Zodl review: the Zcash wallet formerly called Zashi

If you used Zashi, you already have Zodl. In January 2026 the Zashi team left the Electric Coin Company and set up Zcash Open Development Lab (ZODL). On 16 February 2026 the team announced that the app would be renamed Zodl through a normal in-app update, with no new download and no new recovery phrase (Forklog, 17 Feb 2026).

Zodl at a glance

Main features

• Shielded by default with encrypted memos on payments.
• 1-click shielding of transparent ZEC, for example after an exchange withdrawal. See how to shield ZEC.
• Swaps through NEAR Intents to and from shielded ZEC, added in September 2025.
• CrossPay: pay in shielded ZEC while the recipient receives another asset such as BTC or a stablecoin.
• Flexa payments at supported shops.
• Keystone hardware wallet management.
• Tor for syncing and migration. Zodl says it has no in-app analytics.

Ironwood migration in Zodl

When the Orchard pool was closed to new funds, Zodl offered two ways to move Orchard balances into Ironwood: one immediate transfer, or a gradual migration that splits the balance into smaller transfers over time. Zodl recommends the gradual option, because amounts crossing the turnstile are visible on-chain and a single large transfer reveals your full balance.

On Android the gradual migration runs in the background. On iOS, Apple's limits mean you get a notification at each step and must reopen the app. Full steps are in Orchard to Ironwood.

Pros and cons

Who Zodl suits

Zodl is the best starting point for anyone new to Zcash who wants privacy without learning about pools. It also suits experienced users who want a phone wallet plus a Keystone for savings. If you want a desktop wallet, multiple accounts or multisig, look at Zkool; if you want a lighter app with TEX support, see Zingo!. We compare all three in Zodl vs Zkool vs Zingo.

Backing up and restoring

Zodl gives you a 24-word recovery phrase and a birthday height, the block height when your wallet was created. Write both down on paper. When you restore, the birthday height lets the wallet skip older blocks and sync much faster. See restoring a Zcash wallet.

Getting started with Zodl

1. Type zodl.com yourself and follow its App Store, Google Play or F-Droid link.
2. Create a new wallet, or restore one with your 24 words and birthday height.
3. Write the phrase and birthday height on paper; do not screenshot them.
4. Share your shielded receiving address, or use the transparent address only for exchanges that require it, then tap to shield.
5. Consider turning on Tor if you want to hide your IP address from the light-wallet server.

Privacy: what Zodl and its servers can see

Zodl is a light client. It downloads compact blocks from a lightwalletd or Zaino server and decrypts them on your phone. The server cannot see your balance or which payments are yours, but it can see your IP address and when you sync or send. Zodl's Tor option hides your IP address, at the cost of slower syncing. Swaps through NEAR Intents and CrossPay involve third-party solvers who see the swap amounts and the non-ZEC side of the trade.

Verdict

Zodl is the most complete shielded Zcash wallet for everyday use in 2026. It handled the Orchard crisis and Ironwood launch on time, it is open source, and it keeps beginners private by default. Choose something else only if you need a desktop app, multisig or several coins in one place.

Safety notes

• The official site is zodl.com. Type it yourself or use a bookmark; do not follow links from ads or messages.
• Zodl has no web version. In August 2026 a phishing site, myzodl.com, posed as "Zcash Web Wallet | Zodl" and asked visitors to import their recovery phrase. It went offline in September 2026, but copies may appear.
• Old Zashi listings in app stores should update to Zodl automatically. Be wary of any new "Zashi" app published by an unfamiliar developer.
• Never share your recovery phrase, and share a viewing key only when you intend to give permanent read access.

Frequently asked questions