A Zcash wallet holds your ZEC and the keys that spend it. What sets Zcash apart is that one wallet usually has two kinds of address: a transparent one that works like a Bitcoin address, and a shielded one that keeps the sender, receiver and amount off the public record. Which wallet you pick decides whether you can use the shielded side at all.
This guide lists the Zcash wallets that are maintained today, explains t-addresses, z-addresses and unified addresses in plain words, and walks through setup, receiving and sending. We run Superswap.cx, a swap service that pays out ZEC, so the last part points to our own swap. The wallet facts come from each wallet's own site, app store listing or GitHub releases, and from the Zcash specifications.
Checked 19 October 2026: wallet versions, platforms and Ironwood support.
Zcash keeps balances in separate "pools". The address you receive to decides which pool your ZEC lands in:
| Address type | Starts with | What others can see |
|---|---|---|
| Transparent (t-address) | t1… (or t3… for multisig) | Everything: addresses, amounts and history are public on the blockchain, as with Bitcoin |
| Sapling shielded (z-address) | zs1… | Between two shielded addresses, the amount and the parties are not revealed on-chain |
| Unified address | u1… | One address that bundles several "receivers" (shielded and sometimes transparent). The sending wallet uses the most private receiver it supports |
| TEX address | tex1… | A transparent address that only accepts ZEC sent from transparent funds. Some exchanges use it for deposits |
What this means for you. If you want your balance private, receive to a shielded or unified address and keep the ZEC there. ZEC that arrives at a t1 address is visible to anyone, but you can move it into your shielded balance inside the wallet. That step is called shielding, and modern wallets offer it as one button. The amount is visible at the moment you shield it; after that it is not.
Ironwood, the newest shielded pool. Zcash's NU6.3 network upgrade activated a new shielded pool called Ironwood on July 28, 2026 (block 3,428,143). It is built on the Orchard design, and the Orchard pool no longer accepts new deposits. Your existing unified address still works, since Ironwood uses the same receivers as Orchard. If you held ZEC in Orchard before the upgrade, update your wallet and accept its migration prompt; Zodl, Zkool, Zingo and Edge all added Ironwood support.
For a deeper look, read Zcash shielded transactions explained.
All the wallets below are self-custody: you hold the recovery phrase, and nobody can freeze or move your ZEC. They are listed by type, not ranked. Versions were checked on October 19, 2026.
| Wallet | Platforms | Shielded ZEC | Latest version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zodl (formerly Zashi) | iPhone, Android | Yes, shielded by default; one-tap shielding of transparent ZEC | Android 3.17.0 (October 15, 2026); iOS 3.17.1 (App Store, October 2026) |
| Zkool (successor to Ywallet) | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android; iPhone, iPad and Mac through the App Store | Yes: transparent, Sapling, Orchard and Ironwood | 6.34.0 on GitHub (October 11, 2026) |
| Zingo! | iPhone, Android | Yes; Ironwood support added in 2.0.22 | 2.1.0 (October 2026) |
| Edge | iPhone, Android (multi-coin) | Yes; Orchard-to-Ironwood migration added in 4.50.1 (August 3, 2026) | 4.51.3 (September 30, 2026) |
| Ledger (hardware) | Ledger device with the Ledger Wallet desktop app; Zodl 3.17 can also connect to a Ledger | Yes in Ledger Wallet Desktop since September 23, 2026 (Ironwood); Ledger says mobile is coming | Keep the desktop app and device firmware updated |
| Keystone (hardware) | Air-gapped device that signs by QR code, used together with Zodl | Yes | Firmware 3.0.2 or later needed for Ironwood |
Wallets we left out. Ywallet's developer has ended its Zcash support after Ironwood and points users to Zkool. Nighthawk's latest Zcash release on GitHub and F-Droid (2.2.16, late 2024) predates Ironwood. Exodus holds ZEC on desktop and mobile, but its Zcash page does not mention shielded addresses, so check inside the app before you rely on it for a shielded balance.
The steps are much the same in every wallet above. The examples use Zodl's wording.
u1…) and a transparent address (t1…).Send a small test amount first if you are moving a large sum for the first time.
tex1, it only accepts ZEC from transparent funds. Use a current wallet that recognises TEX addresses.When you swap to ZEC on Superswap.cx, paste the address your wallet shows into the payout field. We pay out to shielded addresses, so you can paste your unified address (u1…) and the ZEC arrives shielded, with no extra shielding step. Transparent t1 addresses work too. Copy the address directly from the wallet's Receive screen and check the first and last characters after pasting.
Other exchanges and swap services may only pay out to transparent addresses. When a service asks for a t-address, give it your wallet's transparent address (starting with t1), then shield the ZEC in your wallet once it arrives.
Paste your ZEC address · Send BTC, ETH, USDT or XMR · Get ZEC in 5–30 min · No account, no ID
Swap to ZEC →The usual ways to put ZEC into a new Zcash wallet:
Our guide on how to buy Zcash compares the routes in detail. For pairs, prices and more Zcash guides, see the Zcash hub.
It depends on the device. Zodl is a shielded-by-default phone wallet, Zkool covers desktop and power users, Zingo! is another phone option, Edge holds ZEC next to other coins, and Ledger or Keystone keep the keys on a hardware device. All of them support shielded ZEC and are self-custody.
A transparent address starts with t1 and works like a Bitcoin address: amounts and history are public. A shielded address, such as a Sapling address starting with zs1 or a unified address starting with u1, keeps the amount and the parties off the public record when both sides are shielded.
Yes. Ironwood, activated on July 28, 2026, uses the same receivers as Orchard, so you do not need a new wallet or a new address. If you held ZEC in Orchard before the upgrade, update your wallet and accept its migration prompt.
Yes. The Zashi team formed the Zcash Open Development Lab (ZODL) in 2026 and renamed the app Zodl. Existing users did not need a new app, a new recovery phrase or a transfer of funds.
No. Ywallet's developer ended its Zcash support after the Ironwood upgrade and directs Zcash users to Zkool, a newer wallet from the same developer. Restore your recovery phrase in Zkool or another current wallet.
Often not. Most exchanges only withdraw to transparent addresses. Give the exchange your wallet's t1 address, then shield the ZEC inside the wallet once it arrives.
Zodl uses a 24-word recovery phrase plus a wallet birthday (a block height). Write both down on paper. The birthday tells the wallet where to start scanning when you restore.
Some wallets have a built-in swap, such as Zodl and Zkool, and Edge offers buying through a partner. You can also paste your ZEC address as the payout address on a swap service such as Superswap.cx and send BTC, ETH, USDT or XMR.
Checked 19 October 2026.