Zcash Unveils Roadmap for 'Sapling' Blockchain Upgrade

The team behind the privacy-focused digital currency zcash has published a new development roadmap, including details about its planned 'Sapling' upgrade.

In a new blog post, the team behind the blockchain protocol, launched in late 2016, outline plans for upgraded functionality of zcash that focuses on integrating new innovations into the protocol.

Planned changes include a payment disclosure feature, perhaps best described as a means by which information can be embedded into the blockchain in such a way that only the parties involved in the transaction can view it.

Furthermore, inter-blockchain transactions involving popular public chains like bitcoin and ethereum will become available through a feature called XCAT (Cross-Chain Atomic Transactions).

Once implemented, the new protocol will allow for the issuance of zcash tokens – similar to ethereum tokens but with the network's advertised anonymity advances.

The team wrote:

"The Sapling upgrade with User-Issued Tokens will require a network-wide upgrade, and once we reach that stage we will name the new release series 'zcash Sapling'. At that point the infant zcash Sprout series will be no more."

The announcement comes amid declining prices in zcash markets, which yesterday fell below the $30 mark for the first time since launch.

Disclaimer: CoinDesk is a subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which has an ownership stake in Zcash Company.

Baby plant image via Shutterstock