Core Foundation has announced a strategic partnership with Z Protocol, marking its first "franchise protocol." Z Protocol, an EVM-compatible Layer 1, is designed to enhance Zcash by expanding its application-layer capabilities and introducing more onchain use cases. The collaboration will see Z Protocol adopt Core's "Satoshi Plus" consensus mechanism, enabling both Zcash stakers and PoW miners to contribute to network security and validation. Additionally, the partnership aims to launch key applications such as private transactions, lending services, a privacy-focused stablecoin named USDZ, and yield-bearing tokens.