Dash to integrate Zcash Orchard on Evolution chain in March
Dash, a layer-1 blockchain network with built-in privacy features, said Thursday it will integrate Zcash’s “Orchard” shielded pool into the Dash Evolution chain, the protocol’s secondary layer that enables smart contract functionality.
The rollout will occur after cybersecurity audits are finalized and is targeted for March, according to a project announcement.
At launch, the integration will enable basic transfers of Zcash (ZEC) between parties on the Evolution chain, with later releases planned to extend Orchard’s privacy protections to tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), the project said.
The price of DASH (DASH), the network’s native token, climbed more than 125% in January. Dash briefly touched a local peak near $96 on the Binance exchange before pulling back.
Dash’s price action shows two large spikes in 2025 and 2026, fueled by the growth of the privacy narrative. Source: TradingView
Onchain privacy protocols and tokens associated with privacy-focused blockchains saw notable momentum through 2025 and early 2026, amid claims from advocates that the technology counters heightened financial surveillance by public- and private-sector entities.
Privacy constraints cited as hurdle for crypto payments amid regulatory scrutiny
“Lack of Privacy may be the missing link for crypto payments adoption,” said Changpeng Zhao (CZ), co-founder of the Binance cryptocurrency exchange.
Businesses are unlikely to adopt blockchain-based payments without privacy tools that conceal sensitive data such as employee compensation, CZ said.
Transaction records can also expose details about strategic partnerships and other confidential commercial information to competitors, according to Avidan Abitbol, a former business development specialist for the Kaspa project.
Agata Ferreira, an assistant professor at the Warsaw University of Technology, has argued that effective financial privacy depends on a combination of regulation, social norms and code, not solely on protecting onchain metadata.
Critics, including author and Bitcoin (BTC) proponent Saifedean Ammous, contend that user anonymity can be compromised and that ownership of privacy tokens may be uncovered via forensic methods and law enforcement actions.
In January 2026, Dubai’s Financial Services Authority (DFSA) prohibited privacy tokens such as ZEC and XMR (XMR), the native asset of the Monero protocol, from being offered to new users by regulated crypto exchanges in the emirate. The measure does not bar individuals from holding the tokens, underscoring continuing friction between regulators and privacy-focused technologies.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
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