The former Zcash developer team has officially launched the Zcash Open Development Lab, setting a new direction for the project after its split from Electric Coin Company earlier this year. The team’s departure followed disagreements over governance, decision-making structure, and operational freedom.
Founder Josh Swihart said the Zashi wallet will be renamed Zodl in the next update. He said users do not need to do anything. Funds, seed phrases, and wallet functionality will remain safe, and the team will keep maintaining the wallet and shipping future updates.
Governance split led the core builders into a new structure
The new lab was formed after a January break that caught the community off guard. At that time, the full ZEC core team stepped away from Electric Coin Company, citing differences over how decisions were made and how much independence the team could retain.
The split did not disrupt the Zcash network itself. Blocks kept processing normally, and the chain continued to run. The uncertainty was centered on leadership and direction, which left users and investors watching for signs of continuity. The launch of the Open Development Lab now makes that point clearer: the original builders are still working on Zcash, but under a different organizational model.
Swihart said the new setup should allow faster execution and tighter focus on innovation. In his view, startup-style structures can move faster than nonprofit models, especially in competitive crypto markets.
Zashi becomes Zodl with no migration required
One of the first visible changes under the new lab is the rebrand of the Zashi wallet to Zodl. The team described it as a name change only. Users will not lose funds, and there is no manual migration process.
The ZODL development team told the community that the wallet will continue to function as usual. The rebrand reflects the identity of the Zcash Open Development Lab, not a change to the wallet’s core features, key handling, or day-to-day use.
ZEC rises above $288 as privacy coin interest returns
Alongside the governance update, ZEC was trading around $288.43. According to the CoinMarketCap figures cited in the source, the token was up more than 1% over the past 24 hours and more than 22% over the last week, outpacing Bitcoin’s flatter performance over the same period.
The report said analysts linked the move to selective altcoin rotation. Traders are looking for narratives with momentum, and privacy coins have moved back into focus. On-chain data cited in the article points in the same direction: the share of ZEC supply held in shielded form has climbed to 30%, above levels seen in late 2024.
$280 remains the key level in the near term
From a technical perspective, $280 is still the main support level to watch. If ZEC holds above that area, the report said a move toward $300 is possible. A daily close above $300 could open the way toward $360.
If the price drops below $280, the next support is near $260. The article also noted that upcoming U.S. PCE data could affect the broader market and shape ZEC’s next move.
For wallet users, the immediate message is simple: security and usability remain unchanged. For the market, attention now shifts to whether the new governance structure can bring leadership stability and keep privacy-focused development on track.