Zcon is an annual conference that the Zcash Foundation organizes, with a focus on Zcash and  privacy-preserving technologies.

This year’s theme is “The Future Has Not Been Written.”  This year we strive for all attendees to not only learn about updates in the ecosystem but we hope to inspire positive change within the cryptography world.

Zcon4 will be held in-person, at the Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona in Spain from 8:00 CEST Sunday, July 30-17:00 CEST Tuesday, August 1. We recommend arriving on Saturday, July 29th and planning to stay the night of Tuesday, August 1st.

Zcon4 will also have a virtual component, so that community members who are unable to attend in-person, can still view and participate in the event. Virtual registration is now open. 

You can register for Zcon4 and ZK Week events (Crypto Lounge Experience & ZK Proof 5.5) here.

*The Zcash Foundation reserves the right to refuse attendance to anyone who has violated the Code of Conduct at any time in any virtual or in-person space and anyone that the Foundation deems may detract from the mission of the conference. In this case, ZF will refund the conference fee and communicate with the registered person accordingly.

We are no longer accepting speaker proposals.

• Registration for Zcon4, CLE, and ZK Proof 5.5  is now open and will remain open until all tickets are claimed, space is limited for all events
• Zcon4 Scholarship Deadline: We are no longer accepting applications
• Zcon4 Early Bird registration deadline ($200 USD tickets): May 1, 2023 24:00 UTC.
• Zcon4 Regular registration: $250 USD tickets
• Zcon4 Virtual Registration is free (gratis) and is open as of May 1
• Crypto Lounge Experience (CLE): $75 USD
• ZK Proof 5.5: $50 USD

Yes! Once you complete your registration, you will receive an email with a link to book using the Zcon4 discount.

Space is limited so we recommend booking ASAP.

• Entry into all Zcon4 sessions
• Snacks (morning and afternoon) and lunch from July 30- August 1
• A Welcome Cocktail reception on Sunday, July 30th
• A Reception and Dinner on Monday, July 31

Attendees are responsible for booking flights and accommodation at the Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona (discounted group rates are available; breakfast is included with your hotel reservation).

We will start announcing speakers in early summer. The schedule from last year’s Zcon can give you an idea of the types of presentation subjects and speakers to expect.

Some things to consider when packing to attend Zcon4:

• Summer in Barcelona is VERY hot and humid. You’ll be comfortable within the hotel and meeting spaces but caution should be taken when exploring outside of the venue.We will have air conditioning in the meeting space so if you get cold easily we recommend bringing layers so you are comfortable.

• We will have basic disposable masks available. If you are immunocompromised, or you desire additional personal protection, we recommend bringing your own N95 medical-grade masks. See below for additional Covid-related precautions.

• Several at-home Covid-tests.

• There is no dress code for the Zcon4 sessions but we ask that attendees refrain from wearing any clothing that could be considered inappropriate or offensive to other attendees.

• The Whova app will be used to engage with other in-person and virtual attendees and to ask questions during sessions. A laptop is recommended to fully participate in all sessions.

• If you live outside Europe, you may need a type C and/or F plug adapter for the electrical sockets. Spain operates on 230V supply voltage and 50HZ. Electricity supplies worldwide can vary from anything between 100V and 240V. It can be extremely dangerous to use an electrical appliance that is rated at a voltage different from the supply, including hair dryers. All converters and transformers will have a maximum power rating (AMPS or WATTS) so make sure that any appliance you intend to use does not exceed this rating.

• If you have a severe allergy, please bring your own EpiPen.

• If you wish to enjoy the hotel pool or public beaches, pack swimwear and sunscreen.

• Our COVID safety policies are informed by consultation with key ecosystem partners, public guidance, and the measures that are in place, both at the national level in Spain, and locally in Barcelona. The policies described below are subject to review and change as circumstances and local requirements change.
• As of 20th March, there is no requirement in Barcelona to wear masks at events, in bars/restaurants, or on public transport. Similarly, passengers are not required to wear masks on flights to or from Spain. 
• At the time of writing (20th March), the planned policy for Zcon4 is that wearing of masks will be optional. However, attendees will be encouraged to wear masks inside the conference halls. A supply of N95- or KN95-compliant masks will be provided. 
• Please note that the policy with respect to mask-wearing will be subject to change in the event that the wearing of masks becomes mandatory on public transport in Barcelona, on flights to or from Spain, or on flights to or from the United States or the United Kingdom. 
• To facilitate social distancing within the conference halls, we have planned for low-density seating arrangements similar to those that were in place at Zcon3. We expect that room occupancy in the conference halls at Zcon4 will be less than 50% of the halls’ capacity. 
• We have also agreed with the venue that the lobby area’s external doors will be kept open (weather permitting) to facilitate fresh airflow, and to make it easy for attendees to step outside.

In order to fully control the environment for Zcon4 we decided to secure all of the meeting and breakout rooms on the first floor so only attendees wearing the Zcon4 name badge will be able to enter the meeting space. Additionally, the foyer outside the meeting space opens up into an outdoors courtyard where attendees can mingle and take breaks; we plan to leave the doors open, when possible, to increase airflow.

There is no smoking in the meeting space area or hotel (only outside in designated areas).

Barcelona is a vibrant city full of life, which is exactly the type of energy we want to elicit at Zcon4.

Much of the communication for both in-person and virtual attendees will happen virtually on the Whova app so everyone in the community can participate. Anyone can view the sessions that are livestreamed on the Zcash Foundation’s YouTube channel without registering.

To participate in discussion with other participants and to ask speakers questions, you must register with a name and email address and agree to our Code of Conduct policy – virtual attendee registration is now open. The name you enter will be your public username when you participate in the chat during the conference. If you would like to use a pseudonym, enter it as your first name  with “.” as your last name. There is no fee for attending virtually.

The Whova app is your go-to resource for Zcon4. You can add sessions to your calendar, participate in discussions with other attendees, ask speakers questions, watch live streams of each session, and have access to other important info for ZK week. Check out this Whova guide for the web and mobile app.

Thank you for asking. All communication and interactions, both in-person and virtual, are subject to the same Code of Conduct as the Zcash forum

• Day -1: Arrival Day for ZK Week: Friday, July 28

• Day 0:  The Crypto Lounge Experience (CLE) and Early Zcon4 Check in: Saturday, July 29
  

• Days 1-3: Zcon4: Sunday, July 30- Tuesday, August 1
  
• Day 4: ZKProof 5.5: Wednesday, August 2
  

Believe us, you don’t want to miss any of ZK week. This year we are partnering with ZKProof.org, Daniel Benarroch (Inversed Tech), and Anaïs Querol (O(1) Labs) to offer a stimulating and engaging Zero Knowledge week. Attendees can add on ZK week events when they register for Zcon4 or visit the linked websites: 

• The Crypto Lounge Experience (CLE): One day before Zcon4, on Saturday July 29th Inversed Tech is co-hosting a crypto lounge experience. Your path is calling, it is time for you to join the sages and receive the hidden wisdom of advanced cryptography. They are waiting for you for this experience in a secret location in Barcelona. Do not be late. Click here for more details.
• ZKProof 5.5: The day following Zcon4 ZKProof.org is co-hosting a must-attend event for cryptographers and developers interested in the cutting-edge field of zero-knowledge proofs. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other experts in the field and help share the future of zero-knowledge proofs. Click here for more details

We cannot endorse any particular hotel but we recommend looking at options on Booking.com and AirBnB to find accommodation at your desired price range and location.

You may want to consider these neighborhoods in and around Barcelona.