Orchard / Unified Address Support in the Zcash Plugin for BTCPayServer

Zcash + BTCPayServer = ❤️

We’re excited to share that, thanks to the Zcash Community Grants program, the Zcash plugin for BTCPayServer now supports Orchard / Unified Address enabling merchants to receive ZEC through the most advanced shielded pool, integrated directly into the plugin architecture.

There’s also a fix for non-dollar custom rate rules, allowing any currency rate to be derived from ZEC-BTC, and an entry has been added for ZEC-EUR.

Updating to Unified Address Support

If you’re already accepting ZEC using the plugin, switching to the new address type only requires updating your viewing key:

Update the plugin’s Docker repository. A new configuration and wallet file will be created automatically.
Note the new files:
- Database file: zec-wallet.db (replaces zec-wallet2.db)
- Configuration file: config2.json (inside the zec_wallet Docker volume)
On first launch, you’ll be prompted to enter your Unified Full Viewing Key (UFVK). You may use the UFVK from the same wallet as before — in this case leave the block height field empty.
If you’re creating a new wallet, with a new seed phrase, use the current Zcash block height. You can check the current Zcash block height at 3xpl.com/zcash.

Once complete, your server will begin receiving payments via Unified Addresses.

Getting Started

If you haven’t yet accepted ZEC through BTCPayServer, start with these setup guides:

📘 BTCPayServer Zcash Plugin Installation Guide — official documentation.
🧭 ZecHub Guide — step-by-step instructions for configuring Zcash in BTCPayServer, with detailed explanations and examples.

Learn More About Unified Addresses and Orchard

To better understand how Unified Addresses and Orchard work, explore these resources from Electric Coin Co.:

🔍 Unified addresses in Zcash explained — an overview of the concept and its importance for Zcash evolution.
⚙️ ECC engineering year in review — insights into the transition to Orchard, Halo, and related protocol improvements.

Acknowledgments

Zcash Community Grants extends its gratitude to long-time community contributors — developers @hanh and @1337bytes — for their invaluable work on maintaining and improving the Zcash plugin for BTCPayServer.

Get Involved

If you’re a merchant, developer, or enthusiast, test the integration, share feedback, and join the discussion on the Zcash Community Forum.