Bankless Zcash Founder on Privacy, AI, and How ZEC is 'Encrypted Bitcoin' | Zooko Wilcox-O'Hearn
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Jan 26, 2026 
Zooko Wilcox-O'Hearn, founder of Zcash and longtime privacy-minded cryptographer, talks about privacy's comeback in the AI era. He explores why UX, wallets like Zashi, and shielded ZEC matter for usable private payments. He debates Zcash’s dev fund, the ‘encrypted Bitcoin’ meme, AI-driven surveillance risks, and what it takes to keep privacy practical for everyday users.
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Crypto Funded Breakthrough Cryptography
- Crypto funded major cryptography advances like zero-knowledge proofs that wouldn't have progressed as fast otherwise.
- Zooko sees this tech win as vital even if broader social goals remain unmet.
UX Is The Cypherpunk Bottleneck
- Moxie Marlinspike argued cypherpunk efforts failed because UX assumed users would change to fit tools.
- Zooko stresses starting from user needs and minimizing cognitive load to reach mass adoption.
Pair UX With Sustainable Funding
- Build UX-first products and attach an economic feedback loop so better products receive more funding.
- Aim for open competition where users pay and superior products scale organically.