In the pursuit of transparency, public blockchains built a “glass cage”, trapping the very users they were meant to set free. By broadcasting transactions to a permanent digital ledger, these chains enable targeted censorship, allowing third parties to monitor, flag, and block specific users. @Zcash restores the original cypherpunk vision through a Layer-1 blockchain designed to function as "encrypted money," seamlessly integrating Bitcoin’s fixed supply with end-to-end privacy via zero-knowledge proofs.