Stellar is an open-source cryptocurrency network launched by non-profit Stellar Development Foundation. The currency itself is called Lumen (XLM). Some experts note that this asset has similarities with Ripple because of its quick and cheap transactions.
The Stellar network is guarded by the special contract that doesn't temporarily allow holders of big amounts of Lumen to sell it. Stellar works as an exchange platform where Lumen is used to pay a small exchange fee. The project has a high level of decentralization and provides equality for all of its participants. It has one of the biggest market capitalizations. |
| Launched |
|---|
2014 |
Website: |
| Asset status |
Active |
| Asset type |
Coin |
| Auditors |
CertikScore: 88Updated: May 15, 2026 |
| Blockchain list |
| Code repositories |
⭐ 230🍴 142👥 61 ⭐ 668🍴 333👥 100 ⭐ 1,351🍴 529👥 138 ⭐ 574🍴 345👥 110 |
| Consensus mechanisms |
Scp |
| Discord servers |
Members: 8,642 |
| Explorers |
| Has smart contracts |
Yes |
| Other social networks |
| Price usd |
0.2303 |
| Project leaders |
Jed Mccaleb, Joyce Kim |
| Subreddits |
Subscribers: 228,146Community age: Dec 24, 2011 |
| X accounts |
Followers: 749,379Account age: Apr 24, 2014 |
Zcash (ZEC) is a cryptocurrency with strong cryptography that is supposed to provide high security and privacy. At some point, Zcash was endorsed by Edward Snowden and Roger Ver. Zcash is a Bitcoin fork and it exists since 2016. The mechanism providing privacy is called zero-knowledge proofs (or zk-SNARKS). |
| Launched |
|---|
2016 |
Website: |
| Asset status |
Active |
| Asset type |
Coin |
| Auditors |
CertikScore: 90.22Updated: May 15, 2026 |
| Blockchain list |
| Code repositories |
Stellar is an open-source cryptocurrency network launched by non-profit Stellar Development Foundation. The currency itself is called Lumen (XLM). Some experts note that this asset has similarities with Ripple because of its quick and cheap transactions.
The Stellar network is guarded by the special contract that doesn't temporarily allow holders of big amounts of Lumen to sell it. Stellar works as an exchange platform where Lumen is used to pay a small exchange fee. The project has a high level of decentralization and provides equality for all of its participants. It has one of the biggest market capitalizations. | Zcash (ZEC) is a cryptocurrency with strong cryptography that is supposed to provide high security and privacy. At some point, Zcash was endorsed by Edward Snowden and Roger Ver. Zcash is a Bitcoin fork and it exists since 2016. The mechanism providing privacy is called zero-knowledge proofs (or zk-SNARKS). |
| Launched | |
|---|---|
2014 | 2016 |
Website: | Website: |
| Asset status | |
Active | Active |
| Asset type | |
Coin | Coin |
| Auditors | |
CertikScore: 88Updated: May 15, 2026 | CertikScore: 90.22Updated: May 15, 2026 |
| Blockchain list | |
Live Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentLive Market SentimentIn a scenario where you choose to include one coin in your portfolio but are uncertain, take a closer look at these two. This article is dedicated to the Stellar (XLM) vs Zcash (ZEC) comparison for investing purposes, highlighting the most important aspects of this discussion.
First things first: the market capitalization. It's always better to invest in a well-established coin than a relatively new project. A large market cap means low volatility, whereas a small market cap means the coin will be extremely volatile and risky to trade – but can also bring huge rewards.
See if the coin has reasonable market cap and valuation for now – sometimes people speculate with coins which don't deserve a single dollar spent on them.
Proof-of-Work, Proof-of-Stake, or any other algorithm. Every protocol uses a specific algorithm for consensus – and therefore it brings some particular traits and advantages. Compare both coins by the consensus mechanism to find similarities and differences. Does it fit your preferences?
Every blockchain has a particular transaction throughput (TPS) level. The higher the transaction speed, the better – but do not consider this to be a primary factor in choosing a blockchain. Layer-2 solutions are also essential for scalability.
Supply and emission schedule play a crucial role in determining the price of any coin on the market. See how many coins will ever exist and how many are already in circulation. How are new coins emitted? Will there be any further halvings or supply increases?
Finally, it all comes down to real adoption. What real-world problems does the coin help solve? How active is the community around it? Does it have real use cases and on-chain activity statistics?
Neither of these coins is a better option in every possible situation – they serve different users. Determine which of them matches your preferences and needs the most, and make your decision accordingly.
github.com ⭐ 113🍴 39👥 13 github.com ⭐ 172🍴 42👥 8 github.com ⭐ 829🍴 557👥 40 github.com +2 more repositories⭐ 278🍴 157👥 68 |
| Consensus mechanisms |
|---|
Pow |
| Discord servers |
|---|
Zcashcommunity Members: 955 |
| Explorers |
|---|
| Has smart contracts |
|---|
No |
| Other social networks |
|---|
| Price usd |
|---|
620.11 |
| Project leaders |
|---|
Zooko Wilcox |
| Subreddits |
|---|
Zec Subscribers: 32,489Community age: Aug 28, 2016 |
| X accounts |
|---|
Zcash 🛡️ Followers: 23,777Account age: Nov 30, 2017 |
| Code repositories | |
|---|---|
github.com ⭐ 230🍴 142👥 61 github.com ⭐ 668🍴 333👥 100 github.com ⭐ 1,351🍴 529👥 138 github.com +2 more repositories⭐ 574🍴 345👥 110 | github.com ⭐ 113🍴 39👥 13 github.com ⭐ 172🍴 42👥 8 github.com ⭐ 829🍴 557👥 40 github.com +2 more repositories⭐ 278🍴 157👥 68 |
| Consensus mechanisms | |
|---|---|
Scp | Pow |
| Discord servers | |
|---|---|
Stellar developers Members: 8,642 | Zcashcommunity Members: 955 |
| Explorers | |
|---|---|
| Has smart contracts | |
|---|---|
Yes | No |
| Other social networks | |
|---|---|
| Price usd | |
|---|---|
0.2303 | 620.11 |
| Project leaders | |
|---|---|
Jed Mccaleb, Joyce Kim | Zooko Wilcox |
| Subreddits | |
|---|---|
Stellar Subscribers: 228,146Community age: Dec 24, 2011 | Zec Subscribers: 32,489Community age: Aug 28, 2016 |
| X accounts | |
|---|---|
Stellar Followers: 749,379Account age: Apr 24, 2014 | Zcash 🛡️ Followers: 23,777Account age: Nov 30, 2017 |
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