Zcash Mainnet Upgrade Targets November Launch
BITmarkets Team
Sep 25, 2026
Zcash developer Sean Bowe said Thursday that NU7 is scheduled to go live on testnet on Oct. 6. Developers are expected to make a final decision on the mainnet rollout and determine its activation height on Oct. 20, following an evaluation of the upgrade’s performance on testnet.
NU7 could cut Zcash block times to 25 Seconds
One of the most significant changes proposed under NU7 is a reduction in Zcash’s target block spacing from 75 seconds to 25 seconds, potentially allowing the network to process blocks three times as frequently. The upgrade would also disable version 4 transactions and introduce the Network Sustainability Mechanism (NSM). The selected NSM configuration would maintain Zcash’s existing halving schedule, with the reintroduction of previously removed supply set to begin in February 2031.
According to Bowe, NU7 would not add new transaction formats and is not expected to have a major impact on wallets. However, full nodes, indexers and block explorers may need to make adjustments ahead of the upgrade.
ZEC holders strongly back proposed changes
The planned changes received overwhelming support from ZEC holders in a vote held on Wednesday. Around 98.9% supported maintaining Zcash’s existing halving schedule, while 99.9% of the ZEC-weighted vote backed the proposal to shorten the network’s block interval. The results provide strong community support for two of the most significant elements included in the upcoming NU7 upgrade.
ZEC rallies ahead of planned upgrade
The proposed timeline comes as ZEC has recorded a sharp rise in price alongside broader strength among privacy-focused cryptocurrencies. ZEC gained approximately 20% over 24 hours on Thursday as privacy coins significantly outperformed the wider cryptocurrency market.
Glassnode data showed that the privacy coin sector stood 213% above its level at Bitcoin’s October 2025 peak. Meanwhile, a basket of privacy-focused assets excluding ZEC had risen approximately 85% over the previous year.
Sources:
https://cointelegraph.com/news/zcash-nu7-november-mainnet-activation
