Privacy Coin Zcash Secures Debut European ETP After U.S. ETF Introduction
Asset manager 21shares has introduced physically backed ZEC and ETHFI exchange-traded products on Euronext Paris and Amsterdam exchanges, marking an expansion beyond mainstream digital assets.
Asset management firm 21shares has introduced Europe's inaugural exchange-traded product linked to Zcash, expanding the privacy-focused cryptocurrency's presence in regulated investment markets after its impressive gains throughout the previous twelve months.
This Tuesday saw 21shares debut its physically backed Zcash ETP across Euronext Paris and Amsterdam trading venues, providing investors with the opportunity to obtain ZEC exposure via standard brokerage platforms while avoiding direct cryptocurrency ownership.
The investment firm simultaneously unveiled an ETP that follows ETHFI, which serves as the governance and utility token for Ether.fi, a decentralized finance platform providing staking services along with additional cryptocurrency-based financial solutions. The ETHFI offering features physical backing and is available for trading on both Euronext Paris and Amsterdam markets.
Each of the ETPs imposes an annual management fee of 2.5%, a rate that significantly exceeds the charges associated with numerous Bitcoin and Ether investment vehicles currently available throughout Europe.
The introduction of the Zcash ETP comes on the heels of the Grayscale Zcash ETF's launch in the United States, which is available for trading on NYSE Arca using the ZCSH ticker symbol. The emergence of Zcash investment products across both the United States and European markets demonstrates increasing institutional appetite for the privacy-oriented digital currency.
Zcash's rally puts Bitcoin comparisons back in focus
This development arrives following Zcash's establishment as among the cryptocurrency market's most notable success stories, having recently climbed above $1,500 and recorded gains of almost 1,100% throughout the past year, based on data from CoinMarketCap.
The substantial price increase has reignited discussion surrounding Zcash's capabilities as an alternative to Bitcoin (BTC). Zach Pandl, who serves as Grayscale's head of research, has contended that Zcash stands to gain from "second-mover advantages" that could enable it to challenge Bitcoin's established network effects, a feat that previous competitors like Litecoin (LTC) have found difficult to accomplish.
Enthusiasm for Zcash has additionally expanded into the cryptocurrency mining industry. Fortitude Digital Mining informed Cointelegraph that the company mined approximately 28% of the total ZEC generated during the first half of 2026, illustrating the magnitude of its network operations. The mining firm indicated that its concentration on Zcash stems from the cryptocurrency's proof-of-work framework, limited supply cap and privacy-enhancing characteristics.