Zcash (ZEC) Miners in 2025: Which Miner to Choose, How Much Does It Earn, and How to Set It Up

Майнеры Zcash (ZEC) в 2025 году — какой майнер выбрать, сколько он зарабатывает и как настроить

Zcash (ZEC) is a privacy cryptocurrency based on the Equihash algorithm , launched in 2016. It uses zk-SNARKs to optionally hide the sender, recipient, and amount of a transaction.

Key parameters of the Zcash network (end of 2025):

algorithm: Equihash(200.9) ;
average block time: about 75 seconds ;
Current block reward: approximately 1.56 ZEC + development fund share (after 2025 halving);
The network is completely taken over by ASIC miners , CPU/GPU mining for ZEC is currently economically unprofitable.

Hence the main conclusion for the search query “Zcash miners”:

In 2025, real Zcash mining will only involve Equihash ASIC miners.

How Zcash Mining Works (in Simple Terms)

Zcash uses Proof-of-Work on Equihash, a memory-intensive algorithm that was initially designed to be “GPU-friendly” and supposedly ASIC-resistant. In practice, chip manufacturers quickly developed efficient ASIC devices for it.

The scheme is simple:

ASIC miner calculates solutions to Equihash problems.
The found block is sent to the ZEC network.
The winning block generates a reward: part goes to the miners, part to the development funds and the community (according to the current emission scheme).
Your income = network hashrate share x blocks per day x block reward x ZEC price.

Due to halvings, the reward decreases every few years, making choosing an efficient Zcash miner critical.

Types of Zcash miners in 2025

Zcash ASIC Miners (Primary Option)

ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) is a device designed for one algorithm (Equihash) and one task – mining Zcash and compatible coins (ZEN, BTG, etc.).

Pros:

maximum hashrate;
best energy efficiency (J/kSol);
ROI is higher than GPU/CPU.

Cons:

expensive (new top miner = thousands of dollars);
they make noise and require a separate room and outlet;
Only suitable for a limited set of Equihash coins.

GPU miners (theory, but almost no practice)

Technically, Zcash can still be mined on NVIDIA/AMD graphics cards using programs like EWBF, GMiner, miniZ, Bminer, etc.

But as of 2025:

GPU and, especially, CPU mining of ZEC are economically inferior to ASICs and are considered unprofitable.

GPU mining only makes sense for other Equihash coins, not for Zcash itself.

Cloud mining and power leasing

There are services where you can buy an “Equihash power contract”: essentially, you rent ASIC resources from a data center.

Cons:

it is difficult to check whether the devices actually work;
Long contracts, high risk of loss due to the ZEC rate and network complexity.

Therefore, when searching for the SEO keyword “Zcash miners,” people most often search for physical ASIC miners rather than clouds .

The Best ASIC Miners for Zcash (ZEC) in 2025

Below are the most popular and Google-searched Zcash miners on Equihash. Specifications are rounded based on official specifications and calculators.

Bitmain Antminer Z15 Pro – The Top Zcash Miner of 2025

According to manufacturers and calculators, the Antminer Z15 Pro is one of the most powerful and efficient ASIC miners for Equihash:

algorithm: Equihash (Zcash, Horizen, etc.);
hashrate: up to ~840 kSol/s ;
consumption: about 2780 W ;
Energy efficiency: ~3.3 J/kSol.

Pros:

the highest hashrate on the Equihash market;
high energy efficiency → lower cost price per 1 ZEC;
current model taking into account the 2025 halving

Cons:

high initial cost (thousands of dollars);
loud (around 70+ dB), a separate noisy corner is needed.

Bitmain Antminer Z15 / Z15j / Z15e — Equihash’s “Golden Classic”

The Antminer Z15 line , although older, is still widely used:

Antminer Z15:

hashrate: ≈ 420 kSol/s ;
consumption: ≈ 1510 W ;
Energy efficiency: ~3.6 J/kSol.

Antminer Z15j:

hashrate: ≈ 320 kSol/s ,
consumption: the same ~1510 W → slightly worse in J/kSol.

