Gemini Moves Zcash Nodes to Zakura Ahead of Faster 25 Second Blocks

Gemini has swapped the software behind its Zcash systems, moving from Zebra to a program called Zakura. The change comes before a planned network upgrade that would cut block times from 75 seconds to 25. In the exchange’s own deployments, Zakura caught up with the network in just over six hours, while the old software needed close to a full day.

Zakura vs Zebra: Sync Speed Results

Sync time shows how quickly a computer gets current after starting up or falling behind. The Zakura team ran its own test and finished in four hours and 20 minutes, compared with almost 21 hours for Zebra. The developers also offer a saved copy of recent network data, which lets a replacement machine start without downloading the full history. In their test, this was about 680 times faster than a normal sync.

Winklevoss Ties to Zcash

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss control Gemini and have wider Zcash interests. Their investment firm led a $59 million financing of Cypherpunk Technologies, a public company that holds and mines ZEC. In August, a Winklevoss affiliate sold it a mining fleet for $33 million, and Cypherpunk says Gemini handles trading and custody for its ZEC.

What Faster Zcash Blocks Mean for Traders

Every exchange runs its own node to follow a coin’s network. A ZEC deposit is not tradable until that node finds and verifies the payment. If the node crashes or lags, funds can arrive while the balance stays empty, and exchanges often pause deposits and withdrawals until it recovers. A faster rebuild means a shorter pause.

NU7 Upgrade Timeline

The NU7 upgrade would make nodes process new blocks three times as often. Developers are aiming for Nov. 5. NU7 is due on the test network Oct. 6, and the mainnet date will be confirmed after those results. Gemini has not yet shared how its setup performs at the faster pace.