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The entire Zcash development team resigned at once
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A dispute with the governing board triggered the exit
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Developers plan to continue work under a new company
The entire team behind Zcash’s core development has resigned following a major governance conflict with the project’s overseeing board.
Electric Coin Company (ECC), the main developer of Zcash, announced that all staff members stepped down on January 7. CEO Josh Swihart said the team was effectively forced out after changes made by the Bootstrap board, the nonprofit that governs ECC.
Swihart described the situation as a “constructive discharge,” meaning working conditions changed so significantly that continuing their roles became impossible. He emphasized that while the development team is leaving, the Zcash protocol itself remains operational.
The departing developers are now forming a new company, aiming to continue building privacy-focused financial tools outside the current structure.
This event adds to ongoing leadership changes within the Zcash ecosystem. The project has seen several high-profile departures over the past two years, including longtime leader Zooko Wilcox stepping down in 2023.
The resignations come shortly after ECC announced an internal restructuring meant to streamline development and improve user experience. That plan now faces uncertainty with the team’s exit.
ZEC surged strongly late last year, briefly reaching a $10 billion market cap, but has since pulled back. While the token remains well above its 2024 levels, the leadership shake-up introduces new questions about Zcash’s long-term direction.
