Bitcoin remains the most popular payment method on the darknet.

Analytical company Rand Corporation commissioned by Electric Coin Company, which is behind the development focused onthe anonymity of the Zcash cryptocurrency, conducted a study on the use of digital currencies in cybercrime.

According to analysts, Bitcoin (BTC) remains the preferred cryptocurrency among cybercriminals, while Zcash "has only a small presence on the darknet."

“This suggests that Zcash is seen as a less attractive option by darkweb users and is used less often than other cryptocurrencies, in particular Bitcoin and Monero.”- analysts write.

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Rand Corporation analyzed three areas of illegal activity: money laundering, terrorist financing, and trafficking in illicit goods.

“There may be some evidence that Zcash was used or promoted in connection with the prohibited goods, but there is no evidence of mass illegal use of Zcash,– analysts write.

Of course, the lack of evidence is not equivalent to the proof of absence, that is, it is still necessary to show increased vigilance in cases of illegal use of this cryptocurrency. ”

These findings are consistent with a study by The Block. Of the 31 analyzed darknet marketplaces, 29 used bitcoin, and only two used Zcash.

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In April, the number of Zcash transactions with maximum anonymity rose by 70% and reached a new record above 8,700. In total, their share was 6%, which is also a record.

Woo!Number of #Zcash Fully Shielded ᙇ?️ᙇ transactions continues to grow; nearly doubling in April ? ? z2zhttps://t.co/LTjo5899Gw | @_garethdavies@ElectricCoinCo @zooko @ZcashFoundation pic.twitter.com/q9SZs6pEXd

- mine Zcash ᙇ? ️ (@mineZcash) May 1, 2020

As you can conclude from the Rand study, growthoccurred due to ordinary users who want to increase their anonymity, not criminals. Recently, Zcash wallets have begun to expand their native transaction support with increased anonymity, which may explain the observed dynamics.

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