diff --git a/modules/utxo-lib/src/bitgo/zcash/ZcashBufferutils.ts b/modules/utxo-lib/src/bitgo/zcash/ZcashBufferutils.ts
index 7011eb9f2e..ad0f297700 100644
--- a/modules/utxo-lib/src/bitgo/zcash/ZcashBufferutils.ts
+++ b/modules/utxo-lib/src/bitgo/zcash/ZcashBufferutils.ts
@@ -91,11 +91,10 @@ export function fromBufferV4<TNumber extends number | bigint>(
   }
 
   if (tx.isSaplingCompatible()) {
-    const valueBalance = bufferReader.readSlice(8);
-    if (!valueBalance.equals(VALUE_INT64_ZERO)) {
-      /* istanbul ignore next */
-      throw new UnsupportedTransactionError(`valueBalance must be zero`);
-    }
+    // valueBalance is a signed int64; negative for t->z shielding transactions.
+    // Store raw bytes so toBuffer/getId can round-trip the tx without mutation.
+    // https://github.com/zcash/zcash/blob/v4.5.1/src/primitives/transaction.h#L283
+    tx.saplingValueBalance = bufferReader.readSlice(8);
 
     // https://github.com/zcash/zcash/blob/v4.5.1/src/primitives/transaction.h#L863
     readEmptySaplingBundle(bufferReader);
@@ -167,7 +166,7 @@ export function toBufferV4<TNumber extends number | bigint>(
   }
 
   if (tx.isSaplingCompatible()) {
-    bufferWriter.writeSlice(VALUE_INT64_ZERO);
+    bufferWriter.writeSlice(tx.saplingValueBalance ?? VALUE_INT64_ZERO);
     bufferWriter.writeVarInt(0); // vShieldedSpendLength
     bufferWriter.writeVarInt(0); // vShieldedOutputLength
   }
diff --git a/modules/utxo-lib/src/bitgo/zcash/ZcashTransaction.ts b/modules/utxo-lib/src/bitgo/zcash/ZcashTransaction.ts
index f44fdabe66..858f9aa24a 100644
--- a/modules/utxo-lib/src/bitgo/zcash/ZcashTransaction.ts
+++ b/modules/utxo-lib/src/bitgo/zcash/ZcashTransaction.ts
@@ -114,6 +114,10 @@ export class ZcashTransaction<TNumber extends number | bigint = number> extends
   // Block height after which this transactions will expire, or 0 to disable expiry
   expiryHeight = 0;
   consensusBranchId: number;
+  // Raw 8-byte little-endian signed int64 valueBalance field for Sapling v4 txs.
+  // Negative when value flows from the transparent pool into the shielded pool
+  // (t->z shielding). Stored verbatim so toBuffer/getId round-trip correctly.
+  saplingValueBalance: Buffer = VALUE_INT64_ZERO;
 
   constructor(public network: ZcashNetwork, tx?: ZcashTransaction<bigint | number>, amountType?: 'bigint' | 'number') {
     super(network, tx, amountType);
@@ -123,6 +127,7 @@ export class ZcashTransaction<TNumber extends number | bigint = number> extends
       this.overwintered = tx.overwintered;
       this.versionGroupId = tx.versionGroupId;
       this.expiryHeight = tx.expiryHeight;
+      this.saplingValueBalance = tx.saplingValueBalance;
 
       if (tx.consensusBranchId !== undefined) {
         consensusBranchId = tx.consensusBranchId;
@@ -378,7 +383,7 @@ export class ZcashTransaction<TNumber extends number | bigint = number> extends
     bufferWriter.writeUInt32(this.locktime);
     bufferWriter.writeUInt32(this.expiryHeight);
     if (this.isSaplingCompatible()) {
-      bufferWriter.writeSlice(VALUE_INT64_ZERO);
+      bufferWriter.writeSlice(this.saplingValueBalance);
     }
     bufferWriter.writeInt32(hashType);
 
diff --git a/modules/utxo-lib/test/bitgo/zcash/ZcashTransaction.ts b/modules/utxo-lib/test/bitgo/zcash/ZcashTransaction.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0df0c32fb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/utxo-lib/test/bitgo/zcash/ZcashTransaction.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import * as assert from 'assert';
+import { networks } from '../../../src';
+import { ZcashTransaction } from '../../../src/bitgo';
+
+// Minimal Sapling v4 transaction with valueBalance = -5 (t->z shielding).
+// Built as: header(0x80000004) | versionGroupId(0x892F2085) | vin(0) | vout(0) |
+//           locktime(0) | expiryHeight(0) | valueBalance(-5 as int64le) |
+//           vSpendsSapling(0) | vOutputsSapling(0) | vJoinSplit(0)
+const SHIELDING_TX_HEX = '0400008085202f8900000000000000000000fbffffffffffffff000000';
+
+describe('ZcashTransaction (Sapling valueBalance)', function () {
+  describe('round-trip for t->z shielding tx (negative valueBalance)', function () {
+    it('parses without throwing', function () {
+      const tx = ZcashTransaction.fromBuffer(Buffer.from(SHIELDING_TX_HEX, 'hex'), false, 'number', networks.zcash);
+      // saplingValueBalance stores raw bytes; -5 in int64le is fb ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
+      assert.strictEqual(tx.saplingValueBalance.toString('hex'), 'fbffffffffffffff');
+    });
+
+    it('re-serializes to the same hex (toBuffer round-trip)', function () {
+      const tx = ZcashTransaction.fromBuffer(Buffer.from(SHIELDING_TX_HEX, 'hex'), false, 'number', networks.zcash);
+      assert.strictEqual(tx.toBuffer().toString('hex'), SHIELDING_TX_HEX);
+    });
+
+    it('computes getId() without throwing', function () {
+      const tx = ZcashTransaction.fromBuffer(Buffer.from(SHIELDING_TX_HEX, 'hex'), false, 'number', networks.zcash);
+      // Just verify it does not throw; the exact txid is deterministic from the hex above.
+      assert.doesNotThrow(() => tx.getId());
+    });
+
+    it('clones correctly', function () {
+      const tx = ZcashTransaction.fromBuffer(Buffer.from(SHIELDING_TX_HEX, 'hex'), false, 'number', networks.zcash);
+      const cloned = tx.clone();
+      assert.strictEqual(cloned.toBuffer().toString('hex'), SHIELDING_TX_HEX);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('round-trip for transparent tx (zero valueBalance)', function () {
+    it('saplingValueBalance defaults to all-zero bytes', function () {
+      const tx = new ZcashTransaction(networks.zcash);
+      assert.strictEqual(tx.saplingValueBalance.toString('hex'), '0000000000000000');
+    });
+  });
+});