Obtaining Zcash
TL;DR
- Buy ZEC on an exchange that supports shielded withdrawals (Gemini, BitcoinVN, Flyp.me) when possible
- Most major centralized exchanges (Coinbase, Kraken, Binance) support transparent withdrawals only — shield your ZEC after receiving it
- Decentralized exchanges allow non-custodial swaps but typically withdraw to transparent addresses
- You do not need to buy a full ZEC — fractions work fine
In order to use Zcash in private (shielded) transactions, you need to have ZEC. To get ZEC, you'll need to buy it. You can buy ZEC from a number of different exchanges, which we will list below. It is recommended that you use an exchange that supports shielded withdrawals.
You can also mine ZEC, but that is usually not possible for average consumers. More on that here and here.
Exchanges that support shielded withdrawals
Gemini is a regulated cryptocurrency exchange, wallet, and custodian that makes it simple and secure to buy ZEC, Ether, and other cryptocurrencies. You can buy ZEC with fiat or other cryptocurrencies.
BitcoinVN is a non-custodial instant exchange that supports shielded (z-address) deposits and withdrawals for ZEC — one of very few exchanges globally with full z-address support. Operating since 2014, you can swap BTC, ETH, USDT, and other cryptocurrencies for ZEC directly to your shielded wallet.