Zcash Targets November for NU7 Upgrade, Aims to Cut Block Interval to 25 Seconds
Zcash has published the NU7 upgrade timeline. Testnet activation is scheduled for October 6, with target mainnet activation on November 5, 2026, although the final decision has not yet been made.
Zcash NU7 upgrade is scheduled for testnet activation on October 6, 2026, with a target mainnet activation date of November 5, 2026, according to the published timeline. However, this is not a finally approved date: according to the timeline, the activation decision, including the specific block height, is scheduled for October 20.
NU7 is a planned consensus change for the Zcash network. The plan includes reducing the target time between blocks from 75 to 25 seconds, disabling version 4 transactions, and integrating the Network Sustainability Mechanism.
Zcash NU7 upgrade aims to reduce the wait for the first confirmation
Technical proposal ZIP 218 describes changing the target block spacing to 25 seconds. According to the proposal, this would reduce the expected wait for a transaction’s first confirmation from approximately 75 seconds to 25 seconds.
ZIP 218 also states that, under the same risk model, confirmation latency could be slightly less than three times lower. However, this statement does not apply to every step of a payment. Shortening the block interval alone does not mean that creating, sending, or finalizing every private payment will be exactly three times faster.
Proposal ZIP 218 is also still marked “Draft.” Its parameters are therefore not yet the final specification of the deployed change.
The timeline still leaves room for change
According to the timeline, implementation is to be completed by September 30, 2026. Testnet activation is then scheduled for October 6.
According to the timeline, the final decision on mainnet activation is scheduled for October 20. This also includes the activation block height. November 5 should therefore be understood as a target dependent on code completion and testnet experience, not as an irrevocably confirmed date.
What the change could mean for services around Zcash
If NU7 is approved and deployed as planned, the shorter block interval should reduce the target time for the first confirmation to one-third of its previous value. This could improve network usability for payments, exchange deposits, or cross-chain operations.
However, the specific impact will not be the same for all services. Wallets, exchanges, bridges, and indexers may have different implementations and confirmation requirements. The user experience will therefore not depend solely on the new block interval.
The next milestones to watch will be implementation completion by the end of September, testnet activation on October 6, and the decision on October 20. The final wording of ZIP 218 and related proposals for the Network Sustainability Mechanism will also be important.
Sources
- Zcash Community Forum – NU7 Timeline – Published NU7 timeline, planned features, October 6 testnet, November 5 target mainnet, and the final decision on October 20, 2026.
- ZIP 218: 25-second Block Target Spacing – Technical proposal to change the target block interval from 75 to 25 seconds, the expected benefit for confirmation latency, and the proposal’s Draft status.
- Zcash Improvement Proposals – The official ZIP registry lists ZIP 218 as Draft and NU7 as a future, not yet established, mainnet upgrade.
- CoinDesk – Independent coverage of the target date, the planned reduction in block intervals, and its dependence on the final decision.
Verified and updated: September 18, 2026 15:28
