Foundry Digital is preparing to launch a Zcash mining pool, a move that would extend one of the largest U.S.-based mining infrastructure operators beyond Bitcoin and into privacy-focused crypto. The expansion comes as Zcash draws renewed market attention from traders, miners, and some institutional participants who see privacy-preserving digital assets as a distinct segment within crypto markets. Foundry’s planned entry also matters for network structure: Zcash mining has long faced concentration concerns, and a new large-scale pool could reshape that balance.
Foundry plans Zcash mining pool amid institutional interest in privacy coin
Foundry is best known for Foundry USA Pool, which it describes as the world’s No. 1 Bitcoin mining pool and an institutional-grade platform built around security, compliance, and operational reliability. On its public materials, the company highlights features such as KYC and AML checks for pool members, SOC compliance, exportable data, and account controls aimed at enterprise users. Until now, Foundry’s pool business has been centered on Bitcoin, though its own support materials say it has been working to add more proof-of-work and proof-of-stake networks.
According to a report circulating on March 11, 2026, Foundry plans to introduce a Zcash mining pool as soon as April, bringing an institutional-scale operator into a network that has historically had a smaller and more specialized mining ecosystem than Bitcoin. The same report attributes to Foundry Chief Executive Mike Colyer the view that Zcash has become an “institutional-grade asset,” while the mining infrastructure around it has lagged behind that demand. Because the original CoinDesk article was not directly retrievable in the search results provided, that characterization should be understood as based on secondary reporting that cites CoinDesk.
The timing is notable. Foundry’s own knowledge base still states that Bitcoin is currently the only cryptocurrency mineable on Foundry USA Pool, underscoring that a Zcash offering would represent a material product expansion rather than a routine update. If launched, the pool would give miners another U.S.-based option in a market where institutional operators often prioritize compliance, service-level reliability, and transparent payout systems.
Why Zcash is back in focus
Zcash, launched in 2016, is a proof-of-work cryptocurrency designed to support both transparent and shielded transactions. Its shielded pool uses zero-knowledge cryptography to obscure sender, receiver, and transaction amount information when users choose private transfers. That optional privacy model has long distinguished Zcash from other privacy coins because it allows both transparent and privacy-preserving activity on the same network.
Recent market narratives suggest that privacy is again becoming a meaningful theme in crypto. CoinDesk reported in late 2025 that Zcash’s shielded adoption had climbed to roughly a fifth to nearly a third of circulating supply, depending on the measure used, and that more than 30% of transactions were interacting with the shielded pool. Those figures pointed to a broader shift from Zcash being viewed mainly as a legacy privacy token to being used more actively for encrypted transfers.
Other recent coverage has also pointed to rising shielded-pool balances. While some of these reports come from less-established crypto outlets and should be treated cautiously, they broadly align with the narrative that shielded usage has increased over the past several months. That trend matters because Zcash’s value proposition depends not only on price performance, but also on whether users are actually moving funds into the privacy-preserving part of the network.
Institutional demand and the privacy thesis
The phrase “institutional interest” in privacy coins remains nuanced. In practice, it can refer to several different developments:
- Professional miners seeking new revenue sources outside Bitcoin
- Treasury-style buyers or funds taking positions in ZEC
- Trading desks rotating into privacy-focused assets
- Infrastructure providers building enterprise-grade services around Zcash
CoinDesk’s late-2025 reporting said Zcash’s optional privacy model was attracting institutional interest partly because it offers more flexibility than some rivals that face heavier exchange and regulatory scrutiny. That does not mean privacy coins have become mainstream institutional holdings, but it does suggest that some market participants see Zcash as more operationally compatible with regulated environments than fully opaque alternatives.
What the move could mean for miners and the Zcash network
For miners, a Foundry-run Zcash pool could bring a more familiar institutional operating model to a smaller proof-of-work network. Foundry emphasizes stable payouts, detailed reporting, and enterprise controls in its Bitcoin pool business. If similar standards are applied to Zcash, the offering could appeal to larger mining firms that want predictable operations and auditable infrastructure.
