Yes, you can pay for your NymVPN subscription with Zcash (ZEC). Zcash is one of the strongest privacy-preserving cryptocurrencies and a natural fit for an anonymous VPN. To make sure your payment works, you need to use a wallet that supports shielded addresses and understand the confirmation timing on the BTCPay payment gateway we use.
Why pay with Zcash?
Zcash uses zero-knowledge proofs to encrypt the sender, receiver, and amount of a transaction. When you pay from a shielded address, an observer of the blockchain can't see who paid, how much, or to whom. Combined with NymVPN's zk-nym credentials (which already make your subscription unlinkable to your VPN usage), Zcash gives you one of the most private payment paths available.
Use a wallet that supports shielded addresses
Zcash has two kinds of addresses:
- Transparent (t-addresses). Public, similar to Bitcoin addresses. Not privacy-preserving.
- Shielded (z-addresses). Encrypted. Provide full transaction privacy.
Some wallets (Brave Wallet, for example) only support transparent addresses. For your payment to complete and to get the privacy benefit, use a wallet that supports shielded transactions, such as:
- Edge (mobile, multi-currency)
- YWallet (mobile, Zcash-focused, full shielded support)
- Zashi (mobile, official Zcash team wallet)
How the payment is processed
NymVPN processes Zcash through BTCPay Server, an open-source self-hosted payment gateway. When you choose Zcash at checkout:
- BTCPay generates a one-time payment address and amount.
- You send the exact amount from your shielded wallet to that address.
- BTCPay waits for the transaction to receive 1 blockchain confirmation.
- Once confirmed, your subscription is credited and you're prompted to generate your 24-word access code.
Timing and confirmation
Your payment won't show as confirmed immediately. BTCPay detects the transaction after it receives 1 confirmation on the Zcash blockchain, which typically takes a few minutes depending on network conditions.
If the checkout timer runs out before confirmation, don't panic. The funds aren't lost. If you've already sent the exact amount to the BTCPay address, the payment will still be credited once confirmation arrives. If you're unsure, contact Nym Support with the transaction details.
Unified address support is coming
Zcash is moving toward unified addresses, which combine shielded and transparent funds into a single address format. We're in contact with the BTCPay team, and unified-address support will be added in a future update. For now, send from a shielded address.
Other crypto and payment options
NymVPN also accepts BTC (including Lightning and Liquid), Monero (XMR), Ethereum (ETH), NYM tokens (with an extra 50% off), and 6 other cryptocurrencies, plus card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and cash by post. See What payment methods are available for NymVPN?
Related questions
Will my Zcash payment be linked to my VPN account?
No. Once your subscription is credited, the link between your payment and your VPN use is broken by the zk-nym credential system. We can verify you've paid without knowing whose subscription it is. See What makes NymVPN different from traditional VPNs?
What if I sent from a transparent address by mistake?
The payment may still complete, but you've lost the Zcash-side privacy benefit (the sending address and amount are now public on the blockchain). For future payments, switch to a shielded-capable wallet.
Can I get a refund in Zcash?
Yes. Refunds for crypto subscriptions are sent to any valid wallet address on the same blockchain. See How do I get a refund for my NymVPN subscription?