### Terms and Conditions

- [x] I agree to the [Grant Agreement](https://9ba4718c-5c73-47c3-a024-4fc4e5278803.usrfiles.com/ugd/9ba471_f81ef4e4b5f040038350270590eb2e42.pdf) terms if funded
- [x] I agree to [Provide KYC information](https://9ba4718c-5c73-47c3-a024-4fc4e5278803.usrfiles.com/ugd/9ba471_7d9e73d16b584a61bae92282b208efc4.pdf) if funded above $50,000 USD
- [x] I agree to disclose conflicts of interest
- [x] I agree to adhere to the [Code of Conduct](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-code-of-conduct/41787) and [Communication Guidelines](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcg-communication-guidelines/44284)
- [x] I understand all milestone deliverables will be validated and accepted by their intended users or their representatives, who will confirm that the deliverables meet the required quality, functionality, and usability for each user story.
- [x] I agree that for any new open-source software, I will create a `CONTRIBUTING.md` file that reflects the high standards of Zcash development, using the [`librustzcash` style guides](https://github.com/zcash/librustzcash/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#styleguides) as a primary reference.
- [x] I understand when contributing to existing Zcash code, I am required to adhere to the project specific contribution guidelines, paying close attention to any [merge](https://github.com/zcash/librustzcash/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#merge-workflow), [branch](https://github.com/zcash/librustzcash/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#branch-history), [pull request](https://github.com/zcash/librustzcash/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#pull-request-review), and [commit](https://github.com/zcash/librustzcash/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#commit-messages) guidelines as exemplified in the `librustzcash` repository.
- [x] I agree to post request details on the [Community Forum](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/c/grants/33)
- [x] I understand it is my responsibility to post a link to this issue on the [Zcash Community Forums](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/c/grants/33) after this application has been submitted so the community can give input. I understand this is required in order for ZCG to discuss and vote on this grant application.

### Application Owners (@Octocat, @Octocat1)

@michae2xl

### Organization Name

Zcash Brazil

### How did you learn about Zcash Community Grants

Being an Active Zcash Community Member

### Requested Grant Amount (USD)

344989

### Category

Education

### Project Lead

Michae2xl brings over 9 years of cryptocurrency experience, having led Zcash Brazil for more than 4 years with deep "skin in the game." A day-one ZecHub DAO member and effective co-founder, as well as ZCAP participant, he has shaped the Zcash community through innovations like launching the Zcash Discord server and coordinating the first Zcon Voices outside the U.S. Co-founder of Offchain Brazil, a hub of education in Brazil. Serving as a vital bridge-builder who connects and innovates with partners. As a Software Engineer and Product Owner, with strong leadership skills.

### Additional Team Members

Flexible Coordination Proposal for 2026

After years of hands-on experience managing remote teams, I've come to appreciate our group's true competence and energy though, like any team, it ebbs and flows throughout the year. Constant incentives are key to sustaining momentum, but locking in fixed salaries per person from January to December ties our hands as leaders. If plans veer off course, we're left without room to adapt, bound by ethical commitments to uphold the original terms regardless of performance. This rigidity hampers decision-making, people management, resource allocation, and workload balancing. That's why I'm proposing a more agile model: monthly coordination of the team and partners, with a fixed but non-guaranteed individual budget. This approach keeps everyone motivated to deliver consistently year-round, while allowing us to tap into Brazil's booming ecosystem where talented contributors are eager to join. Currently, we have 13 core professionals and partners working directly with us in Brazil (plus occasional contributors), many funded through Michael's budget. This flexibility not only streamlines resources but also amplifies our collective innovation.

Please go to this title to better understand -> **### Compensation Costs Justification**

### Project Summary

This proposal aims to expand Zcash privacy education initiatives through Zcash Brazil, streamlined coordination, global support, and cutting-edge apps and services.

### Project Description

For 2026, our proposal is divided into development, support, and education, on a full-time and continuous basis. We have 11 products that need to be supported, maintained, improved, and have ongoing support. I would also like to offer two new opportunities: one junior developer for support and one designer with motion skills.

As @michae2xl predicted in November 2024, "In 2025/2026, Zcash may finally have its moment to shine." [Here](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/1)

One year later, in December 2025, the global and local landscape confirms this vision: surging financial surveillance, digital censorship, and the growing demand for private money are propelling privacy coins like Zcash, which surged over 1000%+ in 2025, outpacing even Bitcoin at times. Yet Brazil presents unique hurdles with its new cryptoasset regulatory framework. This proposal disentangles the problems (risks and barriers) from the opportunities (positive impacts), charting a strategy centered on education, P2P adoption, and advocacy to establish Zcash as a vital instrument of financial sovereignty in the country.