Antminer Z15e:

hashrate: ≈ 200 kSol/s ,
consumption: ~1510 W → the weakest version of the line.

Pros of the Z15 series:

more affordable on the secondary market;
well studied, lots of firmware and instructions;
are still supported by pools/panels (Awesome Miner, Hive, etc.).

Cons:

lower power/watt than Z15 Pro;
Old devices have a higher risk of breakdowns.

Innosilicon A9 ZMaster and A9++ — budget entry

The Innosilicon A9 ZMaster series are older Equihash ASICs, but they still appear in Zcash miner calculators and reviews:

Innosilicon A9 ZMaster:

hashrate: about 50 kSol/s ;
consumption: ≈ 620 W ;
Energy efficiency: ~12.4 J/kSol.

Later versions of the A9+ / A9++ ZMaster increase the hashrate, but are still significantly inferior to the Z15 series in terms of energy efficiency.

These miners are only interesting as a cheap secondary device , when you buy a device for next to nothing and you have cheap electricity.

Comparison chart of popular Zcash miners

(figures are averaged from official specifications and calculators)

Miner model	Algorithm	Hashrate, kSol/s	Consumption, W	Approximate efficiency, J/kSol	Status in 2025
Antminer Z15 Pro	Equihash	~840	~2780	≈3.3	Top solution
Antminer Z15	Equihash	~420	~1510	≈3.6	Relevant
Antminer Z15j	Equihash	~320	~1510	≈4.7	Budget
Antminer Z15e	Equihash	~200	~1510	≈7.5	It’s becoming obsolete
Innosilicon A9	Equihash	~50	~620	≈12.4	It’s becoming obsolete

How to Choose a Zcash Miner: Key Criteria

Before purchasing an ASIC miner for Zcash, pay attention not only to the hashrate.

Energy efficiency (J/kSol)

The main parameter for expensive electricity: the lower the J/kSol, the better .

The Z15 Pro and Z15 are among the most efficient devices on Equihash.

Price and payback

Use online Zcash and ASIC calculators:

ZEC calculator: shows difficulty, reward, network hashrate and estimated income;
page of a specific miner (Z15 / Z15 Pro, etc.): gives an approximate profit per day, taking into account the current exchange rate.

Important: These calculators are based on current data , and the difficulty and price of ZEC are subject to change. This does not guarantee future income.

Electricity and tariffs

The profitability of a Zcash miner depends heavily on the cost per kWh :

with cheap electricity (0.03–0.05 $/kWh) ASIC can pay for itself within a reasonable time;
At tariffs of 0.15–0.20 $/kWh, many devices go “to zero” or into the minus.

Noise, placement and cooling

Antminer Z-series miners are very noisy devices (70 dB+). They should not be placed near a living room—only:

separate room/garage;
exhaust and cooling;
separate power line with power reserve.

Zcash Software Miners (for Equihash)

Although ASICs currently dominate, software miners are also often searched for in conjunction with the query “Zcash miner download”.

Popular solutions for Equihash 200.9 and its variations :

EWBF’s CUDA Equihash Miner – for NVIDIA, works with several Equihash variants (200.9 / 144.5 / 96.5, etc.);
GMiner is a multi-algorithm miner (including Equihash variants) for NVIDIA and AMD;
miniZ Miner – optimized for Equihash algorithms, good for NVIDIA;
Claymore’s Zcash Miner and Optiminer are historically popular miners for ZEC (less used now, but still found in guides);
Bminer and other miners mentioned in the Zcash mining software lists.

These programs are now in greater demand:

for alternative Equihash coins;
for testing and training;
for small home GPU farms.

Basic Zcash ASIC Miner Setup (using the Antminer Z15/Z15 Pro as an example)

The exact steps vary by model, but the general logic is the same for most Equihash ASICs from Bitmain and Innosilicon.

