First time
Your first ZEC, step by step.
New to crypto? Work through these six steps in order. Tick each one off as you go.
A wallet is the app that holds your ZEC. Pick one that keeps ZEC shielded, which means the sender, receiver and amount are hidden. Install it only from the official site or your phone's app store.
When you create the wallet it shows a list of words. They are the only way to get your ZEC back if you lose your phone. Write them on paper and keep it somewhere safe and offline. Never type them into a website or share them with anyone, including someone who says they are support staff.
Use the route finder to choose how to buy, based on whether you are starting with money in a bank or other crypto, and whether privacy, no ID checks or ease matters most. Each route has a step-by-step guide. If you are unsure, start with a small amount.
Follow the guide for your route. When it asks for your Zcash address, copy it from your wallet's Receive screen. A shielded address starts with u1; some services can only send to a transparent one starting with t1, and the guide says which. Always paste addresses rather than typing them.
If your ZEC arrived at a transparent address, move it into the shielded pool so your balance and payments are private. Zodl and Cake do this for you; other wallets show a Shield button. If your route arrives shielded, there is nothing to do. Read the basics for why this matters.
Your ZEC is shielded and in a wallet you control. Before sending a large payment, try a small one first, and keep your recovery phrase safe.
Your ticks are saved in this browser only. Nothing is sent anywhere.