Inside Zcash's new node that targets Visa-scale privacy at 50,000 transactions per second

coindesk.com Jul 19, 2026

Inside Zcash’s new node that targets Visa-scale privacy at 50,000 transactions per second

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Jul 19, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Zakura, a new Zcash full node client, launched at version 1.0.0 as a pruned, fast-syncing fork of Zebra. Maintained independently by Sean Bowe and Dev Ojha, the software supports the upcoming Ironwood upgrade activating July 28. This upgrade introduces a turnstile mechanism to cap withdrawals from the Orchard shielded pool, addressing a long-standing soundness bug that may have created counterfeit ZEC. Zakura replaces the legacy zcashd client, which ends support on July 18. The release is part of a broader initiative, including Project Tachyon, to scale Zcash to Visa-level throughput of 50,000 transactions per second. By shrinking verification data and removing wallet bottlenecks, the team aims to match global payment networks while preserving privacy. The project is funded by private ZEC donations rather than foundation grants, marking a significant shift in development structure and technical capability for the privacy-focused cryptocurrency network.

💡 Why It Matters

· Independent maintenance by cryptography founders signals a structural shift away from foundation reliance, potentially increasing network resilience.
· The Ironwood upgrade’s turnstile mechanism directly mitigates inflation risks from historical bugs, restoring trust in Zcash’s monetary policy.

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Zakura, a new Zcash full node client, has launched to facilitate scaling the network toward Visa- and Mastercard-level transaction throughput. Maintained independently by Sean Bowe and Dev Ojha, Zakura is a pruned, fast-syncing fork of the Zebra client, ensuring compatibility with the legacy zcashd software before its July 18 end of life. The release supports the upcoming Ironwood (NU6.3) upgrade, activating July 28, which introduces a turnstile mechanism to cap Orchard shielded pool withdrawals and mitigate risks from a historical soundness bug. By significantly reducing disk usage through pruning, Zakura allows nodes to download smaller, ready-made chain copies rather than syncing entire histories. This software represents the first live component of a broader strategy, including Project Tachyon, aimed at removing wallet performance bottlenecks and shrinking verification data. The initiative seeks to elevate Zcash from roughly one private transaction per second to handling tens of thousands, preserving strong privacy guarantees while achieving payment-network scale through independent development funded by private ZEC donations.

💡 Independent development challenges the Zcash Foundation's monopoly on node software, proving that community-led engineering can drive critical infrastructure upgrades. This decentralization of maintenance reduces single points of failure while directly addressing the technical bottlenecks preventing Zcash from competing with global payment giants.

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