StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson links Zcash rise to Bitcoin ossification fears

Eli Ben-Sasson, CEO of StarkWare and co-founder of Zcash, weighed in on ZEC’s recent price surge with a pointed observation: part of the rally is being driven by growing anxiety that Bitcoin has calcified beyond repair. ZEC climbed to roughly $1,388, posting gains of 15-20% in a 24-hour window and pushing its market capitalization to approximately $23 billion. For a coin that was trading between $20 and $50 as recently as December 2025, that’s a trajectory that demands an explanation, and Ben-Sasson is offering one. The ossification argument Ben-Sasson has previously criticized Bitcoin’s fixed 21 million supply cap, arguing it creates long-term risks as keys are lost permanently and miner incentive structures erode over time. In July 2026, he floated a provocative alternative: a 4% annual issuance rate pegged to population growth. His September 17 remarks frame ZEC’s rally as a market response to these concerns. NU7 and the governance signal One day before his remarks, on September 16, the Zcash community completed its NU7 governance vote. Approximately 2.4 million ZEC holders participated. A staggering 99.9% voted in favor of reducing block times from 75 seconds to 25 seconds. Ano...