Zcash Seeks to Cut Block Time to 25 Seconds From 75 in NU7 Upgrade

Zcash is seeking to cut its block generation time to 25 seconds from 75 seconds.

CoinDesk reported on September 16 that about 2.4 million ZEC participated in a recent token-holder vote to determine the scope of NU7, Zcash’s next major network upgrade. Each eligible ZEC counted as one vote, and the minimum participation threshold for the result to be recognized as representative of token holders’ views was set at 1 million ZEC.

The results showed that 99.9% of participating tokens backed reducing block time to 25 seconds from 75 seconds. Another 98.9% supported maintaining the existing Bitcoin-style halving schedule.

A proposal to delay the reissuance of ZEC recovered through the Network Sustainability Mechanism, or NSM, until February 2031 won support from 96.6% of participating tokens. Under the NSM, some ZEC, including at least 60% of transaction fees, is temporarily removed from circulation and later reintroduced through future block rewards.

Token holders opposed delaying the NU7 launch. Some 99.3% of participating tokens supported rolling out NU7 as quickly as possible with features that are ready, even if functions not implemented by September 30 are excluded from the upgrade.

The vote also drew attention because it did not expose token holders’ balances or identities. Voting eligibility was limited to ZEC held in Ironwood, Zcash’s latest private transaction pool.