Zcash activated its seventh network upgrade, NU7, at block 3,543,405, mined at 02:34 UTC on November 6, 2026. The change cuts the cryptocurrency’s target interval between blocks from 75 seconds to 25 seconds and introduces new rules for transaction fees and shielded transfers. The activation is recorded by an independent block explorer, while Zcash Foundation’s Zebra release notes and the NU7 consensus specification establish the new rules.

Zcash is a proof-of-work network like Bitcoin, but supports shielded payments that can conceal addresses and amounts through zero-knowledge cryptography. Faster blocks aim to reduce confirmation latency, not create more coins or guarantee every transaction settles within 25 seconds. Network difficulty, competing blocks and exchange confirmation policies continue to affect user experience.

Three times as many target blocks, not more ZEC per day

Under ZIP 218, the block subsidy is divided by three while the number of blocks per unit of time triples. The halving interval, measured in blocks, is also tripled. Consequently, the network aims to preserve its historical issuance rate, approximately four-year halving schedule and 21 million ZEC supply limit. Immediately after activation, actual block intervals remained variable as proof-of-work difficulty adjusted.

The changes also place limits on Orchard, Ironwood and Sapling shielded activity. Zcash Foundation estimates capacity for certain Orchard payments can rise from 2.9 to 6.6 transactions per second, while worst-case wallet synchronization bandwidth declines about 37%. Such figures describe protocol capacity and modeled worst-case workloads, not measured daily transaction throughput.

Miners keep 40% of fees as a reserve builds

The Network Sustainability Mechanism redirects 60% of each block’s transaction fees out of circulating supply into a publicly accounted reserve. Miners can immediately claim the remaining 40%. Under ZIP 237, gradual reissuance of the reserved coins is scheduled to begin at block 8,939,664, expected around 2031. The withheld fees are not permanently destroyed; they are earmarked for future mining rewards.

The distinction matters for operators assessing rewards across a shortened block interval. BitcoinVersus.Tech previously covered Fortitude’s 15 MW Nebraska Zcash mine and planned next-generation Zcash mining ASIC purchases. The NU7 fee mechanism alters how transaction fees reach miners, but hardware energy efficiency and electricity costs remain central to mining economics.

About 12,224 ZEC left stranded in Sprout

The upgrade rejects version 4 transactions, the only transaction format capable of spending coins from Zcash’s original Sprout shielded pool. Blockchain trackers reported approximately 12,224 ZEC remaining there at activation. Under the current protocol, those coins cannot move. The coins were not burned, and a future consensus change might restore access, although no recovery mechanism has been approved.

Legacy wallet support is therefore a more consequential limitation than faster routine confirmations. Readers examining privacy mechanisms can compare proposals to add Zcash-style privacy to Bitcoin and a separate explainer on Bitcoin’s unspent transaction outputs. Zcash’s shielded pools involve different data structures and upgrade constraints.

Operators should run Zebra 7.0.0 or newer, or another confirmed NU7-compatible node implementation. Unsupported peers risk following a different consensus branch after activation. For miners and pools, the updated getblocktemplate requirements also mean constructing fresh templates when transaction sets change, rather than modifying fee commitments in place. Prior coverage of Z15 Pro mining firmware support illustrates the operational dependencies surrounding Equihash mining hardware.

NU7’s mainnet activation is confirmed. Sustainable 25-second averages, wallet synchronization improvements and any economic benefits will require post-upgrade measurement. Faster confirmation targets come with protocol maintenance obligations—and the permanent availability of legacy Sprout holdings remains unresolved.

Editor’s Note: NU7 activation was checked against mainnet block 3,543,405, the Zcash Foundation’s October 22 Zebra 7.0.0 release notes and the consensus ZIP 259 specification. CoinDesk’s November 6 reporting independently confirmed activation and observed early block times. The 25-second interval is a target, protocol throughput figures are estimated capacities, and approximately 12,224 ZEC in Sprout is unspendable under current rules, not burned. Media are Zcash/Zebra project assets, not photographs of a mining deployment. No unverified YouTube IDs are included. Independent live-browser and mobile display tests remain outstanding.

To donate 5,000 sats, open the article on another screen and scan the original QR code with a compatible Bitcoin wallet. On mobile, use another screen or a wallet’s supported saved-image QR scanning option. Check the destination 3C9o19EH5HSiwEPyCTmEKzxhNCbo2X6TTb before sending.

We volunteer daily to ensure the information on this platform is Verifiably True. If you would like to support the research, please scan QR code.

BitcoinVersus.tech is not a financial advisor. Cryptocurrency and mining reports are provided for informational purposes; network and wallet security remain the reader’s responsibility.