Zcash has activated its NU7 network upgrade on public testnet, cutting the target block interval from 75 seconds to 25 seconds before a possible November mainnet release.
The rules became active at testnet block 4,465,026. Both principal node implementations now support the trial.
If service providers preserve a three-confirmation policy, the targeted waiting period would fall from about 225 seconds to 75 seconds. Actual confirmation time will vary with block production, and exchanges may change their required confirmation counts after measuring reorganization and operational risk.
NU7 also changes fee distribution. Miners would receive 40% of transaction fees, while 60% would enter a reserve intended to support future mining rewards. The per-block subsidy is reduced to one-third so the faster block schedule does not accelerate ZEC issuance.
The upgrade disables transactions using Sprout, Zcash’s oldest shielded pool. Users with funds still held through Sprout need to migrate them before mainnet activation to retain normal spending access.
Developers plan to review test results on October 20. November 5 remains the target date, but the official upgrade record does not yet specify a mainnet activation height.
TOKEN RECON ASSESSMENT
Public testnet activation moves NU7 from specification into an interoperability trial for wallets, exchanges, miners and node operators. The October 20 decision should depend on stable block production, compatible software adoption and safe Sprout migration.
Sources
Zcash Foundation:https://zfnd.org/zebra-7-0-0-rc-0-nu7-arrives-on-testnet/
Official Zcash NU7 Upgrade Page:https://z.cash/upgrade/nu7/
Zcash Improvement Proposal 259:https://zips.z.cash/zip-0259
