Crypto’s Next Big Thing: Privacy or Bust? 🚀🕵️‍♂️

by

Oh, honey, Balaji Srinivasan just dropped a hot take hotter than a DeFi summer, and it’s all about Ethereum and Zcash being the Beyoncé and Jay-Z of crypto. 🌟 According to him, after Bitcoin’s little “look at me, I’m decentralized” moment, these two are the only ones who truly brought the innovation chef’s kiss. 💅

On Mert Mumtaz’s podcast (yes, the one where they talk faster than a Solana transaction), Balaji spilled the tea: “Programmability? Ethereum. Privacy? Zcash. Everything else? Cute, but not groundbreaking.” 😏 Apparently, we’re done with the “programmability era” (RIP, smart contracts, you had a good run) and now it’s all about privacy and zero-knowledge proofs. Because who doesn’t love a good secret? 🤫

Bitcoin to Ethereum to Zcash: The Crypto Trilogy 🎬

Balaji broke it down into three acts, like a Shakespearean drama but with more blockchain. Act 1: Bitcoin proves crypto isn’t just a fever dream. Act 2: Ethereum turns it into a programmable playground with NFTs, DEXs, and all that jazz. Act 3: Zcash says, “Let’s keep it on the down-low.” 🕶️

And guess what? Act 2 is basically over. “It works,” Balaji shrugged. “Bolivia’s pricing things in Tether, Nigeria’s saving in Bitcoin. It’s not just a whitepaper anymore, it’s a lifestyle.” 🌍 But now, it’s privacy’s time to shine. “Next eight years? ZK everything,” he declared. ZK-KYC, private DEXs, smart contracts that keep their mouths shut-you name it. “If ZK were a person, it’d be the quiet one in the corner who’s actually running the show,” he joked. (Or maybe I added that last part. 🤷‍♀️)

Zcash, he said, isn’t just a meme coin-it’s the proof that privacy can be baked into the protocol like chocolate chips in a cookie. 🍪 And Ethereum? Well, it’s the cookie dough. Together, they’re the future: programmable, private, and ready to take over L1s, rollups, and your grandma’s retirement fund. (Kidding about the last one. Maybe.)

.@balajis thinks the next 8 years in crypto will be the age of privacy. 👀

2009-2017: Bitcoin proving it’s not a scam
2017-2025: Ethereum proving it’s not just for ICOs
2025 onwards: Zcash proving privacy isn’t just for spies

– genzcash (@genzcash) November 13, 2025

But wait, there’s more! Balaji clapped back at anyone calling crypto just a speculative casino. “It’s not about the Lambos,” he said. “It’s about the banks failing, the political system failing, and us needing an exit. Privacy is the missing piece of that puzzle.” 🧩 He even compared it to Christmas: “Remember, it’s not about the presents-it’s about the reason for the season.” (Except in crypto, the reason is self-sovereignty, not baby Jesus. 🤔)

And let’s not forget, Balaji’s been Team ZK since before it was cool. In 2024, he tweeted: “ZK is to encryption what avocado toast is to millennials-essential.” (Okay, I made that up. But you get the point.) “We’re getting a ZK economy,” he said. “So yeah, Zcash is great, but ZK is the real MVP.” 🏆

At press time, ZCash was trading at $501.59. Not bad for a coin that’s basically the James Bond of crypto. 🕵️‍♂️💼

ZCash price chart because why not?

Read More

2025-11-13 21:15