Zcash (ZEC) climbed approximately 12% in the past 24 hours, after developers agreed to a mainnet activation block for the network’s NU7 upgrade, anticipated for early November.
Developers confirm activation block and timeline
Zcash traded near $1,270 on Wednesday, as reported by CoinGecko. The price increase followed a GitHub proposal on Tuesday from Zcash developer Sean Bowe, who specified block 3,543,405 as the target for mainnet activation. This block is estimated to be reached around November 5.
Bowe noted in the developer discussion, “Height agreed at ZIP editor meeting,” while emphasizing the need for the team to complete the upgrade specifications before approving the final merge. Two Zcash developers have signed off on these changes so far.
The ZIP editor meeting resulted in an agreement on the block height, with pending specifications yet to be finalized before the proposal moves forward.
The Zakura NU7 dashboard also lists the network upgrade as pending at block 3,543,405, with mainnet activation expected in early November.
NU7 upgrade: faster block times and improved efficiency
The NU7 upgrade is designed to shorten Zcash’s target block time from 75 seconds to 25 seconds, effectively reducing transaction confirmation times on the network. Testing for this upgrade has been underway since early October, according to project documentation.
Mini dictionary: ZIP editor meeting – A session where developers responsible for Zcash Improvement Proposals (ZIPs) review, discuss, and finalize critical changes to the protocol.
| Upgrade | Current block time | Target block time | Expected activation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NU7 | 75 seconds | 25 seconds | Early November (block 3,543,405) |
Remaining tasks before activation
The Zcash Foundation’s NU7 readiness tracker showed that six out of 12 required tasks have been completed as of the latest update. Pending work includes resolving Zebra node synchronization issues and finalizing preparations for the mainnet launch.
Developers have not yet indicated whether these outstanding issues could impact the planned activation schedule. No further comments were issued regarding potential delays.
Six of twelve upgrade tasks are complete, with Zebra node sync and mainnet readiness still in progress, according to the Zcash Foundation’s tracker.
The NU7 upgrade was previously activated on the Zcash testnet, setting the stage for next month’s mainnet deployment if all preparations are finalized on time.
