- Zcash developers are targeting block 3,543,405 for NU7 mainnet activation around November.
- NU7 will reduce target block times from 75 to 25 seconds, remove 60% of transaction fees from circulation and disable legacy Sprout transactions.
Zcash’s NU7 mainnet upgrade is targeting activation at block 3,543,405, expected around November 5, following final changes to ZIP 259, according to Zcash development team Zakura.
In an October 21 post on X, Zakura said the activation height was being set as part of the final changes to the deployment proposal. The team also confirmed that it had updated its NU7 dashboard to reflect the planned activation point.
The upgrade will introduce several changes to Zcash, including faster block production, adjustments to transaction fees and the shutdown of the network’s legacy Sprout transaction format.
NU7 has already reached the Zcash testnet on Oct 4, where developers can assess the changes before the main network rollout. The November 5 date remains an estimate because activation depends on reaching the specified block height, rather than a fixed time.
NU7 to Cut Target Block Time to 25 Seconds
One of the upgrade’s main changes is a reduction in Zcash’s target block interval from 75 seconds to 25 seconds. Blocks will therefore be targeted three times more frequently, potentially reducing transaction confirmation delays. The change does not mean that every transaction will confirm within 25 seconds, as actual confirmation times depend on network conditions.
NU7 will also introduce the Network Sustainability Mechanism and remove 60% of transaction fees from circulation. Under the planned rules, those fees will be held for future issuance, with the mechanism designed to preserve Zcash’s existing halving schedule. The planned reintroduction of funds is expected to begin around February 2031.
The upgrade will also disable version 4 transactions, which are required for transfers from Zcash’s legacy Sprout privacy pool. As a result, funds remaining in Sprout after activation will become unspendable under the new consensus rules. Users with funds in that pool should review their wallets and move eligible funds before the upgrade.
NU7 does not introduce a new transaction format. However, full-node operators, indexers and block explorers may need compatible software to follow the upgraded network.
The November target gives exchanges, wallet providers and infrastructure operators a limited window to prepare for the consensus change.
