Zcash NU7 Goes Live on Testnet as 25-Second Blocks Move Closer to Mainnet
Zcash has deployed the NU7 network hard fork onto its testnet, introducing faster 25-second block intervals, enhanced shielded transactions, and the Network Sustainability Mechanism ahead of a planned November mainnet rollout.
Zcash has deployed the NU7 network hard fork onto its testnet, bringing faster 25-second block intervals, enhanced features for shielded transactions, and various other upgrades.
Going live ahead of schedule at block 4,465,026 on October 4, NU7 provides an evaluation window before the network formally decides on deploying the upgrade to the main Zcash network.
Zcash NU7 Tests 25-Second Blocks Ahead of November Target
A central consensus modification in NU7 shrinks the target block spacing from 75 seconds down to 25 seconds. Adopting this adjustment on the main Zcash network would lower the expected block count during the present interval to three, thereby decreasing average initial block confirmation times from 75 seconds to 25 seconds.
This revision seeks to accelerate transfer speeds for payments, deposits, and cross-chain transactions. Even though blocks will be produced at a faster rate, the overall supply of ZEC will not triple.
To preserve a consistent overall issuance rate despite the higher volume of blocks, the protocol adjusts block rewards accordingly. Furthermore, NU7 extends the difficulty averaging period by 102 blocks to better sustain long-term issuance stability given the increased frequency of blocks over time.
Additionally, NU7 introduces new constraints on shielded transactions per block. According to the Zcash Foundation, these limits are designed to elevate shielded transaction capacity and minimize the maximum verification burden that spam traffic might impose on lightweight wallets.
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Published on October 2, Zebra 7.0.0-rc.0 provided support for NU7 on the public testnet, prompting node operators to deploy the release in a live network setting.
This gives developers a functional environment to assess how the updated consensus rules impact miners, wallet applications, alternative node software, and transactions. Because a definitive mainnet activation height has not yet been established, production nodes have not been asked to upgrade.
Zcash Adds Network Sustainability Mechanism With NU7
Another principal component is the Network Sustainability Mechanism, or NSM. Under NU7, 60% of transaction fees are removed from circulation and directed to an account dedicated to funding future emission costs, while the remaining 40% of fees are distributed to miners.
The upgrade will also deprecate version 4 transactions on the live network. This change may impact users holding ZEC within Sprout shielded addresses, as Sprout withdrawals depend on version 4 transactions. Individuals holding funds in Sprout shielded addresses may wish to withdraw them prior to the mainnet rollout to maintain uninterrupted access.
Drawing on Ironwood-related proposals rolled out by other network stakeholders, NU7 represents another major protocol revision to Zcash consensus rules. At present, the upgrade is functioning exclusively on the public testnet so that participants and infrastructure providers can test it ahead of mainnet activation.
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A mainnet launch is targeted for November 5, though it remains unconfirmed. Developers plan to review testnet performance on October 20 to determine whether to proceed with the mainnet release and establish the specific activation block height. Until then, NU7 remains strictly a testnet upgrade rather than an active modification to the Zcash mainnet.
