21Shares has listed what it describes as Europe’s first exchange-traded product (ETP) providing exposure to Zcash on Euronext Paris and Euronext Amsterdam, expanding the range of cryptocurrency investment products available through regulated European exchanges.
The product trades under the ticker ZCASH and carries an annual management fee of 2.5%. The listing provides investors with an exchange-traded route to gain exposure to Zcash’s native cryptocurrency, ZEC, without requiring direct ownership of the digital asset.
The launch gives European investors physically backed, exchange-traded exposure to ZEC through an investment product that can be accessed on established stock exchanges rather than through a cryptocurrency wallet.
21Shares, which operates a broad range of cryptocurrency ETPs, has positioned the Zcash product as another step toward making digital assets accessible through traditional investment infrastructure. The company has developed products covering a variety of cryptocurrencies and blockchain-related assets, allowing investors to obtain market exposure through conventional brokerage accounts.
Zcash focuses on transaction privacy
Zcash was developed using a monetary model influenced by Bitcoin, including a fixed maximum supply of 21 million coins. Its distinguishing feature is the use of cryptographic technology that allows transactions to be shielded, providing users with greater control over how transaction information is disclosed.
Unlike Bitcoin, where transaction details are generally visible on the public blockchain, Zcash provides optional privacy features. Depending on how the network is used, transaction information can be protected through cryptographic mechanisms designed to conceal certain details while maintaining the ability to verify transactions.
The technology is intended to give users greater flexibility over transaction transparency. This privacy-oriented architecture has remained one of Zcash’s defining characteristics as the broader cryptocurrency industry has expanded its focus on financial privacy, digital identity, and blockchain-based settlement.
The Zcash ETP combines the cryptocurrency’s privacy-oriented blockchain architecture with an exchange-traded structure, potentially reducing some of the technical barriers associated with direct digital-asset ownership.
ETP structure removes direct wallet requirements
The ZCASH product is designed to provide exposure to ZEC without requiring investors to establish or manage a cryptocurrency wallet. Investors also do not need to maintain seed phrases or handle the private-key infrastructure normally associated with self-custody.
Disclaimer: This document is advertisement and not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities of 21Shares AG in any jurisdiction. Exclusively for potential investors in any EEA Member State that has implemented the Prospectus Regulation (EU)…
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Instead, the ETP uses a conventional exchange-traded structure, allowing eligible investors to gain exposure to ZEC through the securities market. This approach can be particularly relevant for investors who already use traditional brokerage platforms and prefer not to manage digital assets directly.
The physically backed structure is intended to link the ETP’s exposure to the underlying ZEC asset rather than relying solely on derivatives or synthetic price tracking. The 2.5% annual fee represents the ongoing cost associated with holding the product.
The Euronext listings also place Zcash within a regulated European market environment, potentially broadening access for investors who face operational or regulatory barriers when purchasing cryptocurrencies directly.
The listing extends the traditional financial-market infrastructure available for Zcash and gives investors a way to obtain ZEC exposure without directly managing wallets, seed phrases, or cryptocurrency custody.
The launch comes as cryptocurrency investment products continue to develop across European markets. ETPs have become an important bridge between digital assets and conventional financial markets, offering investors familiar trading mechanisms while providing exposure to cryptocurrencies.
For Zcash, the Euronext listing represents an expansion of its availability within European investment channels and introduces its privacy-focused technology to investors through a conventional exchange-traded format.
