Zcash is about to cut its block time to a third while 12,226 coins vanish from reach. Bitcoin sits quietly with no catalyst at all. One of these coins offers a far bigger payoff, but the risks run just as…
The Crypto Desk desk. Editor: Sam Daodu.
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The debate between Zcash and Bitcoin just got more interesting. Zcash’s (CRYPTO:ZEC) NU7 network upgrade is set to activate at 9:30 PM ET on November 5, 2026. Zcash is trading at $1,268, down 4% in the last 24 hours. In contrast, Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) is priced at $78,532, down 0.8% over the same period. Over the past month, Zcash’s price fluctuated between $1,126 and $1,365, while Bitcoin ranged from $76,709 to $85,540.
Both cryptocurrencies have fallen significantly from their peaks. Bitcoin’s all-time high reached $126,080 on October 6, 2025. Meanwhile, Zcash hit its highest price of $3,192 on October 28, 2016, its first day of trading. Both tokens, however, are trading well below those historic highs, making the Zcash versus Bitcoin discussion relevant once again since our last comparison in October 2026.
So, which cryptocurrency is the better buy—Bitcoin or Zcash—and which one has a stronger chance of reclaiming its peak by 2027?
What Bitcoin and Zcash Would Be Worth at Their Peaks
To reclaim its peak, Bitcoin needs to rise 60.6% to reach $126,080, increasing its market cap from about $1.58 trillion to around $2.54 trillion. Market cap is calculated by multiplying the token price by the number of coins in circulation.
Zcash, on the other hand, would need to rally 151.6% to hit its 2016 high, bringing its market cap from about $21.61 billion to $54.39 billion. Supply dilution makes it harder, since Zcash hit its peak when only a fraction of its coins existed, but 81.1% of its 21 million cap is now issued, so matching that price would require a far bigger network.
Bitcoin faces less dilution as 95.7% of its coins are already in circulation. As a result, Bitcoin’s market cap is about 73 times larger than Zcash’s, meaning that any new demand impacts ZEC’s price more significantly.
A $1,000 Investment Illustration
A $1,000 investment shows the trade-off between the two.
While Zcash shows higher potential gains, it also has a smaller market and is farther from its peak price.
Catalysts That Could Move Zcash and Bitcoin Toward 2027
Zcash’s NU7 Upgrade Details
The NU7 upgrade for Zcash will activate at block 3,543,405, expected around 02:30 UTC today, or 9:30 PM ET on November 5. This upgrade will reduce block time from 75 seconds to 25 seconds, enabling faster transaction settlements.
After the upgrade, about 12,226 ZEC remaining in the original Sprout pool will become unspendable, valued at around $15.5 million at current prices. This update follows objections from holders that led Zcash Community Grants to cancel a plan to redirect those coins. Unlike Zcash, Bitcoin has no comparable event scheduled.
ETF Flows: A Favor for Bitcoin
On November 4, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted a net $74.6 million. In contrast, the Grayscale Zcash ETF (NYSEARCA:ZCSH) gained only $3.4 million that day after losing $3.6 million the previous day. ZCSH began trading on August 25. ZEC traded at $511 on August 7 and soared to $1,653 by September 26, but the choppy flows since then suggest ETF buyers haven’t committed again.
Index Weights Indicate Investment Preferences
According to the T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF (NYSEARCA:TKNZ) prospectus supplement, Bitcoin held a 44.2% weight and Zcash a modest 6.5% as of October 20. These are benchmark index weights, not necessarily the fund’s own holdings, which can differ. Zcash ranks 10th by market cap, back in the top ten after slipping out in October.
FAQ: Key Questions on Zcash vs. Bitcoin
What is the Size Difference Between Zcash and Bitcoin? Bitcoin boasts a market cap of roughly $1.58 trillion, about 73 times larger than Zcash’s $21.61 billion.
When Does the Zcash Upgrade Go Live? The NU7 upgrade is scheduled for activation at block 3,543,405, estimated around 02:30 UTC on November 6, 2026.
Could Zcash Replace Bitcoin? It seems unlikely. Zcash is designed as a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that can obscure transaction details, while Bitcoin’s ledger is public. So they serve different users and purposes.
Bitcoin vs. Zcash: Which Cryptocurrency Is More Likely to Reach Its Peak by 2027?
Bitcoin stands the better chance of reclaiming its all-time high by 2027, while a return to Zcash’s 2016 peak would mean a far bigger gain. Today’s upgrade is an important catalyst for Zcash, and the analysis above lays out the reward-risk gap between the two coins.
For Zcash to regain momentum, the NU7 upgrade must go smoothly, ZCSH inflows must stabilize, and ZEC needs to clear its September high of $1,653 before $3,192 is back in play; a rough upgrade could instead send it toward its October low of $1,126. Bitcoin, meanwhile, must hold above its 200-day moving average of $73,186 and break its 90-day high of $86,597 while ETF inflows keep coming.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Sam Daodu is a crypto analyst and the editor of 24/7 Wall St.'s Crypto Desk, where he covers Bitcoin, XRP, Ethereum, Solana and the altcoins investors search for most. His work focuses on price levels, spot ETF flows, on-chain data and the regulatory decisions that move crypto markets, written so a first-time buyer and a seasoned trader can both use it.
Sam has written about crypto professionally since 2019 and has published more than 2,000 articles. Before joining 24/7 Wall St., he wrote for crypto media outlets and Web3 companies and ghostwrote for crypto founders and token launches. His analysis is syndicated on Yahoo Finance, MSN and AOL and has been cited by other crypto news sites. He also founded MacLabs Marketing, a content and personal branding agency for crypto founders and executives.
When he isn't reading charts, Sam is usually at the gym or watching One Piece, a series he maintains has better tokenomics than most altcoins.
