Zcash is a decentralized and open-source cryptocurrency that offers privacy and selective transparency of transactions. Zcash payments are published on a public blockchain, but the sender, recipient, and amount of a transaction remain private. Zcash is based on peer-reviewed cryptographic research, and built by a security-specialized engineering team on an open source platform based on Bitcoin Core's battle-tested codebase. Our improvement over Bitcoin is the addition of privacy. Zcash uses advanced cryptographic techniques, namely zero-knowledge proofs, to guarantee the validity of transactions without revealing additional information about them. How Zcash works Zcash encrypts the contents of shielded transactions. Since the payment information is encrypted, the protocol uses a novel cryptographic method to verify their validity. Zcash uses a zero-knowledge proof construction called a zk-SNARK, developed by our team of experienced cryptographers based on recent breakthroughs in cryptography. These constructions allow the network to maintain a secure ledger of balances without disclosing the parties or amounts involved. Instead of publicly demonstrating spend-authority and transaction values, the transaction metadata is encrypted and zk-SNARKs are used to prove that nobody is cheating or stealing. Zcash also enables users to send public payments which work similarly to Bitcoin. With the support for both shielded and transparent addresses, users can choose to send Zcash privately or publicly. Zcash payments sent from a shielded address to a transparent address reveal the received balance, while payments from a transparent address to a shielded address protect the receiving value. Check out CoinBureau for guide on What is ZCash.
Quantum Resistant Ledger is a cryptocurrency based on the Python programming language, aimed at combating future attacks by quantum computers. This cryptocurrency is the brainchild of Peter Waterland who realised that Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other such cryptocurrencies have no protection against future technology. It claims to be a “future-proof” cryptocurrency which enables transactions and decentralized communication while providing protection against classical as well as quantum computer attacks. The Quantum Resistant Ledger company was founded by Peter Waterland, who found that Bitcoin, as well as Ethereum signatures are susceptible to attacks by powerful quantum computers. His research on quantum computers and signature programs let to the development of this new cryptocurrency, designed to be resistant to the present classical attacks as well as any future quantum computer attacks. Their team is made up of a diverse range of members spread out across the world, including developers (core, blockchain, mobile developers, etc.), analysts, advisors, marketing managers, designers and more. Quantum Resistant Ledger is the first ever cryptocurrency and the only one in existence as of August 2018, to consider the threat that the future technology of quantum computing poses to cryptocurrencies and their working. It uses a technology specifically designed for post-quantum security, called XMSS, which makes it secure against powerful quantum computers even while using a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. Security against cyber-attacks is a very serious concern in this digital age, especially when you have digital assets whose loss is likely to lead you to bankruptcy. QRL is the first blockchain technology that provides durability and stability through resistance to quantum computer attacks. The encryption methods used by modern blockchains can become vulnerable to quantum computers over the next ten years. QRL tries to create a blockchain with long-term stability. By using blockchain technology, the QRL platform creates a “ledger” that generates hashes in such a way that it is virtually impenetrable to any type of computer attack.