Zcash introduces Zillions browser wallet with Ledger support

Zcash has introduced Zillions, an Anoma-powered browser wallet whose launch features include transparent and shielded transfers, multiple-account management, and Ledger hardware-wallet support.

Zcash’s official account promoted the new wallet on Oct. 27, inviting users to explore its features and share feedback. In its launch article, Zillions described a browser-based application built for people without prior Zcash experience, with account syncing and transaction proving handled through its wallet software.

“Today, we’re launching Zillions – a new approach to Zcash wallet design which puts mainstream users first,” the team wrote.

The announcement presents two connected products. Users open the wallet application through a browser, while the Zillions Keychain extension handles creating, importing, and managing multiple Zcash accounts or seed phrases. Once connected, the extension lets users switch between accounts inside the application.

Zillions separates the browser app from its account extension

In the launch article, the team says the wallet application itself requires no installation. Its browser illustrations list Chrome, Firefox and Brave, alongside other popular Chromium-based browsers.

The project describes browser sandboxing as part of its security design, saying users do not need to grant root access or administrator permissions on their devices. Zillions says its application can operate without access to local files or control over the rest of the device.

For account management, the Keychain extension provides options to create new keys, import existing keys, and connect a hardware wallet, according to the announcement. The team says users can manage several accounts or seed phrases through that extension while using the same browser application.

Hardware support begins with Ledger devices, Zillions said. Users access the associated accounts through the wallet interface and verify outgoing transactions on their hardware device before signing.

Keystone support was announced for the following week. The launch article presents that integration as an upcoming addition, while describing Ledger compatibility as available from the first version.

Zillions supports shielded transfers and client-side proving

Zillions says its wallet supports both transparent and shielded transactions, with the interface displaying separate balances for each. The launch illustrations show transaction records labeled by type and a send screen with a shielded-transfer option.

The team attributes its transaction preparation speed to multicore proving, with proofs generated on the client side. Its launch article describes the intended experience as instant payments while saying the proving process remains on the user’s device.

For account synchronization, the project uses a system it calls Shielded Sync. Zillions reports syncing older accounts in less than 30 seconds on a lightweight laptop with a regular internet connection, and says work continues toward shorter syncing times.

Earlier Zcash performance work has focused on transaction construction. On Aug. 29, Zakura released open-source cryptography libraries with developer benchmarks showing preparation times below 200 milliseconds in many cases, as covered in an Aug. 31 account of faster private transaction construction.

Zakura reported mobile proof generation more than 14 times faster and desktop proof generation more than five times faster. Its announcement said the libraries were publicly available under MIT and Apache 2.0 licenses and did not require a network upgrade.

The Zcash Foundation’s Oct. 22 Zebra 7.0.0 release separately confirmed support for NU7, scheduled at mainnet block 3,543,405 around Nov. 5. Following the Oct. 21 selection of the upgrade’s activation target, the foundation said target block spacing would fall from 75 seconds to 25 seconds.

According to the foundation, daily ZEC issuance will remain unchanged because rewards per block will be divided by three. Mainnet node operators must upgrade before activation to stay on the consensus chain.

Anoma’s earlier proposal described a browser signing interface

Anoma’s research forum documented work on Zcash browser-wallet connections before the launch. A July 23 proposal discussed Zconnect, an interface through which web applications could request signing operations from wallet extensions.

The proposal named Zillions as the first candidate application and its web-wallet extension as the initial planned implementer. It described using Zcash’s Partially Created Zcash Transaction format to pass incomplete transactions between participants, including hardware-wallet signers.

In that design discussion, proof construction was left to web applications while signing capabilities could remain in an extension. The post treated the interface as a proposal, with a draft programming interface open for discussion.

Zodl offers mobile payments and a separate desktop beta

Zcash users already have a mobile option in Zodl, formerly Zashi. As previously reported by crypto.news on Feb. 17, the developers announced the Zashi wallet’s rebrand after forming Zcash Open Development Lab, with balances, recovery phrases, and transaction history unchanged.

Zodl’s website describes a self-custody wallet that accepts transparent ZEC and prompts users to shield incoming transparent balances with one tap. Its existing Keystone integration lets users manage hardware-wallet funds through the mobile app and sign outgoing transfers on the device.

For payments, Zodl lists CrossPay, through which a sender spends shielded ZEC while the recipient receives another supported asset, including Bitcoin or a stablecoin. Its website says built-in swaps use NEAR Intents.

The company lists a retail-payment integration with Flexa and names US merchants including GameStop, Sheetz and Chipotle among supported checkout options.

Separately, Zodl has opened a macOS Vault waitlist focused on long-term self-custody of shielded ZEC, covered on Oct. 20 in reporting on its desktop wallet beta. The official registration page accepts email signups and says beta access opens in groups of 100 people.