These policies have been extraordinary for Bitcoin over the years.
Zcash has a key difference that might surprise the parade, or make it extraordinary.
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Many people have become very rich by buying Bitcoin(Cryptocurrency: BTC) Before it was widely recognized and accepted as an asset. Now, Zerocoin(Cryptocurrency: ZEC) The cryptocurrency that has been proposed as the next millionaire maker, which makes sense since it shares many of the same features as Bitcoin, and its adoption curve is also much earlier.
But will this be another case of Bitcoin ultimately falling short of the king of cryptocurrencies in terms of its potential to create wealth, or does Zcash really have the power to make people millionaires? Let’s start with the incumbents.
Image source: Getty Images.
Today, Bitcoin’s market capitalization is close to $1.7 trillion. Right off the bat, this has some pretty serious implications for its potential as a millionaire maker, even over long holding periods and large initial investments.
Trillion-dollar assets can still rise significantly, and Bitcoin probably will, but it generally can’t move as much as smaller assets. When Bitcoin evangelists say the cryptocurrency can rise 50-fold, they are implicitly describing a world in which Bitcoin will become one of the most valuable financial assets in human history—more valuable than gold, which has been used for thousands of years. There’s no law of nature that says such an outcome won’t happen, but you probably shouldn’t hold your breath for the next few years.
Bitcoin’s main structural driver is the scarcity of its supply, which is capped at 21 million coins and continues to decline due to regular halvings. The majority of this supply is already available globally, with more than 95% issued. Ten years from now, even if the absolute demand for the token is still roughly the same, the price will likely be higher because mechanically new buyers will be competing against each other for fewer tokens than ever before.
But Bitcoin has gone from obscurity to a mainstream financial asset. That’s great for its chances of long-term survival, but not so good for the millionaire-maker’s dream.
So if you want a crypto asset that will make you richer in 10 years than you are now, Bitcoin is generally a better choice. On the other hand, if your goal is to be able to turn a modest allocation into seven-figure upside, then you need to look where the markets are smaller but also riskier.
Zcash uses the same token economics as Bitcoin, with a fixed supply cap of 21 million tokens and block rewards that are halved approximately every four years.
What makes it better than Bitcoin is that it offers privacy features that you can choose, and in theory, if used correctly, outside parties cannot snoop on which wallet addresses are transacting with each other or the amounts being transacted. The encryption technology behind these private transfers relies on a type of proof called zk-SNARK, which allows the network to verify transactions without revealing any sensitive details.
Zcash’s current market capitalization is $6.7 billion. Privacy and its smaller size are reasons why Zcash may be a better millionaire-maker candidate than Bitcoin. A smaller base means that specific new waves of demand for a token can translate into greater returns for holders, at least in theory.
The biggest threat to Zcash is regulation. If regulators increasingly deem it unacceptable for crypto exchanges to be listed on crypto exchanges or for financial institutions to hold privacy coins, Zcash will be in trouble, possibly very difficult. The European Union has been establishing a stricter anti-money laundering (AML) regime, which will be implemented in 2027 and may effectively ban the privacy coin industry. Major cryptocurrency exchanges have shown a willingness to delist privacy-focused assets in certain jurisdictions, although they do appear to be willing to relist those assets when they believe the risk of regulatory backlash is waning.
Therefore, Zcash may have more room to rise since it is smaller and scarcity still has room to push the price higher, just like Bitcoin has for years. At the same time, Bitcoin has a greater chance of continuing to be widely owned and tolerated by institutions, and therefore it is more secure. In other words, Zcash is a better bet for making millions because it’s a more volatile bet in a world where financial privacy remains a legitimate product feature rather than a regulatory compliance red flag.
Note that Zcash’s significantly higher risk load means it may be too risky for most investors’ tastes.
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Alex Carchidi holds positions in Bitcoin and Zcash. The Motley Fool holds and recommends Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Bitcoin vs. Zcash: Who is more likely to become a millionaire? Originally posted by The Motley Fool
