Basics
Shielded, transparent, and why it matters.
Zcash has two kinds of address. Which one your ZEC sits in decides who can see it.
Read the first two letters
u1…Unified address. Includes a shielded receiver. Sender, receiver and amount are encrypted onchain.
t1…Transparent address. Public, like Bitcoin. Most exchanges and swap services pay out here.
tex1…TEX address. A transparent-only address some exchanges require for deposits.
Shield on arrival
When ZEC lands at a transparent address, move it into the shielded pool before you spend it. Zodl and Cake do this for you; other wallets show a Shield button. After that, your balance and payments are private.
Do
Send exchange withdrawals to your wallet's transparent address, then shield the full amount in one go.
Avoid
Sending the same amount straight back out right after shielding. Matching amounts and timing can link the two sides.
Who can see your swap
Shielding hides what happens on the Zcash chain. It does not hide the other side of a swap. The chain you paid from is public, and swap services see the amounts they handle. Services like NEAR Intents also run compliance screening and can hold a swap for review.
For larger amounts, a route that arrives shielded and a wallet you control give you the most privacy.
Ironwood, the new shielded pool
On 28 July 2026 Zcash moved to a new shielded pool called Ironwood, after a flaw was found in the older Orchard pool. Orchard now only allows withdrawals. Your existing addresses keep working, but keep your wallet up to date. If you held shielded ZEC before then, move it to Ironwood when your wallet prompts you.
Sources: zodl.com · coindesk.com · crypto.news