Zcash developers have determined the block height at which the Ironwood upgrade will be activated on the mainnet. On July 10, developer Sean Bowe announced that the new consensus rules will take effect at block 3,428,143, which is expected to be reached at around 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on July 28. All major organizations across the Zcash ecosystem have confirmed they are ready to support the activation at that block height.
The block height has already been hardcoded into the protocol code. This gives node operators, wallet developers, exchanges, and other service providers a single point of reference for preparing the transition without any further coordination on timing.
The Ironwood upgrade is designed to address the issues that emerged after a vulnerability was discovered in the Orchard shielded pool at the end of May. The new shielded pool will make it easier to verify the total amount of coins in circulation while maintaining a high level of transaction privacy. The change is expected to strengthen trust in the network after a period of uncertainty.
Preparing for the Launch
Developers are continuing to update software and tools for the testnet. Support for the new consensus rules has already been added to the testing infrastructure, and the network is technically ready, allowing preparations for the activation to continue on schedule.
With just under three weeks remaining before the launch, infrastructure operators, wallet developers, and service providers will be able to complete compatibility testing and roll out the necessary updates to minimize risks on the day of activation.