Zcash Developers Propose to Reduce Block Time to 20 Seconds

Zcash (ZEC) blockchain developers have proposed reducing the target block creation interval from 25 to 20 seconds. The project was published on November 8, 2026, two days after the activation of the NU7 update. The change is expected to reduce transaction confirmation waiting times without increasing the network's daily throughput for private transfers.

The initiative was authored by developers Dev Ojha, known as ValarDragon, and Evan Forbes. They posted the Zcash Improvement Proposal (ZIP) on the community forum and suggested including it in the next vote. If approved, the change could be considered for implementation in the NU7.1 update.

How the Block Time Reduction Will Affect Transfers

The main goal of the proposal is to reduce the delay between sending a transaction and its first confirmation on the blockchain. According to developers, this could enhance the usability of Zcash for paying for goods in stores, crediting funds to cryptocurrency exchanges, and exchanging assets between different blockchains.

Reducing the target interval from 25 to 20 seconds means that new blocks should appear on average 20% faster. However, the actual confirmation time may vary, and exchanges and payment services independently determine the required number of confirmations.

At the same time, developers do not plan to increase the daily throughput of private transactions. To achieve this, the limits for such operations in each block are expected to be reduced proportionally to the interval reduction. The overall limit for private operations will decrease from 330 to 264 per block, while its maximum size will remain 2 MB.

The authors also proposed maintaining the current ZEC emission schedule. To do this, the reward for each block will be reduced by 20% so that more frequent block creation does not lead to an accelerated release of new coins.

NU7 Update Reduced Interval from 75 to 25 Seconds

On November 6, 2026, the NU7 update was activated on the Zcash mainnet, reducing the target block creation interval from 75 to 25 seconds. The change aims to reduce confirmation waiting times and enhance the convenience of everyday payments.

NU7 also introduced the Network Sustainability Mechanism. It provides for the temporary allocation of 60% of transaction fees to a reserve for subsequent distribution as part of miner rewards. The return of funds is planned from 2031, while the maximum supply of Zcash remains capped at 21 million ZEC.

Further reduction of the interval to 20 seconds requires an assessment of technical risks. More frequent block creation increases the likelihood of competing blocks, some of which may not enter the main chain.

According to tests conducted by developers on a network of 80 miners in 12 regions, the share of such blocks ranged from 1.9% to 3.3%, depending on the equipment configuration.

The proposal for NU7.1 is still under discussion. The voting date and possible activation timeline for the update have not been confirmed.