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Ahmed Barakat
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In Zcash news today, the privacy network activated its NU7 upgrade on the public testnet at block 4,465,026, shifting the target interval from 75 seconds to 25 seconds. If services retain a three-confirmation policy, the target wait falls to about 75 seconds from 225, but this remains a testnet trial rather than a mainnet change.
The test uses valueless coins to let developers and infrastructure operators rehearse the upgrade. NU7 also redirects 60% of transaction fees to a future-reward reserve, cuts per-block rewards to preserve the ZEC issuance schedule, and disables Sprout transactions.
This network upgrade news comes as ZEC USD is trading down -2.5% over the past 24 hours, sitting at just over $1,300. However, the privacy token is still up more than +30% in the past 30 days, one of the strongest-performing assets through September.
Zcash News: What Does the Shorter Block Time Actually Mean for ZEC?
The public testnet activation is ahead of the November rollout, which aims to produce blocks every 25 seconds, three times more frequently than the previous 75-second target.
This means that three confirmations will take approximately 75 seconds instead of 225 seconds. However, actual block times can vary, and different providers may set their own confirmation policies, which could affect how quickly deposits are credited.
The 25-second blocks are part of the broader NU7 upgrade, in which miners receive 40% of transaction fees, and the block reward is reduced to one-third. Additionally, NU7 disables transactions using Sprout, Zcash’s oldest privacy system, requiring holders to move their funds before mainnet activation to retain spending capabilities.
This adds complexity to what seems like a straightforward performance improvement, reflecting the broader issues in privacy-coin discussions.
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Public Testnet Gives Operators a Live Rehearsal Before Rollout
Each block records a batch of payments, so producing blocks more frequently could reduce the time merchants wait before accepting a payment or exchanges take to credit a deposit.
Three confirmations are an example policy, not a universal requirement or a guarantee of finality. As with other crypto transfers, including those affected by changing confirmation times, provider rules determine when a transaction is considered usable.
The public testnet’s coins have no monetary value, giving developers and infrastructure operators a place to check the changes before they affect real ZEC.
Zakura released its implementation on October 1, and the Zcash Foundation published a test version of Zebra on October 2. Both major node programs now support the trial, and operators need compatible software to follow the upgraded network.
The test, therefore, checks more than whether blocks arrive on a shorter schedule. It gives services and node operators a chance to validate their software and operating assumptions before any mainnet deployment. The target interval is a protocol parameter; deposit-crediting speed is determined by each service.
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Test Results on October 20 Precede the November 5 Mainnet Target
In other Zcash news, developers plan to review the test results and decide on mainnet activation on October 20. November 5 remains the target date, but no mainnet activation block has been set. The testnet launch alone does not confirm that the upgrade will go live on that schedule.
If NU7 proceeds, the realized effect on Zcash payments and deposits will depend on the network’s performance, adoption of compatible software, and the confirmation thresholds services choose to apply.
The 75-second three-confirmation estimate is the potential improvement under an unchanged policy, not a forecast that every wallet or exchange will credit ZEC on that timetable.
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