Connecting power and network
- insert the power cable;
- Connect the miner to the router with a patch cord (Ethernet).
Find the miner’s IP address
- use a network scanner (Advanced IP Scanner and similar) or the manufacturer’s proprietary utility;
- Find a new device on your local network.
Open the web panel
- in the browser, go to the found IP (for example, http://192.168.0.50);
- By default, login/password is root/root or admin/admin (see the instructions for the model).
Zcash Pool Setup
In the Miner Configuration section , specify:
- Zcash pool URL (for example, stratum+tcp://…);
- worker name in format ZEC_кошелёк.имя_фермы;
- password (usually xor any text).
Save and restart
- click Save/Apply;
- The miner will reboot the firmware and start sending shares in a couple of minutes.
Examination
- In the Miner Status section you will see the current hashrate, temperature and errors;
- In the pool account – worker activity and accruals.

How to calculate Zcash miner profitability

We use the formula:

Revenue/day = (Miner Hashrate / Network Hashrate) × Blocks per day × Block reward × ZEC price

Where:

We take the network hashrate and reward from statistics websites (for example, BitInfoCharts / minerstat);
miner parameters – from official specifications or calculator (Z15, Z15 Pro, etc.).

Simplified version:

Open the Zcash calculator (coin → ZEC).
Enter the hashrate (e.g. 420 kSol/s for Z15).
Please indicate the cost of electricity.
The service will automatically show you the forecasted daily income, daily profit, and payback period at the current ZEC exchange rate.

Please remember that this is an estimate , not a guarantee – the rate and difficulty change daily.

Risks of Zcash Mining

Before purchasing a ZEC miner, be sure to consider:

Halving and reward reduction
In November 2025, the next Zcash halving took place, the block reward decreased to ~1.56 ZEC, which reduced the income of each hash.
Difficulty and network hashrate growth
As the overall network power grows, your piece of the “pie” decreases.
ZEC Price Fluctuations
Zcash remains a volatile coin, with price increases and decreases significantly impacting miner profitability.
Privacy Coin Regulations
In some countries, privacy coins (ZEC, XMR, etc.) may be subject to restrictions, which impact listings, liquidity, and long-term demand.

Zcash Miner FAQ (SEO Block)

Which miner is best for Zcash in 2025?
In terms of power and energy efficiency, the Bitmain Antminer Z15 Pro is currently considered one of the leaders , with up to ~840 kSol/s at ~2780 W. The Z15/Z15j/Z15e series remains relevant as a more affordable option.

Is it possible to mine Zcash on a graphics card (GPU) or processor (CPU)?
Technically, yes—using EWBF, GMiner, miniZ, and others. However, according to recent guides and reviews, the ZEC network has been completely overrun by ASICs, making GPU/CPU mining of Zcash currently unprofitable.

How much does the Antminer Z15 Pro earn?
It depends on the ZEC exchange rate, network difficulty, and electricity costs. You can use ASIC calculators to estimate your daily/monthly income under current conditions by entering a hashrate of ~840 kSol/s and power consumption of ~2780 W.

Is it worth buying the old Z9, Z11, or A9 ZMaster in 2025?
Only if:

you take them very cheaply;
you have a low electricity tariff;
You understand the risks of obsolescence.

In terms of energy efficiency and potential payback, the new models (Z15/Z15 Pro) are significantly better.

Which pool should I choose for Zcash mining?
Consider:

pool reputation and hashrate volume;
commission size (usually 1–2%);
user-friendly interface and statistics.

Most ASIC miners and software clients have ready-made presets of popular ZEC pools in the interface (Awesome Miner, EWBF, etc.).

Results

In short:

Zcash (ZEC) is mined using the Equihash algorithm , blocks are ~75 seconds long, and the reward after the 2025 halving is ≈1.56 ZEC + the share of funds.
ASIC miners have completely replaced GPU/CPU mining , so for serious earnings you need devices like the Antminer Z15 / Z15 Pro, Innosilicon A9, and their equivalents.
When choosing a Zcash miner, the main factors to consider are energy efficiency (J/kSol), price, electricity tariff, and the risk of difficulty/ZEC exchange rate changes .
Software miners (EWBF, GMiner, miniZ, Claymore, etc.) are still used, but more for other Equihash coins or tests.