Key Highlights
- ZEC surged approximately 20% over 24 hours, reaching fresh all-time highs beyond $1,480
- Development teams are aiming for November 5 as the NU7 mainnet launch date
- The NU7 upgrade will slash block generation times from 75 seconds down to 25 seconds
- Community voting showed 99.9% approval for the accelerated block time proposal
- Futures Open Interest surged to 2.3 million ZEC, indicating increased retail interest
The Zcash development community has officially targeted November 5 for the mainnet deployment of the NU7 network upgrade, following complete consensus among participating organizations and technical teams regarding both scope and scheduling.
$ZEC | NU7 GOVERNANCE UPDATE
Zcash holders have voted in favor of reducing block target spacing from 75 seconds to 25 seconds under the proposed NU7 upgrade.
The vote also supports retaining Zcash’s Bitcoin-style halving schedule, preserving its existing monetary policy.— Crypto Patel (@CryptoPatel) September 17, 2026
According to developer Sean Bowe, the upgrade is planned for testnet activation on October 6. The final green light for mainnet deployment is scheduled for October 20, contingent upon successful testnet evaluation.
The NU7 upgrade will dramatically decrease Zcash’s block generation interval from 75 seconds to just 25 seconds. Additional changes include deprecating version 4 transaction formats and implementing the Network Sustainability Mechanism (NSM).
The NSM framework maintains Zcash’s existing halving structure. Supply that was previously eliminated will be gradually reintroduced beginning in February 2031.
Bowe emphasized that NU7 won’t introduce new transaction structures and is expected to have limited effects on wallet software. However, full node operators, blockchain indexers, and explorer services may require updates.
The Zcash community demonstrated strong support for the upgrade through voting. An overwhelming 99.9% endorsed the accelerated block time proposal, while 98.9% voted to maintain the current halving schedule.
ZEC Achieves Record Price Levels
ZEC experienced a substantial rally of approximately 20% within a 24-hour period on Thursday, establishing a fresh all-time high exceeding $1,480. Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies outpaced the broader market, trading 213% higher than their levels during Bitcoin’s October 2025 peak, based on Glassnode metrics.
Market analyst Ali Charts highlighted the positive price action, stating on X that ZEC “keeps pushing higher” and is advancing toward an initial price target of $1,800, which represents the next significant resistance zone.
Zcash $ZEC keeps pushing higher.
Momentum remains strong, and price continues moving toward my first target at $1,800.
That’s the level I’m watching next. https://t.co/I5jPPSmaMg pic.twitter.com/Ck04XOUmU4
— Ali Charts (@alicharts) September 17, 2026
ZEC is currently trading above $1,400, significantly exceeding its 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day exponential moving averages positioned at $869, $710, and $571 respectively. The SuperTrend indicator shows support at $1,005.
Growing Market Interest and Futures Activity
Futures Open Interest increased to 2.3 million ZEC on Thursday, rising from 1.76 million ZEC recorded the previous day, which marked the lowest reading since August 10. This increase signals expanding retail trader involvement.
The OI-Weighted Funding Rate has remained in negative territory for almost two days. This indicates that bullish traders are no longer paying premiums to maintain their positions.
The Relative Strength Index stands at 71, entering overbought conditions. The MACD indicator remains positive, suggesting sustained bullish momentum.
Critical support zones are located at $1,400 and $1,200, with foundational support at $1,005. The daily chart shows no significant resistance levels overhead.
The conclusive determination regarding NU7’s mainnet activation block height is set for October 20.
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