Zcash to implement NU7 network upgrade on November 5

The Zcash network is scheduled to activate its NU7 upgrade on approximately November 5, 2026, at block height 3,543,405. This seventh major network upgrade will significantly reduce block times from 75 seconds to 25 seconds, allowing transactions to confirm roughly three times faster.

The upgrade also includes adjustments to the issuance of new ZEC to maintain the existing halving schedule despite the increased block frequency. Additionally, the implementation of ZIP 2003 will disable version 4 transactions. This change will effectively freeze the original Sprout shielded pool, as version 4 transactions are the only format capable of spending coins from that pool. It is estimated that approximately 22,000 ZEC currently reside in the Sprout pool and will become unspendable once the upgrade goes live.

To ensure a smooth transition, node operators, miners, wallets, and exchanges must upgrade their software to support the new protocol parameters before the activation deadline.