TLDR
- Zcash (ZEC) surged up to 20% on June 15, 2026, reaching $532.59 after an AI security audit found no new critical flaws in the protocol.
- Anthropic’s Mythos AI model reviewed the ZEC protocol at Shielded Labs’ request and cleared it beyond the already-patched Orchard bug.
- Trading volume jumped 62% above its 30-day average, and Open Interest rose 26% to $1.14 billion.
- Over $13 million in short liquidations added buying pressure as bearish traders were forced to cover positions.
- The Ironwood network upgrade, approved June 12, is scheduled for late July and aims to add supply verification without compromising privacy.
Zcash (ZEC) climbed sharply on June 15, 2026, posting gains between 14% and 20% to reach around $532 after a security audit by Anthropic’s Mythos AI model returned a clean verdict on the protocol.
The audit was conducted at the request of Shielded Labs and announced by Zcash founder Zooko Wilcox on June 14. It found no new critical flaws beyond the already-patched Orchard shielded pool bug.
Crypto analyst Crypto Patel highlighted the development on X, noting: “Anthropic ran a full security review of the ZEC protocol using its restricted Mythos AI model and found NO new critical flaws beyond the already-patched Orchard bug.” Patel added that ZEC was up 118% from its June 5 low and 25% following the news, pointing to the Ironwood upgrade in late July as the next catalyst.
Zcash Just Passed The Toughest AI Audit In Crypto
Anthropic Ran A Full Security Review Of The $ZEC Protocol Using Its Restricted Mythos AI Model (At Shielded Labs' Request) And Found NO New Critical Flaws Beyond The Already-Patched Orchard Bug.
One Of The Most Advanced AI… pic.twitter.com/jCQqrb4HQr
— Crypto Patel (@CryptoPatel) June 16, 2026
The Orchard bug had caused ZEC to drop roughly 50% between June 4–5, 2026, after a critical forgery vulnerability in the shielded pool was disclosed. The AI audit’s clean result directly addressed the fear that had driven that decline.
Trading volume rose 62% above its 30-day average, with daily volume reaching $665 million. Open Interest climbed 26% to $1.14 billion, reflecting new leveraged positions entering the market rather than existing ones closing.
More than $13 million in short liquidations occurred as the price rose, forcing bearish traders to buy back ZEC and adding to upward price pressure.
Technical Levels in Focus
On the technical side, ZEC reclaimed the $404 support zone and pushed toward the $520–$541 resistance area. The RSI stood at around 51–54, above the neutral midpoint but not in overbought territory.
Key moving averages sit below the current price: the SMA20 at $489, the SMA50 at $506, and the SMA200 at $374. This configuration indicates the price is trading above all major averages.
Liquidity clusters are concentrated just above the current price near $500, $505, and $515, which could draw price higher as short positions in those ranges get liquidated. Downside liquidity sits near $480 and $460.
Ironwood Upgrade Approved for Late July
The Ironwood network upgrade was approved on June 12, 2026, and is scheduled to activate in late July. It is designed to allow transparent verification of ZEC’s total supply while preserving user privacy.
The rally also coincided with a broader crypto market recovery linked to a U.S.-Iran peace agreement announced June 14, which eased geopolitical tension across risk assets.
One counterpoint came from BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes, who reportedly sold his ZEC holdings. His stated reason was that the untraceable nature of Zcash’s privacy features makes it impossible to formally prove the Orchard bug was not exploited before the patch.
On June 15, the Philippines central bank issued a ban preventing Virtual Asset Service Providers from listing privacy coins, adding regulatory pressure to the asset class.
ZEC was last trading around $532.59, with immediate resistance at $541.86 and the next major resistance beyond that near $695.
