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Foundry Digital has launched an institutional-grade Zcash mining pool, capturing approximately 30% of the network hashrate since its April 2026 debut.
Foundry Digital, the operator of the world’s largest Bitcoin mining pool, has officially launched an institutional-grade mining pool for the privacy-focused cryptocurrency Zcash [1]. The expansion marks the company’s first operational move beyond Bitcoin, providing specialized infrastructure designed to meet the compliance requirements of public financial companies and institutional investors [1, 2].
Key takeaways
Foundry CEO Mike Colyer stated that the company views Zcash as a sufficiently mature asset for institutional-grade participation, provided the necessary infrastructure is available [1]. To support this, the new pool offers U.S.-based operations, 24/7 support, and transparent, auditable payout methodologies [2]. The company’s decision to invest in this sector follows a period of increased interest in Zcash, which saw its price rise by nearly 600% over the 12 months preceding the announcement [1].
The launch has been supported by multiple institutional mining customers who have already contributed hashrate to the pool [2]. Zooko Wilcox, founder of Zcash and current Chief Product Officer of Shielded Labs, noted that the pool and the accompanying Zcashinfo.com explorer serve as valuable additions to the network's ecosystem [2]. The new block explorer is intended to provide the community with accessible on-chain data, including real-time pool rankings and network trends [2].
The entry of a major, regulated mining operator into the Zcash ecosystem is viewed by some as a significant development for the privacy coin's adoption [1]. By providing a compliance-ready environment, Foundry aims to lower the barriers for financial institutions looking to allocate capital to Zcash [1].
While the project is designed to facilitate institutional involvement, the long-term impact on the coin’s market remains to be seen. Zcash continues to face challenges common to altcoins, including high volatility and a position early in its adoption curve compared to more established digital assets [1]. As more institutional capital potentially enters the network, observers are monitoring whether the increased demand will affect the supply of Zcash held in shielded addresses, which currently accounts for more than 31% of the total supply [1].
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AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 2 outlets · Jun 12, 2026 ·
Solo mining involves high variance and the risk of not finding a block for long periods; pools smooth out these revenue streams by sharing rewards proportionally based on contributed hash rate.
Institutional pools provide specialized services such as high-security custody, treasury management, and integration with prime brokers to support large-scale mining operations.
The migration of hash rate, particularly away from China, has prompted a focus on stability, security, and the development of mining infrastructure in new regions like the United States.
Industry experts suggest that energy consumption and the use of renewables are more effectively managed at the individual miner level, as mining pools themselves do not consume significant amounts of energy.