### Proposed Problem

The Zcash ecosystem is blowing up fast. All sorts of pieces are evolving at breakneck speed, and the community has to stay on top of it in real time; no room for falling behind. The techy side of Zcash can spark all kinds of mix-ups, but with solid, easy-to-grab educational resources, we can wipe those out quickly.

We also need an independent squad to test out the latest ecosystem builds whenever they drop. Zcash users are scattered across the globe, including a buzzing, fast-growing crowd here in Brazil, and having one go-to spot for everyone to connect and hash things out is crucial. That means linking arms with core orgs and worldwide communities, like Brazilian user crews, to pull off events that vibe with the local scene.

As Zcash keeps expanding, we've got to hunt down fresh devs, designers, and other talent packing killer skills and fresh perspectivesespecially from hot emerging spots like Brazil, to spark real diversity and innovation. It's also key to show off shielded ZEC in action as everyday payment fuel, spotlighting real-life wins in places hungry for financial privacy, like Brazil's wild crypto world. Right now, there's a bunch of privacy-focused projects humming in the ecosystem, so we need a dedicated crew for outreach, building those key connections, and hammering home that privacy's a core human right, something that hits home big in Brazil's hot debates on data shields and financial access for all.

### Proposed Solution

### Leveraging Demand for Privacy and Sovereignty

Despite regulatory hurdles, Zcash's "moment to shine" endures, fueled by technical advancements and global narratives of censorship resistance. In Brazil—where stablecoins power up to 90% of crypto transactions for everyday payments and remittances—Zcash stands ready to emerge as an indispensable layer for secure, private transfers.

**Key opportunities include:**

1. P2P Adoption and Self-Custody as a Regulatory Countermeasure: VASP bans create fertile ground for peer-to-peer networks and wallets like Zashi, which accelerated adoption in 2025 as shielded transactions surged over 300%. Community-driven tools like ZebraPi a plug-and-play full node launched by Zcash Brazil just last week, bolster grassroots decentralization, slashing setup barriers and enabling offline, censorship-resistant operation. This dovetails perfectly with LATAM's hunger for "accessible stable dollars," positioning Zcash as a traceless privacy overlay for unmonitored remittances. The good thing: We are working with the largest P2P provider in Brazil, and they are also Zcash holders; they publicly stated this on [Zebra Talk](https://x.com/zcashbrazil/status/1994110953282044343).
2. Positive Social and Economic Impact: By spotlighting selective privacy (optional shielded transactions), Zcash can empower individuals in high-inflation remittance corridors, cutting reliance on centralized banks. Backed by an energized Zcash Brazil community.

### Solution Format

- **Community Management & Moderation**: Assemble dedicated teams for forums, Discord, X, Instagram, Substack, and others relevant to spark inclusive discussions, rapid Q&A, and strong member retention.
- **ZEC Adoption via Existing Wallets/Apps**: Spotlight Zashi, Zkool, Zingo, Ledger, Trezor for seamless shielded transactions in everyday payments and remittances, P2P growth.
- **In-Person & Online Events**: Curate São Paulo/BH/Rio/more states meetups, global webinars, and partner interviews (e.g., ECC, ZF, ZCG, Shielded Labs to ignite genuine privacy education.
- **Creative Content with Original Art**: Craft videos, infographics, and social posts with bespoke designs, transforming Zcash tech into captivating visual narratives for YouTube and beyond.
- **Active Article Translations**: Adapt whitepapers and guides into Brazilian Portuguese with SEO tweaks for the Zcash Brazil blog, targeting high annual views as we are seeing 25k views a month on Instagram.
- **Privacy & Zcash Podcasts**: Launch weekly episodes featuring crypto experts and activists, cementing Zcash as Brazil's bold voice against financial surveillance, aka Zebra Talk, Zona Z, etc.
- **Strong Social Media Presence**: Fuel daily posts, witty educational memes, and interactive challenges on X, Instagram, and TikTok to double organic engagement in 2026.
- **Monthly AMA Sessions**: Host devs and influencers discussing upgrades and regulations, fostering transparency and deep community loyalty.
- **Community Item Distribution**: Incentivize engagement with ZEC TIPs, exclusive event POAPs, and merch giveaways to gamify the ecosystem.
- **Newcomer Education Events**: Deliver free workshops and bootcamps under "Zcash for All," guiding from wallet basics to remittances and onboarding.
- **Practical Zcash Tutorials**

### Dependencies

Our community is independent and does not rely on external entities.

