Zcash ECC team just walked out en masse 🤯
Latest facts compiled 🧐
👀 On Jan 7, 2026, the entire Electric Coin Company (ECC) team resigned together.
Every employee from the org building Zcash since 2016 left at once.
🔺Spark: Former CEO Josh Swihart called it “constructive discharge” by Bootstrap board majority.
Board actions blocked independence, roadmap, and Zcash’s mission: censorship-resistant private money.
Swihart named Zaki Manian, Christina Garman, Alan Fairless, Michelle Lai.
🚨Next: Ex-ECC devs forming new independent company for privacy tech. No details yet.
Builders escaping governance.
🤔Zooko’s take: Founder Zooko (now Shielded Labs) neutral—dispute between support orgs.
Zcash network untouched: open-source, permissionless, secure, private.
👀Chain impact: None technically.
Blockchain smooth, shielded txs perfect—no halt or exploit. Governance crisis only.
🟢Market: ZEC dumped 15-20% fast.
From ~$480-500 to ~$380-400 lows.
After huge 2025 rally (800%+ gains, brief $10B+ cap). Volatility high.
🤔Historical: Not first shakeup.
Zooko stepped down 2023.
Van Valkenburgh left Foundation Jan 2025.
ECC reorgs Dec 2025.
Now full exit 📢 Multi-org design avoids capture but creates friction.
🔺Core issue: Control over mission/direction 📢
Privacy tech vs regs, risk, board stability. Builders want principles; boards want caution.
Clash breaks governance first 📢 Builders walked.
Network survives 📢
Unclear: future upgrades, momentum 📢
New team could boost… or fragment 📢
Governance fracture, not tech death 📢 Toughest to fix 🤔
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$ZEC $DUSK #zec #PrivacyCoins #CryptoDrama #Market_Update #dusk @Dusk