For the network itself, the implications are more mixed. On one hand, a new major pool could improve competition if it reduces dependence on a small number of incumbent operators. On the other, any large pool operator entering a smaller network can also increase concentration risk if it captures too much hashpower too quickly. Concerns about mining concentration on Zcash are not theoretical: public reporting in 2023 highlighted that one pool, ViaBTC, had controlled more than half of the network’s hash rate at one stage.
That history helps explain why Foundry’s entry is being watched closely. A well-capitalized U.S. operator could diversify the mining landscape if it attracts participants away from dominant pools. But decentralization gains would depend on how market share is distributed after launch, not simply on the existence of another brand-name pool. This is an inference based on the network’s prior concentration concerns and Foundry’s scale in Bitcoin mining.
Regulatory and market context
Any discussion of privacy coins in the U.S. has to account for regulation. Privacy-preserving assets often attract closer scrutiny because regulators and compliance teams worry about anti-money-laundering controls, sanctions enforcement, and transaction traceability. Zcash’s design differs from some peers because privacy is optional rather than mandatory, which supporters argue gives exchanges, custodians, and institutions more flexibility. Critics, however, maintain that privacy features can still create compliance challenges regardless of whether they are optional.
That tension is central to the story. Foundry’s brand is built around institutional-grade infrastructure, compliance processes, and U.S.-based operations. If it proceeds with a Zcash pool, the launch would signal that at least some service providers believe privacy-focused proof-of-work assets can be supported within a structured, compliance-oriented framework. At the same time, it would not remove the broader policy debate around privacy coins in U.S. markets.
Why this matters beyond Zcash
The broader significance of the story is that crypto infrastructure providers are no longer focusing only on Bitcoin, stablecoins, and exchange-traded products. A Foundry expansion into Zcash would indicate that privacy infrastructure is becoming investable and serviceable enough to justify enterprise resources. That is a different signal from a simple token rally: it suggests a bet on recurring demand for mining, settlement, and network participation.
It also comes at a time when privacy has re-emerged as a market narrative. CoinDesk described a wider “privacy revival” in late 2025, with Zcash outperforming and shielded usage rising. If that trend continues into 2026, infrastructure expansion may follow price action and user adoption rather than lead it.
Conclusion
Foundry Plans Zcash Mining Pool as Institutional Privacy Coin Demand Grows is more than a product-launch headline. It sits at the intersection of three larger themes: the search for new mining revenue beyond Bitcoin, the return of privacy as a serious crypto narrative, and the question of whether enterprise-grade infrastructure can coexist with privacy-preserving networks.
If Foundry launches the pool in April as indicated by secondary reports, the move could give Zcash miners a new institutional option and potentially alter the network’s competitive balance. Whether that ultimately strengthens decentralization or simply shifts concentration will depend on adoption after launch. What is already clear is that Zcash is drawing enough attention for one of the industry’s largest mining operators to consider it worth building for.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Foundry Digital?
Foundry Digital is a U.S.-based digital asset infrastructure company best known for Foundry USA Pool, its institutional-grade Bitcoin mining pool. The company emphasizes compliance, security, and enterprise services for miners.
Is Foundry already offering Zcash mining?
As of Foundry’s currently available public pool documentation, Bitcoin is still the only cryptocurrency listed as mineable on Foundry USA Pool. Reports published on March 11, 2026 say a Zcash pool is planned, with launch targeted for April.
Why is Zcash attracting institutional interest?
Recent reporting points to growing use of Zcash’s shielded pool, a stronger privacy narrative in crypto markets, and the appeal of Zcash’s optional privacy model, which some market participants see as more flexible than fully private alternatives.
Why does a new mining pool matter for Zcash?
Mining pools affect how hashpower is distributed across the network. A new large operator can improve competition, but if it becomes too dominant it can also create concentration risks. Zcash has faced such concerns before.
Are privacy coins legal in the United States?
Privacy coins are not categorically banned in the U.S., but they face heightened scrutiny from exchanges, compliance teams, and regulators. The regulatory treatment can vary by platform, jurisdiction, and use case.
