Zcash NU7 Upgrade Goes Live, Slashing Block Times From 75 Seconds to Just 25 Seconds

Brief

By Dextape Desk · November 7, 2026

On November 5, Zcash activated its NU7 upgrade on mainnet at block 3,543,405. Target block times dropped from 75 seconds to 25 seconds. Issuance rewards are recalibrated so the pace of new ZEC supply stays roughly unchanged, while halvings now span three times as many blocks. Shielded Labs developed the Network Sustainability Mechanism, which pulls 60% of transaction fees out of circulation and returns them through later block rewards. Reissuance starts at block 8,939,664, projected for 2031. The total ZEC supply stays capped at 21 million. NU7 also disables version 4 transactions, leaving about 12,224 ZEC in the Sprout pool unspendable. A separate proposal would have Zcash Community Grants contribute 50,000 ZEC from its treasury.

Why it matters: The changes respond to a long-running question for proof-of-work networks about whether fees alone can keep the network secure as block subsidies decline.

Summary by Dextape, based on reporting by CryptoPotato. Machine-written from CryptoPotato’s report and checked against it · How Dextape writes