Zcash privacy and safety checklist
Tick what applies to you to get a score and the most important gaps to fix. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Why these matter
Zcash privacy is optional: shielded transactions hide amounts, senders and receivers, but transparent ones are as public as Bitcoin. The biggest privacy gains come from using a shielded wallet and unified addresses and from shielding coins that arrive on transparent addresses. Most real-world losses happen off-chain: lost or phished seed phrases and fake wallet apps. See shielded vs transparent, Zcash scams and is Zcash traceable?
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important item?
Your seed phrase. Anyone who has it can take your funds, and if you lose it nobody can restore them. Note the birthday height too: it makes restoring much faster.
Is Zcash private by default?
Not always. Shielded-by-default wallets keep you in shielded pools, but transparent addresses are public. Check that your wallet supports shielded payments.