Address Types & Privacy
ZNS accepts several Zcash address types when registering a name, but they offer different levels of privacy.
Address types
| Type | Prefix | Privacy | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unified | u1... | Highest | Yes |
| Sapling | zs1... | High | Acceptable |
| Transparent | t1... | None | No |
| TEX | tex1... | None | No |
Recommendations
Use a unified address. Unified addresses (starting with u1 on mainnet or utest1 on testnet) support the Orchard shielded pool and provide the strongest privacy guarantees. All ZNS transactions use Orchard shielded notes, so a unified address keeps the entire flow private.
Avoid transparent addresses. While technically accepted, transparent addresses expose your name-to-identity link on the public blockchain. Anyone can see which transparent address owns which name.
Viewing keys
The interface also detects Zcash viewing keys (starting with uview). These are not valid for registration since they can only observe transactions, not send them.
Warnings
The web interface displays privacy warnings when you enter a non-unified address:
- Sapling: Mild warning — still shielded but doesn't support the latest Orchard pool
- Transparent/TEX: Strong warning — publicly visible on-chain, not recommended for name registration