Gemini has migrated its Zcash infrastructure to Zakura, an open-source full node written in Rust, ahead of the planned NU7 network upgrade. The exchange confirmed the change on September 29, preparing for Zcash's proposed move from 75-second to 25-second block times after coinholders approved the shift on September 14. With blocks expected to arrive roughly three times faster, Gemini said node synchronization, storage efficiency and recovery speed will become increasingly important.
In Gemini's own deployment, Zakura reached the chain tip in just over six hours, compared with nearly a full day for Zebra. Pruned snapshots can also speed up node recovery after failures. NU7 is targeted for November, though exact activation still depends on the network upgrade proceeding as planned. Gemini said deposits and withdrawals will continue working normally because the infrastructure changes remain behind the scenes. Successful operation under faster Zcash block production is now the next key test for the new node setup.
Separately, Zcash is drawing attention following its integration with NEAR Intents, which enhances payment capabilities by allowing users to transact through more familiar platforms. The integration could broaden Zcash's user base by improving usability in everyday transactions and aligning with demand for flexible payment solutions. Zcash remains focused on privacy and security, and the NEAR Protocol integration may help position it more competitively as crypto payments become more mainstream.
