Zcash’s 25-second blocks go live on public testnet ahead of schedule

Zcash has activated an upgrade on its public test network that cuts the targeted wait between batches of transactions from 75 seconds to 25, beginning a public trial before a planned November rollout.

The upgrade, called NU7, switched on at block 4,465,026. Zakura, software that follows Zcash and checks its transactions, now lists the new rules as active on public testnet. Its earlier, separate testing network has been shut down.

Each block records a batch of payments. Producing them more frequently could shorten the wait for a merchant to accept a payment or an exchange to credit a deposit. A service waiting for three confirmations would face a targeted wait of about 75 seconds instead of 225, if it kept its confirmation requirement unchanged. Actual block times vary.

The test network uses coins without monetary value, giving developers and infrastructure operators somewhere to check the changes before they affect real ZEC.

Both major node programs now support the trial. Zakura released its implementation Oct. 1, while the Zcash Foundation published a test version of Zebra the following day. Operators need compatible software to follow the upgraded test network.