Key Notes
- Foundation demanded voluntary domain transfer from Zcash Strategy after receiving six community complaints about trademark violations.
- ECC’s CEO previously terminated the 2019 trademark agreement and requested limited enforcement focused solely on scammer protection.
- ZEC supporters remain divided on whether the action protects the ecosystem or reflects problematic centralized control over the protocol.
The Zcash Foundation initiated a trademark enforcement action against Zcash Strategy, a small digital asset treasury (DAT) company run by a sub-300-follower account on X, related to its website domain (zcashstrategy.com). Controversy arose around this action, dividing the ZEC community and sparking discussions related to the Zcash Foundation trademark policy.
Between December 2 and 3, the Zcash Strategy account on X posted the screenshot of an email, now confirmed, sent from the Zcash Foundation. In the shared piece, we see what seems to be a cease and desist order from the Foundation for a “voluntary [domain] transfer” to prevent further escalation to Uniform Domain-Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) panelist ruling.
In the confirmation comment that follows the original post where Zcash Strategy says it is “very disappointed” about what happened, the Zcash Foundation explained they received reports from “six different Zcash community members as a violation of the Zcash trademark.”
Nevertheless, the Foundation added that it now considers the post as “an official request to use the Zcash trademarks,” which is now being analyzed.
Screenshot of the now-deleted comment by the Zcash Foundation | Source: X
In August 2024, Josh Swihart, CEO of the Electric Coin Co. (ECC), terminated the Trademark Donation and License Agreement dated November 6, 2019—communicated in a post on the Zcash Community Forum—and made specific requests for the Zcash Foundation on how to properly use the trademark.
“We request that you publicly commit to either: (i) use the trademark solely to protect against its misuse by scammers or clear abusers of the mark and not use it to attempt to govern the direction of the protocol, (ii) or to relinquish the trademark completely,” Swihart stated.
@jswihart withdrew @ElectricCoinCo from the trademark agreement last year and requested that the @ZcashFoundation “publicly commit to either:
– use the trademark solely to protect against its misuse by scammers or clear abusers of the mark and not use it to attempt to govern…
— peacemonger 🛡 (@peacemongerZ) December 3, 2025
Controversy Arises From Zcash Foundation’s Trademark Enforcement Action
Coinspeaker has reached out to the Zcash Foundation via private messages, email, and public comments on X. By the time of this writing, the Zcash Foundation had not responded to our inquiries.
According to its trademark policies, independent projects are allowed to use the “Zcash” word and logos, but it draws lines to protect the brand. For example, the use in “domains and websites” is permitted as long as it has proper disclaimers of being independent projects with no connections to the Foundation or other relevant entities.
Safety First, a Zcash supporter, posted a thread addressing the trademark policy and what they think are the reasons for this action.
Why I think Zcash Foundation is defending Zcash by threatening @zcashstrategy dot com 🧵
Ref: https://t.co/VhuPTdukKQ https://t.co/cosYvDahzh
— Safety First (@SaveZcash) December 3, 2025
While accessing the website nine hours from Zcash Strategy’s original post, Coinspeaker verified that there is a “legal disclaimer” saying it “is an independent organization in the Zcash ecosystem,” adding that “Zcash Strategy is not affiliated with, owned by, or under common control with Zcash Foundation (the Foundation).”
Legal disclaimer on the Zcash Strategy website | Source: zcashstrategy.com
However, it is unclear if the disclaimer was added before or after the email exchange and public posts. Neither the Zcash Foundation nor the Zcash Strategy answered Coinspeaker to clarify it.
Notsofast (200,000 followers) highlighted the issue of “going after a sub 300 follower account for their web domain” at a time when ZEC is underperforming, down “50% from its [local] high.” Other commentators raised centralization and permission concerns around the company-like model and trademark enforcement.
if tru, going after a sub 300 follower account for their web domain seems like the most optically damaging thing the zcash foundation could do as zec price pulls back 50% from its all time high
badwill: send lawyers after a core supporter https://t.co/AxZ8RCdl8D
— notsofast (@notsofast) December 3, 2025
On the other hand, the activity has gathered support from some known Zcash supporters. Tom Howard pointed out the $36,000 committed to the DAT and said, “This looks like a scam” or that the person behind Zcash Strategy is “naive about listing DATs.” “Defensive trademark to sue scams is basically the only thing that does make sense,” he added in a follow-up comment. Other commentators seem to agree this is a legitimate way to “protect the community.”
Defensive trademark to sue scams is basically the only thing that does make sense.
— Tom Howard (@_TomHoward) December 3, 2025
ZEC
ZEC
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is currently trading at $332, down 55% from the $744 local high, according to TradingView data, after an impressive run that accumulated over 1,000% gains in two months, as demand and market interest for “privacy coin” grew in searches and capital allocation.
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Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
Vini Barbosa has covered the crypto industry professionally since 2020, summing up to over 10,000 hours of research, writing, and editing related content for media outlets and key industry players. Vini is an active commentator and a heavy user of the technology, truly believing in its revolutionary potential. Topics of interest include blockchain, open-source software, decentralized finance, and real-world utility.
Vini Barbosa on X
Source: https://www.coinspeaker.com/zcash-foundation-trademark-enforcement-controversy/