I also worked in the crypto space, as an architect/applied cryptographer with ConsenSys, here's what's not to like with Zcash:
* the fact that 20% of the block reward is given to the founders as a "fee". i.e. 6 people will end up with 20% of a "global currency".
* the fact that it's a "privacy focused" crypto-currency and the CEO said "we can make it private, but not for criminals" i.e. backdoored. (https://twitter.com/zooko/status/863202798883577856?s=20)
* the fact it's a crypto-currency with a CEO.
* the fact that the ZK-SNARKs they use (however mathematically beautiful), requires a trusted setup, i.e. prover key(non I/O), verify key(target polynomial, secret point, I/O), from random elements. Trusted setup generates a point where the polynomial is evaluated on, and should it not be disposed of properly the consequences are devastating. (You shouldn't need to trust people to use crypto).
* the fact the SNARKS are computationally expensive and no-one uses them. Thus opt in privacy and reduced anonymity set.
People just associate “zk-snark” with "big-ass anonymity sets for free" when really it’s “complex circuit enforcement enabled by verifier-efficient trusted proving system"
I totally agree BTC + Privacy is the holy-grail of crypto, and Monero is the project that's the furthest towards that goal with an actually competent team.
Take it from someone that does this for a living, use Monero instead.
* the fact that 20% of the block reward is given to the founders as a "fee". i.e. 6 people will end up with 20% of a "global currency".
* the fact that it's a "privacy focused" crypto-currency and the CEO said "we can make it private, but not for criminals" i.e. backdoored. (https://twitter.com/zooko/status/863202798883577856?s=20)
* the fact it's a crypto-currency with a CEO.
* the fact that the ZK-SNARKs they use (however mathematically beautiful), requires a trusted setup, i.e. prover key(non I/O), verify key(target polynomial, secret point, I/O), from random elements. Trusted setup generates a point where the polynomial is evaluated on, and should it not be disposed of properly the consequences are devastating. (You shouldn't need to trust people to use crypto).
* the fact the SNARKS are computationally expensive and no-one uses them. Thus opt in privacy and reduced anonymity set.
People just associate “zk-snark” with "big-ass anonymity sets for free" when really it’s “complex circuit enforcement enabled by verifier-efficient trusted proving system"
I totally agree BTC + Privacy is the holy-grail of crypto, and Monero is the project that's the furthest towards that goal with an actually competent team.
Take it from someone that does this for a living, use Monero instead.