not a replacement for Bitcoin (BTC). The fund holds over $313.5 million in assets under management.