E
vsZ
Ergo vs Zcash
Zero-Knowledge Without Trusted Setup
No Trusted Setup
Sigma Protocols don't require trusted setup ceremonies that could be compromised
Smart Contracts
Full DeFi capabilities vs Zcash's limited programmability
Fair Launch
No founders reward or dev tax - all coins earned through mining
Composable Privacy
Privacy features work with smart contracts, not just transfers
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Ergo | Zcash |
|---|---|---|
| Consensus | PoW (Autolykos v2, GPU-friendly) | PoW (Equihash, ASIC) |
| Launch & Distribution | Fair launch: No ICO, no premine, no VC | 20% founders reward |
| State / Accounting Model | eUTXO (Programmable UTXO) | UTXO + shielded pools |
| Smart Contracts | ErgoScript + Sigma Protocols | Limited scripting |
| L1 Privacy | Programmable privacy (Sigma Protocols) | Optional shielded pools |
| Demurrage / Storage Rent | Storage rent on inactive boxes (~4+ years) | None |
| MEV Resistance | MEV-aware design (eUTXO + local ordering) | Low MEV (limited DeFi) |
| Fees & Finality | ~$0.01 fees; ~2 min blocks; stable PoW finality | Low fees; ~75s blocks |
| Light Clients | NiPoPoWs (trustless, ~1MB proofs) | Light wallet (trust-based) |
| Censorship Resistance | Strong (PoW, no validators to pressure) | Moderate (PoW but smaller network) |
| Native Assets | Native L1 tokens (no wrapper contracts) | None (ZEC only) |
indicates advantage in that category. Last updated: 2025-11-26
Deep Dive
Trusted Setup Concern
Zcash's zk-SNARKs required a trusted setup ceremony. If any participant kept their secret, they could create unlimited coins. While Zcash has done multiple ceremonies, the risk remains. Ergo's Sigma Protocols require no trusted setup.
Ergo Advantage
Mathematical security without ceremony trust assumptions.
Tokenomics
Zcash had a 20% 'founders reward' going to the company and investors. Ergo had no founders reward, no dev tax - all coins are mined fairly like Bitcoin.
Ergo Advantage
Aligned incentives with no insider advantages.
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