Zcash approaches NU7 upgrade, Sprout pool still holds about 12,200 ZEC.

Zcash is approaching its NU7 network upgrade at block height 3,543,405, with a November 5 snapshot showing roughly 12,224 ZEC still sitting in the legacy Sprout privacy pool, where funds will become unspendable once the upgrade activates. NU7 will disable version 4 transactions that support Sprout transfers, cutting off the old pool entirely. The upgrade also shortens the target block interval from 75 seconds to 25 seconds and reduces the per-block subsidy to one-third of its current level to preserve the planned daily issuance. The stranded Sprout balance matters because holders must move funds before activation or lose spending access, while the faster blocks and lower subsidy reshape Zcash's issuance and mining economics. What to watch next is whether the remaining Sprout ZEC is migrated ahead of block 3,543,405 and how miners and pools adjust to the new block cadence and reward schedule.