Encifher Restores Zcash-Level Privacy to Solana as ZEC Rallies 380%
Zcash (ZEC) has jumped nearly 380% this month to trade around $375, fueled by renewed interest in privacy-focused digital assets and a series of integrations expanding ZEC’s reach beyond its native blockchain.
Wrapped ZEC Comes to Solana
On October 16, Solana introduced wrapped ZEC via the Zolana bridge, allowing Zcash to circulate within its ecosystem as a Solana Program Library (SPL) token. These wrapped versions are backed 1:1 by native ZEC but lack Zcash’s built-in privacy features — meaning transaction data and balances remain visible on-chain.
Encifher’s Privacy Layer
Encifher aims to fix that. The project’s new system converts standard wrapped ZEC into encrypted ZEC (eZEC), restoring Zcash’s privacy capabilities within the Solana network. Using fully homomorphic encryption (FHE), Encifher enables private, verifiable swaps while keeping the tokens fully composable with Solana’s decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.
“To make ZEC truly private on Solana, it must be re-wrapped into encrypted assets like eZEC — where balances and transfers are hidden but still compatible with DeFi,” the team wrote on X via its @Encrypto.trade account.
Encifher’s framework relies on threshold ElGamal encryption, storing encrypted data off-chain in a secure data-availability layer. The Solana blockchain holds only cryptographic references to these balances, keeping sensitive transaction details hidden from public view.
The model uses zero-knowledge proofs to validate transactions without exposing information and employs ephemeral accounts that expire after each use — breaking traceability and preventing address reuse.
A Private DeFi Layer on Solana
This architecture effectively transforms Solana’s transparent blockchain into a privacy-preserving settlement layer, allowing users to trade, hold, and transfer ZEC confidentially while maintaining access to DeFi liquidity.
Encifher’s privacy tools are already live on Jupiter, Solana’s largest decentralized exchange, where users can execute encrypted token swaps directly on-chain.
Market Drivers
ZEC’s strong price performance comes ahead of its next halving event, alongside the debut of the Grayscale ZEC Trust and a new Hyperliquid listing — all of which have contributed to renewed momentum in the long-running privacy coin.
Together with Encifher’s cross-chain privacy solution, these developments mark a significant step in ZEC’s evolution — merging Zcash’s privacy principles with Solana’s high-speed infrastructure.
