NU7 retires the transaction format Sprout depends on, so old shielded ZEC needs to move before activation.
Zcash’s NU7 upgrade is lining up for mainnet block 3,543,405, expected around Nov. 5th, per Zakura, the new full node project led by Zcash cofounder Sean Bowe. Once NU7 activates, any ZEC left in the network’s original Sprout pool will be stuck.
What’s the Scoop?
Why Sprout goes dark: ZIP 2003 retires Zcash’s old “v4” transaction format, and Sprout, the shielded pool Zcash launched with in 2016, only works with v4 transactions.
Frozen, not burned: The coins won’t be destroyed, and a future fix isn’t ruled out. Still, the ZIP cautions that Sprout spending “may never be reenabled,” so holders shouldn’t count on a rescue.
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Node operators too: NU7 skips Zcash’s usual ~3 month runway between new node software and activation, and ZIP 259 warns that stragglers could keep running on the old, pre-NU7 chain.
Also tracking: Beyond the Sprout deadline, NU7 brings 25-second blocks and a fee-recycling Network Sustainability Mechanism, both of which we highlighted in September.
William M. Peaster
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William M. Peaster, Senior Writer, has been with Bankless since January 2021. Immersed in Ethereum since 2017, he covers the onchain frontier with a particular interest in art, games, and other culture apps. He has a background in creative writing and writes fiction in his free time.