Zcash vs Sui: Key Differences (ZEC vs SUI)
Complete side-by-side comparison of Zcash and Sui. Price, market cap, technology, and more.
Share Zcash vs Sui
What is Zcash?
Zcash brought zero-knowledge proofs to cryptocurrency. Users choose between transparent (like Bitcoin) and shielded (fully private) transactions using zk-SNARKs. Founded by renowned cryptographer Zooko Wilcox, it represents cutting-edge privacy tech. The same zk-SNARK technology now powers Ethereum L2 scaling. Zcash proved the math before anyone else.
What is Sui?
Another Meta/Diem spinoff, Sui brought the Move language with a different architecture than Aptos. Object-centric design enables true parallel processing. Gaming studios are building here for the performance, and the chain hasn't buckled under load like some competitors.
Price Evolution
Percentage change from start of period
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price & Market | ||
| Price | $413.88 | $0.682 |
Price $413.88 $0.682 | ||
| Market Cap | $6.95B | $2.75B |
Market Cap $6.95B $2.75B | ||
| 24h Volume | $392.86M | $350.31M |
24h Volume $392.86M $350.31M | ||
| Volume/Cap Ratio | 5.65% | 12.74% |
Volume/Cap Ratio 5.65% 12.74% | ||
| Market Dominance | 0.0034138% | 0.00135071% |
Market Dominance 0.0034138% 0.00135071% | ||
| All-Time High | $3,191.93 | $5.35 |
All-Time High $3,191.93 $5.35 | ||
| ATH Date | Oct 29, 2016 | Jan 4, 2025 |
ATH Date Oct 29, 2016 Jan 4, 2025 | ||
| Performance | ||
| 24h Change | 0.54% | 3.43% |
24h Change 0.54% 3.43% | ||
| 7d Change | 14.24% | 11.35% |
7d Change 14.24% 11.35% | ||
| 30d Change | 36.67% | 34.45% |
30d Change 36.67% 34.45% | ||
| Supply | ||
| Circulating Supply | 16.78M | 4.03B |
Circulating Supply 16.78M 4.03B | ||
| Total Supply | 16.79M | 10.00B |
Total Supply 16.79M 10.00B | ||
| Max Supply | 21.00M | 10.00B |
Max Supply 21.00M 10.00B | ||
| Technology | ||
| Consensus | Proof of Work (Equihash) | Narwhal & Bullshark (PoS) |
Consensus Proof of Work (Equihash) Narwhal & Bullshark (PoS) | ||
| Block Time | ~75 seconds | ~400ms |
Block Time ~75 seconds ~400ms | ||
| TPS (Transactions/sec) | 27 | 297000 |
TPS (Transactions/sec) 27 297000 | ||
| Launch Year | 2016 | 2023 |
Launch Year 2016 2023 | ||
| Transaction Fees | ||
| Average Fee | $0.001-$0.01 | < $0.01 |
Average Fee $0.001-$0.01 < $0.01 | ||
| Fee Model | Equihash PoW mining fees | Sui Move VM, low gas fees |
Fee Model Equihash PoW mining fees Sui Move VM, low gas fees | ||
| General | ||
| Primary Use Case | Privacy, Shielded transactions | Gaming, DeFi, Consumer apps |
Primary Use Case Privacy, Shielded transactions Gaming, DeFi, Consumer apps | ||
| Founder | Zooko Wilcox-O'Hearn | Evan Cheng (ex-Meta) |
Founder Zooko Wilcox-O'Hearn Evan Cheng (ex-Meta) | ||
| Website | z.cash | sui.io |
Website | ||
| Volatility & Risk | ||
| Drawdown from ATH | 87.0% | 87.2% |
Drawdown from ATH 87.0% 87.2% | ||
Technology Comparison
Use Cases & Ecosystem
- ✓Pioneered zk-SNARKs - now powering Ethereum L2s
- ✓Optional privacy with both transparent and shielded transactions
- ✓Strong cryptographic foundations and research
- ✓Object-centric model enables massive parallelization
- ✓Move language provides safety guarantees
- ✓Strong gaming and consumer app focus
Zcash Risks
- ✗Regulatory pressure on privacy coins
- ✗Shielded adoption lower than expected
Sui Risks
- ✗New chain - still proving reliability
- ✗High VC token unlocks create selling pressure
Investment Considerations
The Verdict
Both Zcash and Sui serve important roles in the crypto ecosystem. Zcash focuses on privacy, shielded transactions, while Sui is known for gaming, defi, consumer apps. Many investors choose to hold both as part of a diversified crypto portfolio.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between SUI and ZEC?
SUI is a high-performance blockchain designed for gaming and consumer apps with a focus on parallel processing, while ZEC is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that uses zero-knowledge proofs to enable shielded, anonymous transactions.
Which blockchain has faster transaction speeds, SUI or ZEC?
SUI offers significantly faster transaction speeds with a TPS of 297,000 and block times around 400ms, compared to ZEC's 27 TPS and approximately 75-second block times.
Is SUI or ZEC better for privacy-focused applications?
ZEC is better suited for privacy-focused applications as it uses zk-SNARKs to provide fully shielded transactions, whereas SUI focuses more on performance and scalability rather than privacy features.
What consensus mechanisms do SUI and ZEC use?
SUI uses a Proof of Stake consensus with the Narwhal & Bullshark protocol, enabling fast and scalable processing, while ZEC relies on Proof of Work using the Equihash algorithm, which is more energy-intensive and slower.
Which blockchain is more suitable for gaming and DeFi projects, SUI or ZEC?
SUI is more suitable for gaming and DeFi due to its high throughput, low latency, and object-centric design that supports parallel processing, whereas ZEC is primarily focused on privacy and shielded transactions rather than performance.
Latest Articles about Zcash
Latest Articles about Sui
Share Zcash vs Sui