Peer to peer
Bisq
A desktop peer-to-peer marketplace that runs over Tor.
- Best for
- People who want to trade with another person without an exchange.
- ZEC arrives
- Transparent address, then shield it
- Custody
- Peer-to-peer with escrow
- Fees
- Bisq trade fees
How to do it
- Install Bisq on a desktop computer.
- Find an offer for ZEC. Trades are settled against bitcoin.
- Follow Bisq's escrow steps with your counterparty.
- Use a transparent Zcash address for the trade, then shield it.
Who sees what
Plain facts about who can see this route and who holds your money along the way, with sources. Every route involves some trade-off.
- Who can see it
- Only you and your trading partner see the trade details, plus a mediator if there is a dispute. Bisq runs over Tor. The bitcoin and transparent ZEC payments are public onchain.
- Who holds your funds
- Bisq never holds funds. Security deposits sit in a 2-of-2 multisig wallet until the trade completes.
- Identity checks
- None.
- Compliance screening
- None documented. Disputes go to mediators and arbitrators.
Incidents
- An exploit in altcoin trades took 11.59 BTC from 10 users and Bisq halted trading. Bisq later said affected users had been reimbursed. bisq.network
Sources: bisq.wiki · bisq.network
Good to know
- Bisq supports transparent ZEC addresses only. Check the offer book for ZEC offers before you start.
Last checked 2 October 2026. Sources: