Last updated: September 23, 2026. NU7 has a proposed mainnet activation target of November 5, 2026. Its final activation decision, activation height and consensus rules remain subject to the upgrade process.

What Is Planned for Zcash NU7?

Zcash developers are targeting November 5, 2026, for NU7 mainnet activation. In a September 17 update, developer Sean Bowe outlined a coordinated timetable following discussions among Zcash ecosystem organizations and engineering teams. The planned scope includes 25-second target block spacing, disabling version 4 transactions, and integration of the Network Sustainability Mechanism (NSM), while preserving halvings and beginning NSM reissuance in February 2031. See the developer’s NU7 timeline.

The announced milestones are:

These dates are a development plan, not a guarantee of activation. Both Cointelegraph and CoinDesk reported the November target on September 18, 2026.

For miners, two changes deserve particular attention: faster block production with a corresponding subsidy adjustment, and a proposed change to the transaction fees available to miners. February 2031 concerns the later reissuance stage of NSM—not the proposed start of all fee-related changes.

From 75-Second to 25-Second Target Block Spacing

ZIP 218 proposes reducing Zcash’s target block spacing from 75 seconds to 25 seconds. That would mean approximately three times as many blocks over the same period once the network adjusts to the new target.

A target interval is not a promise that each block will arrive exactly 25 seconds after the previous one. Proof-of-work block discovery is probabilistic, and actual intervals vary. The difficulty-adjustment mechanism aims to keep average block spacing near the target.

Shorter spacing can reduce the expected wait for a first confirmation when a transaction is included promptly. It does not guarantee that an exchange deposit, withdrawal or other service will complete three times faster: confirmation requirements and processing policies still matter.

What Changes for Equihash Miners?

The proposed block-spacing change does not replace Zcash’s Equihash proof-of-work algorithm. It changes the rate of block production and related consensus parameters.

For a mining pool maintaining the same share of network hashrate, more frequent network blocks would mean more frequent expected pool block finds, all else being equal. This does not by itself mean higher expected ZEC earnings: the proposal also reduces the subsidy paid per block.

ZIP 218 includes changes to the difficulty averaging window alongside the shorter target interval. These should be described as specified draft changes, rather than assumptions about how the adjustment algorithm might need to respond. Final implementation details should be checked against the approved specifications and node releases.

Shorter block intervals also make timely block propagation and mining-job updates more important. Pool operators should monitor stale blocks and mining-job latency during testing and after activation. Stale blocks are blocks that do not remain in the accepted chain; they should not be confused with stale shares submitted by individual miners.

Why Faster Blocks Do Not Mean Three Times the Issuance

Maintaining the approximate halving schedule and maintaining issuance per unit of time require two related adjustments:

• A longer halving interval measured in blocks offsets the faster block cadence, preserving the approximate time between halvings.
• A lower subsidy per block offsets the larger number of blocks, preserving the intended issuance rate over time.

The current ZIP 218 draft specifies a threefold increase in the halving interval measured in blocks and an additional factor-of-three reduction in the per-block subsidy. Its transition calculation also accounts for progress through the existing halving period.

These adjustments concern the block subsidy, the protocol-issued component of a block’s rewards. Transaction fees are a separate component and should not be assumed to fall in the same proportion. Consequently, neither total block rewards nor an individual miner’s earnings can be calculated from the block-spacing change alone.

NSM: Fee Removal and Reissuance Have Different Start Points

The Network Sustainability Mechanism needs to be explained in two stages.

Fee removal is part of the planned NU7 changes. ZIP 235 proposes requiring at least 60% of a block’s transaction fees, subject to integer rounding, to be removed from circulation. Its stated allocation leaves the remaining 40% directed as before. The percentage applies to transaction fees, not to the block subsidy or total mining rewards.

Reissuance is planned to begin in February 2031. The developer timeline identifies this as the start of reintroducing previously removed supply under the selected NSM configuration. It is not the date when fees would first stop being paid in full to miners.

“Removed from circulation” is more accurate than describing the funds as a reserve account. The NSM design intends funds to return algorithmically through future block subsidies, rather than to be held for discretionary spending. ZIP 233 explains this distinction. Deployment details should be checked against the final NU7 specification because the current documents remain drafts.

What This Means for ZEC Mining Rewards and Pool Payments

The proposals have not changed today’s active mining rules. However, if the fee-allocation change activates with NU7, it would affect the transaction-fee component available to miners from that activation—not only from 2031.

That does not imply a 60% reduction in total mining income. The effect depends on how much transaction fees contribute to block rewards, together with the applicable subsidy allocation and the pool’s payout method. A miner’s realized earnings also depend on hashrate share, pool fees and operational performance.

More frequent pool block discoveries should also be distinguished from more frequent payments to users. Reward accounting, settlement schedules, withdrawal thresholds and payment timing depend on each pool’s rules. Faster network blocks do not automatically change those rules.

Miners assessing the upgrade should therefore separate three questions: how the subsidy changes per block, how transaction fees are allocated, and how their pool calculates and pays earnings.

What Miners Should Monitor Before Activation

Pool operators should follow testnet results, the final mainnet activation decision, and compatible node releases. Their infrastructure needs to support the activated consensus rules, including changes beyond block timing.

Individual miners should follow their pool’s upgrade notices for any required configuration or connectivity changes. They should also check whether the pool announces changes to reward accounting or payment policies, rather than assuming these follow automatically from shorter block spacing.

The key distinction is straightforward: NU7 targets faster blocks and fee-handling changes in November 2026, while NSM reissuance is planned for February 2031. Both should be evaluated against the final deployment rules before their effects are treated as certain.

FAQ

Is November 5, 2026, a confirmed NU7 activation date?

It is the announced mainnet target. The developer timetable schedules a final decision and selection of the activation height for October 20, following testnet evaluation.

Does NU7 replace Equihash?

The planned block-spacing change does not replace Equihash. It changes target block spacing and related consensus parameters.

Will 25-second blocks triple ZEC mining earnings?

No. The proposal pairs faster blocks with a lower per-block subsidy to preserve the intended issuance rate. Individual earnings also depend on hashrate share, transaction fees and pool rules.

Does the proposed 60% allocation apply to all mining rewards?

No. It applies to transaction fees. Block subsidies must be considered separately when assessing the overall effect on mining rewards.

Do the fee changes begin only in 2031?

No. Fee removal is part of the planned NU7 changes. February 2031 is the proposed start of reissuing previously removed supply through future block subsidies.

References

• Sean Bowe, “NU7 Timeline,” September 17, 2026
• ZIP 218: 25-second Block Target Spacing — draft
• ZIP 233: Network Sustainability Mechanism: Removing Funds From Circulation — draft
• ZIP 235: Remove 60% of Transaction Fees From Circulation — draft
• Cointelegraph, “Zcash targets November for NU7 mainnet upgrade with 25-second blocks,” September 18, 2026
• CoinDesk, “Zcash targets November upgrade to make private payments up to three times faster,” September 18, 2026