Zcash activated its NU7 upgrade at mainnet block 3,543,405, cutting target block spacing from 75 to 25 seconds. The shorter target does not make payments final instantly: blocks arrive irregularly, and exchanges and payment processors set their own confirmation requirements. Node operators need NU7-compatible software to remain on the consensus chain.
NU7 also introduced a reserve for future miner rewards. Accounts of the upgrade say it directs 60% of transaction fees to that reserve, leaving 40% available to miners when collected. The upgrade also ended support for older version-four transactions, affecting Zcash’s original Sprout pool.