### Technical Approach

**Zcash Brazil Apps & Global Services**

- **Zebra Pi (hardware + software):** A custom-made Zebra plush toy modified to carry a Raspberry Pi + SSD backpack running a ready-to-go Zebrad node. Includes a custom Raspberry Pi OS image for easy flashing, automatic configuration, and a one-click plug-and-play Zcash full node experience.https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zebra-pi-the-first-custom-plug-and-play-full-node-for-zcash/53510
- ZecGPT: A Discord bot powered by the OpenAI API designed to assist users with Zcash questions, technical troubleshooting, and general inquiries inside community servers.
- **ZecQuiz:** A simple Discord quiz bot that tests users’ Zcash knowledge, with correct answers optionally rewarded in $ZEC through Dizzy integration.
- **Dizzy**: Zcash micropayments bot for Discord: A lightweight tipping/micropayments bot for Discord that handles deposits, internal balances, and withdrawals to self-custody wallets. It integrates with ZecFaucet via an API to distribute coupons automatically.
- **ZecFaucet (mainnet & testnet)**: https://zecfaucet.com/ - https://testnet.zecfaucet.com/
Public Zcash faucet with PoW-protected claims, rate-limits, and Discord/automation integrations. Features a dynamic PoW difficulty engine based on recent usage, coupon support, and separate mainnet/testnet deployments.
- **Paper wallet**: https://zecpaperwallet.com/ Also avaiable offline: https://github.com/james-katz/zcash-paperwallet
- **ZecStats / zecstats.info**
A Discord bot and compact website providing live Zcash metrics such as circulating supply, shielded pool balances, lockbox holdings, and other high-level chain stats.
- **ZcashMetro (zcashmetro.io)**
Real-time Zcash mempool visualizer styled as a subway station. Includes logic to filter problematic transactions (e.g., expiry_height=0) and custom NPC/animation behavior for a more intuitive view of mempool activity.
- **FROST GUI (prototype)**
An exploratory GUI prototype demonstrating basic concepts of threshold key generation and signing for FROST, built to visualize multi-party flows rather than serve as a full implementation.
- **UFVK tooling & wallet utilities**
Rust-based utilities for decoding Unified Full Viewing Keys, deriving Sapling/Orchard addresses, and experimenting with UFVK-driven scanning strategies. Used as a foundation in wallet recovery cases.
- **Public lightwalletd Infrastructure**: infra.zcashbr.com

#### Dev contributions, SDKs e APIs & User Assistance

- **Zecwallet recovery support**
Developed a Rust library for parsing Zecwallet data files and released a CLI tool that converts Zecwallet wallet data into YWallet’s database format, enabling users to recover shielded funds from broken or unsynced wallets.
- **Zcash node crawler (research)**
Designed a minimal crawler approach targeting zebrad nodes using version/verack/getaddr flows and GeoIP mapping.
- **zingolib-wrapper**: A wrapper around zingolib (pepper-sync), making integration with JavaScript simple:
https://github.com/james-katz/zingolib-wrapper
- **Zcash Halving API**: Calculates upcoming halvings, block reward, etc, providing a JSON API
https://github.com/james-katz/zcash-halving-countdown

#### General Ecosystem Support

- **Public infrastructure hosting**
Long-term hosting and maintenance of key Zcash services: nodes, lightwalletd instances, faucets, stats sites, and related support infrastructure.
- **Zcash vote server**
Helped deploy and maintain a vote server instance used in recent Zcash governance experiments.
- **Zcash Brazil ecosystem support**
Continuous technical support, bots, sites, and infrastructure for the Brazilian Zcash community, including hackathon support and onboarding.
- **Ad-hoc developer help**
Frequent assistance to developers with Zcash-related code, transaction handling, and general ecosystem tooling.

### Upstream Merge Opportunities

N/A

### Hardware/Software Costs (USD)

0

### Hardware/Software Justification

N/A

### Service Costs (USD)

2989

### Service Costs Justification

- Zcash Discord 14 Boosts - $480 full year
- X verified = $448 full year
- Canva = $105 full year
- Adobe Creative Cloud - $290 full year
- Autocut - $209 full year
- Streamingyard - $191 full year
- VPS Services cost:
- Contabo
- VPS 10: $4 USD / month
- Responsible for hosting https://zecstats.info
- VPS 20: $8 USD / month
- Responsible for hosting infra.zcashbr.com lightwalletd servers
- AWS
- Amazon Lightsail (4 instances): $56 USD / month
- Hosting all Discord and Telegram bots
- Hosting the Mainnet and testnet faucet
- Hosting zcashmetro.io
- Hosting general-purpose / ad hoc projects
- Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (ec2.medium): $36.92 / month
- Dedicated hosting for Dizzy micropayments bot.
- Total VPS costs: $105 * 12 months = $1266 full year
- Total 2989

