Send ZEC¶
ZecVault uses a two-step send process: first it previews the exact fee, then you confirm before broadcasting. This ensures you always know the cost before committing.
How to send¶
1. Open Send¶
Tap Send in the sidebar navigation.
2. Enter the recipient address¶
Paste or scan a Zcash address. ZecVault supports:
- Unified Addresses (
u1...) — recommended; Orchard + Sapling compatible - Sapling addresses (
zs1...) — shielded, older format - Transparent addresses (
t1...) — public, like Bitcoin; use only when required - Payment URIs (
zcash:address?amount=...) — auto-fill amount and memo from a QR code
Address privacy classification
When you enter an address, the app shows a privacy indicator: - 🟢 Shielded — sending to Orchard or Sapling; amounts are private - 🟡 Transparent — sending to a transparent address; the amount and recipient are public on-chain
3. Enter amount¶
Type the amount in ZEC. The app shows the equivalent in your selected fiat currency (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, SGD).
4. Add a memo (optional)¶
For sends to shielded addresses, you can add up to 512 bytes of text as an encrypted memo. Only the recipient can read it. Memos are not available for transparent sends.
Common uses: invoice references, personal notes, payment descriptions.
5. Preview the transaction¶
Tap Preview. ZecVault asks the wallet backend to build the transaction without broadcasting it and returns the exact fee. You'll see:
- Recipient address
- Amount being sent
- Network fee (calculated per ZIP-317)
- Total deducted from your balance
6. Confirm and send¶
After reviewing the fee, tap Send. The backend signs the transaction with your spending key and broadcasts it to the Zcash network via lightwalletd. Your key is used only during signing and immediately discarded from memory.
Send Max¶
Send Max drains your entire spendable shielded balance (Orchard + Sapling) to a recipient in one transaction. The network fee is automatically deducted — the recipient receives exactly what's left.
To use it: open Send, enter a recipient, and tap Send Max instead of typing an amount.
Shielding transparent funds¶
If you receive ZEC to a transparent address (from an exchange, for example) and your shielded balance isn't enough to cover a send, ZecVault will offer to shield your transparent funds first.
Shielding moves transparent funds into your Orchard pool via a self-send. Once shielded, the funds are private and can be sent normally.
You can also trigger shielding manually from the Send screen under Shield funds.
Pool spend order¶
When building a transaction, ZecVault spends from pools in this order:
- Orchard — most private, spent first to preserve Sapling funds
- Sapling — shielded, used if Orchard is insufficient
- Transparent — only included if shielding is needed
This order keeps funds in the most private pool for as long as possible.
Payment URIs¶
ZecVault supports ZIP-321 payment URIs (zcash: links). When you scan a QR code containing a payment URI, the app auto-fills the recipient, amount, and memo. You can still edit any field before confirming.
Example URI:
(Memo is base64-encoded in URIs.)
Fee calculation¶
Fees follow ZIP-317. The fee scales with the complexity of the transaction (number of inputs and outputs), not a fixed rate. Typical shielded sends cost 0.00001 ZEC (1,000 zatoshis). Complex transactions with many inputs cost proportionally more.
The fee preview step always shows the exact fee before you commit — no surprises.
Sapling → Orchard migration¶
If you have funds in the Sapling pool from an older wallet or exchange, you can migrate them to Orchard via Wallet → Migrate Sapling to Orchard. This performs a self-send — your ZEC moves from Sapling to Orchard in one transaction. The fee is deducted from the amount being migrated.