Key facts
- Zcash NU7 mainnet upgrade targeted for November 5.
- NU7 will reduce Zcash block times from 75 seconds to 25 seconds.
- The upgrade will disable version 4 transactions and integrate the Network Sustainability Mechanism.
- The Network Sustainability Mechanism configuration will preserve Zcash's halving schedule, with supply reintroduction starting February 2031.
- NU7 will not introduce new transaction formats, but full nodes, indexers, and block explorers may require adjustments.
- Zcash holders overwhelmingly supported the faster block proposal and preserving halvings.
Zcash developers are aiming for a November 5 activation of the NU7 mainnet upgrade, following unanimous agreement on its specifications and timeline. The upgrade is slated for testnet activation on October 6, with a final decision on the mainnet deployment scheduled for October 20 after assessing testnet performance. NU7 will reduce the target block time from 75 seconds to 25 seconds, disable version 4 transactions, and implement the Network Sustainability Mechanism (NSM). The chosen NSM configuration will maintain Zcash's halving schedule, with new supply reintroduction beginning in February 2031. Developers stated that NU7 will not introduce new transaction formats, though full nodes, indexers, and block explorers may need adjustments. Zcash holders recently voted overwhelmingly in favor of the faster block times and the preserved halving schedule, with 98.9% supporting halving preservation and 99.9% of the ZEC-weighted vote backing the faster block proposal. This timeline emerges amid a recent surge in ZEC's price, with privacy coins outperforming the broader market.