El equipo de desarrollo de Zcash renuncia debido a disputas relacionadas con la gobernanza.

The Electric Coin Company (ECC), the core development team behind Zcash (ZEC), resigned following governance disputes with Bootstrap, the nonprofit governing the firm, citing constructive discharge. The resignation highlights structural issues in the project's governance and mission alignment, as the team accused Bootstrap board members of misaligned priorities and altered working conditions that made continued development untenable according to reports. Despite the team's exit, the Zcash protocol remains unaffected, with ECC CEO Josh Swihart affirming that the network is still secure, open-source, and permissionless as stated.

The Electric Coin Company (ECC) team, led by CEO Josh Swihart, resigned en masse after alleging constructive discharge by Bootstrap, the nonprofit that governs the Zcash ecosystem. The team cited governance issues and misalignment with the original mission of Zcash. The resignation has raised concerns about the project's governance model and its ability to maintain its position in the privacy-focused cryptocurrency space.

The team plans to form a new company to continue Zcash development. The new entity aims to build what they describe as "unstoppable private money," while maintaining the decentralized and secure nature of the Zcash protocol according to their announcement. Zcash founder Zooko Wilcox reiterated that the protocol remains open source and unaffected by the dispute, emphasizing its technical integrity.

The resignation of the development team has triggered significant price volatility for ZEC. The token dropped over 18% in 2026 and as much as 20% in 24 hours following the announcement. The broader cryptocurrency market also experienced a nearly 3% correction during the same period, indicating that the decline may not be isolated to Zcash. Market participants are now closely monitoring how the project will navigate its new governance structure and development path.

What Caused the Zcash Developer Team to Resign?

The resignation of the Electric Coin Company (ECC) team from Zcash was prompted by governance disputes with Bootstrap. The team described the situation as a constructive discharge, where changes in employment terms and governance actions made it impossible for them to continue development effectively according to their statement. The dispute centers around a majority of the Bootstrap board, including Zaki Manian, Christina Garman, Alan Fairless, and Michelle Lai, who are alleged to have shifted focus away from the original mission of Zcash as reported. The team emphasized that their departure was not due to technical issues with the Zcash protocol but rather governance misalignment and structural challenges in balancing decentralization with organized development according to analysis. The team plans to form a new company, cashZ, to continue working on Zcash's privacy technology and mission while operating independently of Bootstrap as detailed.

What Does This Mean for Zcash's Future?

The resignation of the core development team raises questions about the future of Zcash and who will steward future upgrades or represent the project to regulators and institutional partners according to market analysis. The Zcash protocol remains operational and decentralized, with no disruption to block production or user activity. However, the exit of key developers has exposed structural weaknesses in how the project balances decentralization with organized development as noted. The new company, cashZ, aims to address governance flaws and enhance privacy features but faces adoption and regulatory challenges. The ability of the new entity to attract talent, execute its roadmap, and maintain community trust will be key to Zcash's future according to industry observers. The broader cryptocurrency industry is also watching closely to see how Zcash will navigate the challenges of governance and development in a regulatory environment that increasingly scrutinizes privacy-focused cryptocurrencies as reported. Zcash's founder, Zooko Wilcox, expressed personal confidence in the integrity of the Bootstrap board members but stopped short of taking a position on the dispute. The situation highlights the importance of robust governance frameworks in decentralized projects and the need for clearer alignment between development teams, governing bodies, and the broader community according to analysis.

What Is the Market Impact of the Resignation?

The resignation of the Electric Coin Company (ECC) team has had a significant impact on the Zcash market. ZEC's price dropped over 18% in 2026 and as much as 20% in 24 hours following the announcement according to data. The broader cryptocurrency market also experienced a nearly 3% correction during the same period, suggesting that the decline may not be isolated to Zcash. The market's reaction reflects investor uncertainty about the future of Zcash and the ability of the new company to continue development and maintain the project's relevance in the privacy-focused cryptocurrency sector. Experts argue that this highlights the importance of robust governance frameworks in decentralized projects and the need for clearer alignment between development teams, governing bodies, and the broader community as observed. Market participants are now evaluating the impact on Zcash's governance and development continuity, as well as its leadership in the privacy coin sector amid regulatory pressures. The ability of the new entity to attract talent, execute its roadmap, and maintain community trust will be key to Zcash's future according to market analysis. The situation also raises broader concerns about the long-term viability of privacy-focused cryptocurrencies under regulatory frameworks like the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) as noted.