Zcash climbs above $500 ahead of Ironwood network upgrade

Zcash (ZEC) price broke the $500 psychological barrier, gaining about 7% in the last 24 hours and extending a weekly rise of roughly 10%. The rally coincided with a surge in futures activity, with open interest rising 27% to $1.02 billion and trading volume increasing 49% to $1.98 billion, indicating heightened trader positioning.

The move is linked to the Ironwood upgrade scheduled for block 3,428,143 on July 28, which will retire the Orchard shielded pool and introduce a formally verified, quantum‑resistant pool to address a previously disclosed vulnerability. Technical indicators such as a bullish MACD, RSI near 65, and strong Aroon Up signal continued upward momentum, though resistance around $516‑$560 remains. The broader crypto market also recovered, with Bitcoin above $64,000 supporting altcoin gains.