Read this article on bsc.news Zcash (@Zcash) has activated its NU7 network upgrade on mainnet, cutting the target block time from 75 seconds to 25 seconds. The change makes transaction confir
Zcash (@Zcash) has activated its NU7 network upgrade on mainnet, cutting the target block time from 75 seconds to 25 seconds. The change makes transaction confirmations roughly three times faster, while the network's privacy features remain in place. $ZEC was trading near $1,250 on November 6, according to crypto.news.
NU7 went live at block 3,543,405. As the upgrade's rules are set out in ZIP 259, activation is tied to block height rather than a calendar date, according to CoinPaprika. CoinDesk, as relayed by Bloomingbit, reported that merchants can expect a first confirmation in about 25 seconds on average. For exchanges that require three confirmations, the wait falls to about 75 seconds from roughly four minutes.
Daily $ZEC issuance is not meant to change. The subsidy per block falls by about 67%, which keeps scheduled daily issuance steady as blocks arrive three times as often, crypto.news reported. The four-year halving cycle and the 21 million supply cap also stay the same.
The 25-second figure is a target, not a guarantee. Early post-upgrade data from CoinDesk, cited by Coin-Turk, showed the first 225 blocks averaging about 39 seconds as mining difficulty adjusted.
The upgrade will affect exchanges, wallets and merchant services that depend on confirmation counts. Exchanges can still change how many confirmations they require before crediting deposits, so the practical gain depends on each platform's policy.
NU7 also introduces the Network Sustainability Mechanism. Under ZIP 235, miners keep 40% of each block's transaction fees, while the other 60% is removed from circulation and placed in a reserve, per Unchained. The fees are not permanently burned. Under ZIP 237, reissuance begins at block 8,939,664, expected around February 2031.
The upgrade also changes how shielded transactions are handled. crypto.news reported that NU7 introduces shielded transaction limits, which fits the aim of limiting potential spam. Separately, NU7 retires the original Sprout privacy pool. Unchained reported that spending from Sprout has ended, with about 12,224 ZEC held in the pool at activation.
Node operators needed to update ahead of activation. Validators had to move to Zebra 7.0.0 before the upgrade, according to a KuCoin News report.
Unchained: Zcash Activates NU7, Taking 60% of Transaction Fees Out of Circulation
CoinPaprika: Zcash's NU7 Upgrade Triples Payment Speed, Freezes Its Oldest Privacy Pool
crypto.news: Zcash Is Cutting Block Times. What Changes for Users and Miners?
