Crypto sleuth ZachXBT, known for busting scams and rug pulls in the blockchain world, just dropped a thread that's a must-read for anyone dipping into privacy tools—especially if you're trading meme coins. In his latest post on X, he breaks down a privacy hiccup he found while testing Zashi, a wallet that's gaining buzz for its user-friendly approach to Zcash (ZEC), a privacy-focused cryptocurrency. Let's dive into what he uncovered and why it matters for the meme token crowd.

Testing Privacy Tools: ZachXBT's Approach

ZachXBT isn't just about exposing bad actors; he's all about pushing the boundaries of privacy products to see where they crack. This time, he zeroed in on Zashi's integration with Near Intents, a feature that lets users bridge assets across chains while keeping things shielded—meaning your transactions stay private, away from prying eyes on the blockchain.

He starts by bridging 1 SOL from Solana to Zcash via Near Intents and then shielding it. Shielding here means converting transparent (public) ZEC to shielded (private) ZEC, which is Zcash's big selling point for anonymity.

The source transaction hash from Solana? It's 3R82PEDc1WsvQHbEaEph5igAbfvunWjg3ErpjrAvQ5rzkhcqRkhp9MKocKXMNLAwTNrW2rrP3cicywb2HFcBMxF4. And the destination on Zcash: 7b7af9aaebf9270bd1f2dafe64beb5dab43ffd178b909e5bbbfc0284d759af26.

The Crosspay Feature and the Refund Glitch

Things get interesting when ZachXBT tries to anonymously fund an Ethereum address using his shielded ZEC. He uses Zashi's "Crosspay" feature through Near Intents to swap for 0.005 ETH, landing it at 0x6dda3649f19191a9df465f4010019f2f59c34bc4.

The swap goes through, but here's the snag: a refund of 0.001598 ZEC pops back to his original transparent address (t-address). This creates a direct link between his shielded funds and the public address, basically undoing the privacy shield.

The refund transaction? cf1d5ac83394ed21dd43f123b37e94826b46cd524d045e94165f81a774153953. And the Near Intents Zcash address involved: t1Ku2KLyndDPsR32jwnrTMd3yvi9tfFP8ML.

By matching timings and amounts from the Near Intents address, anyone could spot these refunds and trace back to your initial shielding address. Since t-addresses are static (they don't change), this is a big privacy leak.

Zashi's Response and Temporary Fixes

ZachXBT reached out to the Zashi team, who confirmed they're on it. Plans include adding ephemeral addresses (temporary ones that rotate for better privacy) and eventually shielding those refunds via Near Intents.

In the meantime, his advice? Use multiple seed phrases on separate devices if you're doing Crosspay transfers with shielded ZEC. This way, you avoid linking everything back to one wallet.

Overall, he gives Zashi props for its smooth UI/UX, saying it fixes a lot of gripes he had with Monero, another privacy coin heavyweight.

Why This Matters for Meme Coin Traders

In the wild world of meme tokens, where pumps and dumps happen in the blink of an eye, maintaining on-chain opsec (operational security) is crucial. Scammers and hackers are always lurking, and tools like Zashi could be a game-changer for anonymously moving funds without leaving a trail. But this flaw shows even the best-intentioned privacy tech can have weak spots.

ZachXBT's thread is a wake-up call: don't assume your shielded funds are bulletproof. For meme coin enthusiasts, who often juggle volatile assets across chains, learning these nuances can prevent doxxing or targeted attacks.

Looking Ahead: More Opsec Tips and Services

Wrapping up, ZachXBT asks if folks want more posts on maintaining proper on-chain opsec. He's even floating the idea of a consulting service for individual traders or small funds to anonymize their activity—reducing the risk of being fingerprinted on the blockchain.

He makes it clear: no threat actors need apply; he's got a sixth sense for that. And while he's wary of bad actors misusing this info, he's frustrated with the industry's slow response to privacy issues and victim support.

If you're trading meme coins and want to up your privacy game, check out the original thread on X. Stay safe out there—knowledge is your best shield in the crypto jungle.