Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has issued a stark warning regarding governance proposals within the Zcash ecosystem. His comments focus on the potential dangers of introducing on-chain token voting to decide protocol upgrades and funding, a model commonly used in other decentralized networks. Buterin cautions that such a transparent, ledger-based system could create a visible map of influential voters, thereby exposing the project to external pressures and compromising the very privacy it is designed to protect. He describes this potential coercive influence as a ‘dark hand’ that could erode Zcash’s core value proposition. The warning comes as a key committee within the Zcash community has endorsed a shift toward more formalized on-chain governance, re-igniting a fundamental debate. Proponents argue for greater transparency and community-led direction, while critics, echoing Buterin’s concerns, stress that the project’s unique off-chain governance has been instrumental in safeguarding user anonymity. The outcome of this deliberation will critically shape Zcash’s future trajectory and its adherence to privacy-by-design principles.
