TLDR
- ZEC hit a new high of $1,021 on September 4, extending a 30-day gain of over 88%
- Grayscale listed the first U.S. spot Zcash ETF (ZCSH) on NYSE Arca on August 25
- Zcash’s hashrate is running at 91% of its all-time high of 27.9 GSol/s
- Bitmain’s Z15 Pro ASIC miner is earning an estimated $59.09 per day at current ZEC prices
- ZEC futures volume surged 113.64% to $6.38 billion, with open interest rising 34.97% to $2.16 billion
Zcash (ZEC) hit a new high of $1,021 on September 4, 2026, breaking through the psychological $1,000 barrier for the first time. The move comes just 10 days after Grayscale listed the first U.S. spot Zcash ETF, ticker ZCSH, on NYSE Arca on August 25.
The day before, on September 3, ZEC had already reached an intraday high of $979, up nearly 17% in a single day. The 30-day gain now stands at over 88%, and over six months ZEC has risen around 353% against the U.S. dollar.
Crypto Banter, a widely followed crypto account on X, flagged the $1,000 break, noting that traders are treating Zcash’s shielded transfers as a hedge against on-chain surveillance. The account pointed directly to the Grayscale ETF listing as a catalyst for the move.
🚨ZCASH BREAKS $1,000!$ZEC pushed through $1,000, about 10 days after @Grayscale listed the first U.S. spot Zcash ETF, $ZCSH, on NYSE Arca on Aug. 25.
The move is leading the privacy coin bid as traders treat shielded transfers as a hedge against on-chain surveillance. pic.twitter.com/hMaQb8FlqR
— Crypto Banter (@crypto_banter) September 4, 2026
ZEC’s core appeal centers on privacy-focused transactions powered by zero-knowledge cryptography. It also carries a hard cap of 21 million coins, giving it a scarcity profile similar to Bitcoin.
Mining Activity Hits Near Record Levels
The price surge has pulled mining activity sharply higher. The Zcash network’s hashrate peaked at 27.9 GSol/s on August 28 and is currently sitting at 91% of that all-time high.
ZEC Jumps 20%, Briefly Hits $1,023 and Enters Crypto Top 10
According to Binance market data, Zcash (ZEC) gained about 20% over the past 24 hours, briefly reaching around $1,023. Its market capitalization now stands at roughly $16.96 billion, ranking it as the 10th-largest… pic.twitter.com/EnqLMx7C29
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) September 4, 2026
Bitmain’s Antminer Z15 Pro is now the most profitable ASIC miner on the market, generating an estimated $59.09 per day at current ZEC prices, based on $0.10 per kWh electricity costs. The older Z15 earns around $29.25 daily, ranking fourth overall.
Both machines are sold out on Bitmain’s website. Resellers are listing the Z15 Pro above its $4,999 list price.
Derivatives Market Expands Alongside the Rally
ZEC’s derivatives market has grown sharply with the price move. Futures volume jumped 113.64% to $6.38 billion. Open interest climbed 34.97% to $2.16 billion. Spot volume over 24 hours stands at around $594.6 million.
Analyst Ali Charts posted a weekly chart on August 31, identifying $1,800 as a technical upside target for ZEC, describing the setup as ZEC being “about to melt faces.” He pointed to $1,000 as the first stop, with $1,200–$1,300 as the next range to watch.
Key support sits in the $700–$800 zone. A hold above that level on any pullback would keep the current breakout structure intact.
ZEC’s break above $1,021 on September 4 marks the first time the asset has traded above $1,000.
