Read this article on bsc.news @Zcash is due to activate its Network Upgrade 7 (NU7) at block 3,543,405, with the chain expected to reach that height around Thursday, November 5. The upgrade c
@Zcash is due to activate its Network Upgrade 7 (NU7) at block 3,543,405, with the chain expected to reach that height around Thursday, November 5. The upgrade cuts the target time between blocks from 75 seconds to 25, so the average wait for a first confirmation falls to a third of its current level, while the reward per block shrinks so that daily $ZEC issuance stays the same.
The shorter block target is set out in ZIP 218. Today a Zcash user waits 75 seconds on average for a first confirmation, and under ZIP 218 that falls to 25 seconds , according to the Zcash Foundation. The foundation says the delay is an obstacle at a point of sale, for exchange deposits, and for cross chain bridges .
The change builds on an earlier one. Zcash previously reduced block times through its Blossom upgrade in 2019, lowering the interval from 150 seconds to 75 seconds.
The upgrade also alters how fees are handled. NU7 introduces a mechanism that temporarily removes 60% of transaction fees from circulation , according to crypto.news, with the aim of funding future block rewards. Miners keep the other 40% , according to KuCoin News.
Users with older holdings should also take note. Version 4 transactions become invalid at activation, while versions 5 and 6 remain valid. Transfers out of Sprout, Zcash's original shielded pool, can only use version 4, so ZEC left there at activation becomes unspendable. Developers had previously tested the changes, as NU7 became active on the testnet at block 4,465,026 on October 4.
@ZcashFoundation has released Zebra 7.0.0, its first stable node software supporting NU7 on mainnet. The release came on October 22 and fixes seven security issues, according to KuCoin News. Crypto.news, however, reports the foundation as citing fixes for five security advisories, so the exact number should be checked against the official release notes.
Operators need to act before the switch. Nodes running software without NU7 support may stay online but follow a pre-upgrade branch of the network after activation, so operators who want the upgraded rules need compatible software before block 3,543,405 arrives.Zebra 6.4.x releases are scheduled to stop operating days before the upgrade.
Timing depends on block production rather than the clock. Activation is triggered by the blockchain reaching a defined height, not by a fixed hour. Some trackers suggest it could slip slightly, with one outlet noting that if the block pace varies, the timing shifts by a few hours.
Sources
Zcash Foundation: Zebra 7.0.0-rc.0 and NU7 overviewTokenPost: Zcash sets NU7 activation height at 3,543,405crypto.news: Zebra 7.0.0 and the NU7 node upgrade deadline
