TLDRTHORChain activated Zcash (ZEC) pool support on October 2 following a complete node churn across its network.Every active validator now tracks the Zcash blockchain, though native swaps have not yet been enabled.The team cautioned that pool depth remains limited in these initial stages and recommended trader vigilance.Integration required months of technical work including UTXO management, RPC implementation and oracle integration for ZEC pricing.The rollout occurs while THORChain faces questions about its handling of assets connected to the Bitget security breach.THORChain has activated support for its Zcash liquidity pool. The deployment was confirmed on October 2 after the protocol finalized a comprehensive node rotation.The $ZEC pool is now live on THORChain.The network churned and every node is watching the Zcash chain. @Zcash now has a truly permissionless venue. Trading is the next step. Liquidity is shallow for now and will grow over time, so trade with caution in the early days. pic.twitter.com/sVEj0K4xNQ— THORChain (@THORChain) October 2, 2026All operational validators across THORChain’s network are now actively observing the Zcash blockchain. While trading functionality remains offline, the protocol indicated it represents the immediate next milestone.In its public statement, THORChain made clear that swap activity is forthcoming. The pool deployment and the activation of user-facing trades are distinct implementation phases.Pool Depth Limited During Initial PhaseTHORChain issued guidance to users regarding the current state of the newly deployed pool. The protocol acknowledged that available liquidity is currently limited and will expand gradually.Users were encouraged to exercise care during the initial period of ZEC operations. The October 2 announcement did not include specific figures for pool capacity or a confirmed timeline for enabling trades.A network monitoring interface displaying THORChain’s active validators now shows ZEC operating with normal status. It is listed among Bitcoin, Ethereum and other integrated blockchains.Extended Technical Work Preceded LaunchThe Zcash integration represents the culmination of significant development efforts. A March 4 protocol enhancement introduced chain-specific UTXO management and RPC functionality tailored for ZEC.That identical upgrade integrated Zcash into the protocol’s oracle infrastructure. This enabled the network to conduct native price discovery for the asset.A subsequent GitLab patch resolved a complication with ZEC network fee calculations. Engineers noted that an earlier implementation could artificially increase gas tolerance parameters during specific solvency checks.Development activity extended through September. A THORNode code merge corrected signing discrepancies that emerged when validators computed transaction expiration from varying local chain states.The solution anchored transaction expiration to a consensus ZEC block height. This approach ensured signing consistency across all validators during retry attempts and system restarts.On September 17, THORChain confirmed that Zcash would be the next blockchain integrated into production. This followed an interval during which the project prioritized network reliability over expanding chain support.Zcash’s UTXO architecture demanded additional configuration efforts. THORChain required parameters for address verification, gas calculations, minimum output thresholds, block intervals and coinbase rules before deployment could proceed.The pool activation coincides with heightened scrutiny of THORChain’s involvement in processing compromised assets. Bitget revealed a security incident beginning September 24, subsequently increasing the estimated value transferred to attacker wallets to approximately $387.5 million.Bitget indicated the figure encompassed Zcash and Tron transactions identified by forensic analysts. The platform enumerated affected tokens including XRP, ETH, USDT, ZEC, USDC, XAUt, BNB, AVAX and TRX.Investigation findings suggest a wallet associated with the Bitget perpetrator executed 27 exchanges via THORChain. These transactions converted approximately 2,390 ETH into 75.2 BTC, valued at roughly $6.3 million at execution.Bitget had requested that THORChain prevent transactions originating from addresses linked to the attacker. THORChain refused, explaining that its emergency mechanisms can halt a blockchain or the entire protocol but lack the capability to isolate individual addresses or transactions.THORChain articulated its stance in an October 1 blog entry. The project stated that substantial protocol modifications demand a two-thirds supermajority among validator operators.This marks not the first occasion THORChain has encountered such examination. Following the February 2025 Bybit compromise, Bybit’s CEO stated that 72% of approximately $900 million in laundered stolen assets transited through THORChain.Bitget’s asset recovery portal currently displays attacker wallet addresses spanning multiple networks, including Zcash. The exchange has posted a 5% reward for assistance resulting in asset freezing or recovery.At present, THORChain’s Zcash pool is operational, though native swap functionality has not been activated.The post Zcash (ZEC) Now Supported on THORChain After Months of Development Work appeared first on Blockonomi.