Zcash Mining - Frequently Asked Questions

Zcash (ZEC) is a decentralised cryptocurrency launched in 2016, based on the Zerocash academic paper. It uses zk-SNARK zero-knowledge proofs to enable private, shielded transactions where the sender, receiver, and amount can all be hidden. Like Bitcoin, it has a maximum supply of 21 million coins and uses proof-of-work mining.

The core difference is privacy. Bitcoin transactions are fully transparent - anyone can trace the blockchain. Zcash offers optional shielded transactions using zk-SNARKs that make transaction details cryptographically invisible. Both share a 21M supply cap and proof-of-work consensus, but Zcash uses Equihash rather than SHA-256.

Zcash is not affiliated with Bitcoin, though it shares several design principles. Zcash was built as a separate codebase with its own development team. The Zcash Foundation and Electric Coin Company oversee its development independently of the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Zcash uses the Equihash proof-of-work algorithm. Originally designed to be memory-hard and ASIC-resistant, it is now dominated by dedicated ASIC miners that deliver far greater efficiency than GPU rigs.

The Antminer Z15 Pro is the top performer, delivering 840 KSol/s at 2780W. It doubles the hashrate of the previous Z15 model (420 KSol/s / 1510W) with better efficiency. For new deployments, the Z15 Pro is the clear choice.

GPU mining ZEC is no longer profitable. ASIC miners deliver orders of magnitude more Sol/s per watt. Any GPU mining rig will lose money to electricity costs when competing against modern Zcash ASICs on the same network.

3.125 ZEC per block, following the November 2024 halving. With a 75-second block time, that's approximately 1,152 blocks and 3,600 ZEC issued per day across the entire network.

Profitability depends on three variables: your electricity cost ($/kWh), your hardware's efficiency (Sol/W), and the current ZEC price. Low electricity costs (<$0.08/kWh) with a Z15 Pro can be profitable at current ZEC levels. Use our calculator for a real-time estimate.

The next Zcash halving is expected around November 2028, which will reduce the block reward from 3.125 ZEC to 1.5625 ZEC. Halvings historically reduce miner revenue but can increase ZEC price due to reduced supply emission.

A mining pool is a group of miners who combine their hashrate to increase the frequency of finding blocks. Rewards are distributed proportionally based on each miner's contributed hashrate, minus a small pool fee (typically 1–2%).

Top options: F2Pool (1% fee, global), 2Miners (1% fee, PPLNS), Luxor (0.5% fee, North America), ViaBTC (1–4% fee), K1Pool (1% fee, smaller). Choose based on your location, preferred payout scheme, and fee tolerance.

Transparent addresses (t-addresses) expose transaction details on the public blockchain, similar to Bitcoin. Shielded addresses (z-addresses) use zk-SNARKs to encrypt sender, receiver, and amount. Most mining pools pay to t-addresses; you can then transfer to a z-address for privacy.

For mining payouts, ZecWallet Lite or the official Zcash wallets support both t- and z-addresses. For long-term storage, a Ledger hardware wallet with ZEC support provides maximum security. Never store large amounts on exchange wallets.

Connect the miner to your network, find its IP via your router, log in to the web interface, navigate to Miner Configuration, and enter your pool's stratum URL, your ZEC wallet address as the worker name, and 'x' as the password. See our full setup guide.

Very loud. ASIC miners typically produce 70–80 dB - comparable to a vacuum cleaner running constantly. They are not suitable for residential spaces without soundproofing. Most miners are deployed in dedicated mining facilities, garages, or outbuildings with proper ventilation.

The Antminer Z15 Pro consumes 2780W. Running 24/7, that is approximately 66.7 kWh per day or ~2,000 kWh per month. At $0.10/kWh, monthly electricity cost is approximately $200. Use our calculator with your local rate for an accurate figure.