Edward Snowden reveals he's one of the creators of Privacy Coin Zcash

Privacy coins like Zcash are increasingly gaining momentum, especially in the backdrop of Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine

By Shashank Bhardwaj

Edward Snowden
Image: Pedro Fiúza/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Edward Snowden, the NSA whistleblower whose leaks sparked a global discussion over internet surveillance, is said to have had a backstage role in the development of the privacy-enhancing cryptocurrency Zcash (ZEC). The former US defence contractor was one of six people who took part in the "ceremony" that established Zcash's so-called trusted setup.

Snowden agreed to make his participation public in a recent message to Zooko Wilcox, co-founder and CEO of Electric Coin Company, Zcash’s developer. “As long as it is clear that I was never paid and had no stake, it was just a public interest thing, I think you can tell people,” he wrote.

In an exclusive interview with Zcash Media for their educational video titled "The End of Zcash's Trusted Setup: Who is John Dobbertin?" Snowden himself confirmed the revelation. The video, which is just under 9 minutes long, brings together some of Electric Coin Co.'s significant technological challenges and triumphs since the inception of the privacy coin six years ago.

Snowden's interest in privacy-protecting technologies was first noticed by Wilcox when he spoke virtually at a Bard College event, where he highlighted the significance of privacy technology in providing ordinary people with the feeling of being alone. Wilcox was searching for people who were already practising strict privacy standards in their daily lives to participate in the Zcash ceremony, and Snowden was the perfect match.

For several reasons, privacy coins are now more important than ever. Unlike bitcoin and ether, Zcash uses a cryptographic mechanism to ensure that transactions are untraceable and cannot be linked to wallet holders. Such an arrangement is particularly advantageous in the current environment when crypto exchanges are under pressure to monitor Russia-related crypto activities following sanctions from Western countries due to its invasion of Ukraine.

Since Putin's invasion on February 24, Zcash has surged by more than 67% to $147, whereas Bitcoin has only climbed by 9% in the same duration.

The writer is the founder at yMedia. He ventured into crypto in 2013 and is an ETH maximalist. Twitter: @bhardwajshash

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