### Compensation Costs (USD)

261996

### Compensation Costs Justification

- $130000 - Coordination team | People pre-fixed >=2
- $72000 - Dev team | People pre-fixed >=2 people
- $60000 - Design team | People pre-fixed >=2 people
- Compensation Costs (USD) -> $261996.
- $80,000 - Events/Partners/influencers/Courses/temporary workers/tasks | People pre-fixed >=8 currently | Funds will be drawn down only as needed and upon approval by ZCG
- Total: $342000.00

Note: 13 so far, where 8 are between (influencers, part-time workers, etc) + 5 (current team, and there are 2 new opportunities in the junior level as Dev (to help James) & Motion Design, a new skill. This number can be flexible depending on the individual's performance and the budget as well (more or less), as mentioned before. However, it should always remain within the budget category above. Total max for 2026 <=15 people involved.

### Total Budget (USD)

344989

### Previous Funding

Yes

### Previous Funding Details

#### Zcash Brazil 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022

#### 2025
January: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/25
February: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/26
March: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/30
April: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/40
May: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/41
June: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/47
July: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/48
August: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/49
September: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/54
October: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/55
November: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2025/49458/56
December:

#### 2024
January: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/14
February: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/17
March: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/28
April: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/33
May: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/34
June: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/42
July: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/49
August: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/50
September: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/61
September: Marketing <> Zcash Brazil - (Zechub DAO)
https://daodao.zone/dao/juno1nktrulhakwm0n3wlyajpwxyg54n39xx4y8hdaqlty7mymf85vweq7m6t0y/proposals/A45
Report: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/69
October: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/69
November: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/73
December: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-global-zcash-brazil/46295/74

#### 2023
January: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/23
February: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/26
March: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/27
April: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/33
May: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/38
June: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/39
July: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/40
August: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/43
September: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/44
October: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/49
November: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/56
December: https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/zcash-brazil-2023-proposal/43499/67l

#### 2022
All reports were sent to @Yoditar, who led the ambassador program.**

### Other Funding Sources

No

### Other Funding Sources Details

N/A

### Implementation Risks

- VASP Delisting and Access Barriers
- Capital and Licensing Hurdles for Events/Partnerships
- Adoption Volatility from Global Headwinds

### Potential Side Effects

Global side effects

### Success Metrics

We've been proud to contribute as a foundational resource for Zcash communities around the world, from pioneering the server that grew into the official hub for Zcash, Zechub, Brazil, and other regions, to developing widely adopted products, accessible tools, and collaborative initiatives. By supporting global projects and uplifting individuals through our shared efforts, we aim to create lasting, mutual value for everyone involved.

### Startup Funding (USD)

2989

### Startup Funding Justification

Service Costs - Only.

### Milestone Details

Milestone 1 - estimated completion date: 01/31/2026
Milestone 1 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 1.1: Zcash Brazil team report

Milestone 2 - estimated completion date: 02/28/2026
Milestone 2 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 2.1: Zcash Brazil team report

Milestone 3 - estimated completion date: 03/31/2026
Milestone 3 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 3.1: Zcash Brazil team report**

Milestone 4 - estimated completion date: 04/30/2026
Milestone 4 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 4.1: Zcash Brazil team report

Milestone 5 - estimated completion date: 05/31/2026
Milestone 5 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 5.1: Zcash Brazil team report

Milestone 6 - estimated completion date: 06/30/2026
Milestone 6 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 6.1: Zcash Brazil team report

Milestone 7 - estimated completion date: 07/31/2026
Milestone 7 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 7.1: Zcash Brazil team report

Milestone 8 - estimated completion date: 08/31/2026
Milestone 8 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 8.1: Zcash Brazil team report

Milestone 9 - estimated completion date: 09/30/2026
Milestone 9 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 9.1: Zcash Brazil team report

Milestone 10 - estimated completion date: 10/31/2026
Milestone 10 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 10.1: Zcash Brazil team report

Milestone 11 - estimated completion date: 11/30/2026
Milestone 11 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 11.1: Zcash Brazil team report

Milestone 12 - estimated completion date: 12/31/2026
Milestone 12 - USD value of payout upon completion of deliverables: $21833
Deliverable 12.1: Zcash Brazil team report

### Total proposed USD value of grant: $354985 -> $261996 + $2989 Startup Funding + $80000 (when applied) paid in ZEC

### Supporting Documents
N/A