The crypto community has been buzzing with discussions about privacy, as influential figures push for Zcash adoption amid increasing regulatory scrutiny. Bitcoin’s inherent transparency, while a security feature, exposes transaction details including amounts and counterparties making true privacy difficult without additional cryptographic tools.
Eli Ben-Sasson, a key pioneer of zero-knowledge proofs, ZK-proofs offer a solution for privacy and scalability, but Bitcoin’s architecture currently limits their use. The technology is ready. All you need is a soft fork that adds nine lines of code, which Satoshi actually introduced. It’s called OP_CAT.
Zcash has been trending on Crypto Twitter for months.
Not many know the backstory behind the biggest cryptocurrency in the privacy space.
We're chatting to @EliBenSasson about the history of @Zcash and the ZK tech behind it.
Join me and @rkbaggs live!https://t.co/ZRh96OzBD7— Gareth Jenkinson (@gazza_jenks) November 10, 2025
Why OP_CAT matters for Bitcoin
OP_CAT, a disabled Satoshi-era opcode, could enable native privacy and advanced programmability on Bitcoin. Ben-Sasson emphasized that reinstating it could bring post-quantum security, privacy, and scalability, making Bitcoin not just a hard asset but a flexible, secure payment network.
He added that Zcash’s resurgence in 2025 might encourage Bitcoin developers and the broader community to revisit OP_CAT and related technologies like OP_STARK. “If there’s a will, there’s a way,” Ben-Sasson said, highlighting the simplicity and potential impact of the upgrade.
Industry figures weigh in
While Bitcoiners on social media have largely avoided the Zcash conversation, the Winklevoss twins see complementary potential. Speaking at Bitcoin Amsterdam, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss shared their vision for Cypherpunk Technologies, a ZEC-based treasury company they launched following the acquisition of Nasdaq-listed Leap Therapeutics.
The twins’ involvement underscores growing interest in privacy-focused solutions and may influence the Bitcoin ecosystem to explore updates that address the long-standing transparency limitations of the network.