Zcash Thinks It Can Change That

On the eve of the Zcash Foundation's first major gathering, cryptocurrency aficionados worldwide are watching to see if the year-old non-profit can rehabilitate a long-maligned model of governance.

The community panel voters, many of whom are not affiliated with the Zcash Foundation or the startup that created zcash, are clearly listed on the foundation's online forum.

His presence on the ballot is no fluke: Zcash Foundation director Josh Cincinnati has made a point of inviting members of competing projects to help govern his cryptocurrency's community.

Stepping back, the Zcash Foundation is one of a long line of non-profits that have been created around cryptocurrencies since the Bitcoin Foundation was established in 2012.

ZEC's CEO, Zooko Wilcox, joined half a dozen other zcash founders in signing contracts compelling them to donate the 1.44 percent directly to the foundation.

Another way the Zcash Foundation stands out is by eagerly courting contributors from other crypto communities.

"It's a weird hybrid between having a group of insiders decide everything, which is the way that most organizations are run, and entirely crowdsourcing our decisions," said Sonya Mann, the Zcash Foundation's communications manager, acknowledging that the model is an experiment.

One more departure from the norm: The Zcash Foundation is registered not in Switzerland, but Delaware.

Being located in the same country as Colorado-based ZEC may produce a further benefit: it could simplify the legal process in the event any zcash founders attempt to renege on their funding obligations to the foundation, reducing risks of a Tezos-style fiasco.

The founder of Token Summit, said so far the Zcash Foundation appears to have one of the most mature foundation models in the industry.