To swap ZEC to BTC, choose ZEC on Zcash as “from” and BTC on Bitcoin as “to”, enter your Bitcoin address and send ZEC as instructed. On October 23, 2026, 0.8 ZEC (about $988) became about $987 of BTC in about 30 minutes; BTC to ZEC took about the same time.
Key Takeaways
- Route: native ZEC to native BTC, no exchange account.
- Time: about 30 minutes each way.
- Addresses: transparent (t1/t3) or unified (u1) Zcash addresses; not old zs addresses.
- Also possible: ZEC to USDT on Ethereum or USDC on Solana.
Live Quotes: ZEC and BTC
| Route | Value in | You receive (value) | Route fees | Source gas | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTC → ZEC | $976.75 | $967.43 | $3.61 | $0.59 | about 30 min |
| USDT on Ethereum → ZEC | $994.40 | $989.99 | $3.68 | $0.08 | about 3 min |
| ZEC → BTC | $987.98 | $986.53 | $3.65 | $0.19 | about 30 min |
| ZEC → USDT on Ethereum | $987.98 | $986.01 | $3.65 | $0.19 | about 8 min |
| ZEC → USDC on Solana | $987.98 | $992.56 | $3.65 | $0.19 | about 38 min |
Quotes are live LI.FI routes requested on October 23, 2026, before the 0.7% Step Exchange service fee; they change every minute, and the widget shows the current one before you sign.
Transparent, Unified and Shielded Addresses
Zcash has transparent addresses (t1, t3) that work like Bitcoin addresses and shielded addresses that hide amounts and parties. Unified addresses (u1) bundle several receivers in one. Cross-chain routes on October 23, 2026 accepted t1/t3 and u1 with an Orchard receiver, but not Sapling-only zs addresses. If your wallet shows a zs address, use its unified address instead or move ZEC to a transparent address first.
Privacy note: the swap itself is visible on both chains through the deposit and payout transactions, whatever address type you use.
BTC to ZEC
Reverse the route: BTC on Bitcoin as the source, ZEC on Zcash as the destination, and your Zcash address (t1/t3 or u1). In our test 0.012 BTC (about $977) became about $967 of ZEC in about 30 minutes.
Step by Step
- Start the swap: from ZEC on Zcash, to BTC on Bitcoin.
- Enter your Bitcoin address.
- Send ZEC from a transparent or unified address, exact amount, to the deposit address shown.
- Wait for confirmations on both chains.
Gem Wallet supports both Zcash and Bitcoin in one self-custodial app.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Sending from a zs-only address that the route does not support.
- Sending a different amount than the route expects.
- Exchange withdrawals straight to the deposit address: delays can expire the quote.
Related: swap BTC to ETH, swap BTC to SOL, cross-chain swap. More pairs on the swap hub.
