a16z: Privacy protection is once again in the spotlight and will gain greater momentum in the future.

Golden Finance reports that a16z has released a new encryption report indicating that privacy protection is back in focus and may become a prerequisite for large-scale applications. Signs of rising attention include: a surge in Google search volume related to encryption privacy in 2025; the supply of Zcash's shielded pool increasing to nearly 4 million ZEC; Railgun's monthly transaction volume exceeding $200 million. At the same time, the Ethereum Foundation has established a new privacy team; Paxos has partnered with Aleo to launch a private and compliant stablecoin (USAD); the Office of Foreign Assets Control has lifted sanctions on the decentralized privacy protocol Tornado Cash. We expect that as encryption technology continues to mainstream, this trend will gain greater momentum in the coming years.