Zcash Reveals November 5 Target for NU7 Upgrade

Zcash holders had already supported shorter block times and the retention of the network’s existing halving structure. Our earlier report explains what the Zcash vote would change.

The new NU7 timeline adds the part that the vote could not provide: deadlines for completing the code, testing it and deciding whether it is ready for mainnet.

The forum post says the Zcash Foundation, Tachyon, Valar, ZODL and Shielded Labs reached agreement with the engineering teams working across the ecosystem. Developers responsible for the Zakura and Zebra node implementations also discussed whether the proposed schedule was achievable.

A governance vote cannot change Zcash’s consensus rules by itself. Zakura and Zebra must implement compatible rules before exchanges, wallets and infrastructure providers can prepare for activation.

October 20 will be the go/no-go review

During the two-week testnet window, developers can check whether Zakura and Zebra remain in agreement while producing blocks under the new rules. Exchanges, indexers and block explorers will also have an opportunity to test whether their systems can process the higher block frequency without falling behind.

This makes November 5 a target rather than a guaranteed activation date. A consensus mismatch, performance problem or infrastructure failure found on testnet could still delay the upgrade.

NU7’s release package has become narrower

The planned upgrade contains three principal changes: a 25-second block target, the removal of support for version 4 transactions and integration of the network sustainability mechanism.

NU7 will not introduce a new transaction format. Removing that work from the release reduces the number of consensus changes that must be implemented and tested before November.

The forum announcement says maintained wallets should not require significant changes. Users are not being asked to move funds, create new addresses or convert existing ZEC before activation.

Software that still creates version 4 transactions is a separate concern. Those transactions would no longer be accepted after NU7, so abandoned or outdated wallet software may stop working correctly. Users relying on actively maintained wallets should receive the necessary compatibility changes through normal software updates.

Infrastructure operators face the larger adjustment. Full nodes will encounter blocks more frequently, while exchanges, explorers and indexers must ensure their systems can follow the faster chain. Testnet performance will show whether those services can handle the change before the rules become mandatory on mainnet.

READ MORE:

Binance’s EU License Bid Reportedly Faced Pressure From ECB Chief

Fees would return through mining rewards after 2031

NU7 would also introduce the fee component of the network sustainability mechanism. Under ZIP 235, at least 60% of the transaction fees in each block would initially leave circulation. The remaining portion could continue to reward miners.

The removed ZEC would not be transferred into a treasury controlled by the Zcash Foundation, developers or another organization. The resulting supply reduction would later be offset algorithmically through additional block issuance.

The agreed design preserves Zcash’s scheduled halvings. Reissuance is expected to begin in February 2031, allowing transaction activity after NU7 to contribute to mining rewards in later years without changing the near-term halving schedule.

The eventual contribution will depend on how much the network is used. Low fee revenue would add little to future mining rewards, while higher transaction activity would shift more ZEC from present fees into later issuance.

Testnet performance now decides whether the deadline holds

The main uncertainty is no longer whether the community supports 25-second blocks. Developers must now show that both node implementations can follow the same chain and that supporting infrastructure can process blocks arriving three times as frequently.

Successful testing would leave the activation-height decision as the final step before NU7 reaches mainnet. Material failures would provide a clear reason to move the November target rather than expose the production network to an upgrade that is not ready.

This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Network-upgrade dates and technical specifications may change during testing.

The post Zcash Reveals November 5 Target for NU7 Upgrade appeared first on Coindoo.