Arjun Khemani Podcast Zooko, Nate Wilcox, and Sean Bowe: Zcash
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Jan 22, 2025 
Zooko Wilcox-O’Hearn, a cypherpunk and co-founder of Zcash, joins forces with his brother Nate and cryptographer Sean Bowe to dive deep into the fascinating world of Zcash. They tackle Bitcoin’s privacy issues and explore the unstoppable nature of private money. The trio discusses the challenges and innovations in zero-knowledge proofs, the comparison between Zcash and Monero, and the quantum threats looming over cryptocurrencies. Their insights on privacy's importance and the cultural shifts surrounding digital cash will leave listeners intrigued.
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Zooko's CyberBucks Store
- Zooko Wilcox-O’Hearn, co-founder of Zcash, recounts his early involvement with digital cash through DigiCash.
- He built a web store that accepted DigiCash's CyberBucks, becoming their most profitable non-pornography and gambling store.
Bitcoin's Privacy Flaw
- Zooko realized Bitcoin's privacy flaw immediately due to its transparent transaction history.
- He believed that true privacy requires strong cryptography, not workarounds or layered solutions.
Unstoppable Private Money
- Zooko defines unstoppable private money as a system where privacy and unstoppability are intertwined.
- He emphasizes the emergent nature of money, shaped by independent users, not central authorities.