The Zcash ecosystem has been shaken by the departure of the Electric Coin Co. (ECC) development team, who have left to form the for-profit startup CashZ. This move has sparked a debate within the crypto community about the resilience and future of Zcash. While some analysts warn that the exit exposes Zcash to single-point-of-failure risks and undermines its cypherpunk ideals, others argue that the fragmentation could enhance resilience by distributing development efforts across multiple teams. The announcement of the ECC team's exit led to a 20% drop in Zcash's native token, ZEC, which fell from its peak above $600. However, the token has since rebounded from a low of $365 to $443 by January 15. The departure, characterized by former ECC Chief Executive Josh Swihart as a "constructive discharge" following governance disputes, has raised concerns about potential structural decline and a possible chain fork. Despite these challenges, some experts believe the split could benefit Zcash by reducing structural centralization and fostering a more diverse development environment. The shift from a nonprofit to a for-profit model marks a pivotal moment for Zcash, with implications for its governance and development priorities.