ZCoin is a privacy focused cryptocurrency built on Ethereum. The ZCoin protocol enables anonymous transactions with cryptography that utilizes Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP). ZCoin increases privacy on their network by using a coin-mixer contract that wraps transactions in a serial number and destroying wrapped coins once they have been redeemed.
Zcoin was the first cryptocurrency to use a Merkle Tree Proof (MTP) as its proof of work algorithm. Merkle Tree Proofs are an innovative solution to achieving network consensus, and can increase transaction time while reducing the centralizing tendency of ASIC mining.

ZClassic is a privacy focused crytpocurrency that is a fork of ZCash. ZClassic enables a high degree of privacy and anonymity of transactions.The key differences between ZClassic and ZCash are the elimination of the 20% mining fee that are allocated as a "founders' reward" and the removal of ZCash's block limit, that was intended to create scarcity.