Mainnet upgrade

Gemini

2026-09-30 08:32:00

Gemini switches Zcash node software ahead of NU7 block-time cut

Gemini has replaced the software running its Zcash system, switching from Zebra to Zakura ahead of the network’s planned NU7 upgrade. The exchange said the change reduced the time its node needs to catch up with network state from nearly one day to a little over six hours. The move comes before a proposed Zcash upgrade that would shorten block times from 75 seconds to 25 seconds, which would require network computers to process transactions three times as often as they do now. Developers are targeting Nov. 5 for the mainnet upgrade. Gemini, however, has not released performance test results showing how Zakura handles the faster block cadence. CoinDesk was cited as the source of the report.

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Stable

2026-09-28 13:34:01

Messari highlights Stable’s USDT-native L1 StableChain as mainnet moves to v1.8.0

Messari said in a new report that USDT processed $4.4 trillion on-chain in the fourth quarter of 2025, with 88% of transfers coming in below $1,000. The report said stablecoins are increasingly being used as payment rails, while most blockchains were not built specifically for payments. It also spotlighted StableChain, a USDT-native layer-1 network launched by Stable. According to the report, the network is designed around predictable fees, fast finality, and stable settlement. StableChain’s mainnet has already been upgraded to v1.8.0, adding capacity and reserving block space for payments. Messari added that the network lets users pay fees in USDT instead of relying on a volatile gas token. It also includes applications for payments, yield, and account management. The report said the STABLE token is used for staking and governance, and delegators can share in USDT-denominated fees.

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Pi Network

2026-09-26 05:42:53

Pi Network completes mainnet Protocol 27 upgrade, schedules Protocol 28 for Oct. 16

Pi Network said it has completed the Protocol 27 upgrade on its mainnet, while its testnet has already moved to Protocol 28. The mainnet Protocol 28 upgrade is scheduled for Oct. 16. According to the project, the update is designed to improve how the network handles transaction data latency and will let developers upgrade smart contract groups in batches. Node operators are required to complete their node updates by Oct. 13. In a post on X, Pi Network also said Protocol 28 will introduce a safer way to modify stored data as applications evolve. The update timeline and feature details were cited by CryptoPotato and carried by Techub News.

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AVAX

2026-09-22 02:41:48

AVAX rises about 50% in a week as Helicon upgrade and RWA narrative draw attention

AVAX climbed from about $7.5 to above $11 over the past week, marking a gain of roughly 50%, according to HTX market data cited by BlockBeats on Sept. 22. The move also pushed the token to its highest level in nearly eight months, with trading volume expanding at the same time. On the protocol side, Avalanche is set to launch its Helicon mainnet upgrade on Sept. 22. The update will shorten the minimum staking lockup period from 14 days to 48 hours, add automatic stake renewal, and raise validator uptime requirements. The market has focused on these changes as measures that could improve capital flexibility and staking efficiency. At the same time, traders have continued to price in Avalanche’s institutional tokenization theme. ICE and Ava Labs have remained in contact over 24/7 trading infrastructure for tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs. New York Life Investments plans to launch a tokenized U.S. high-yield corporate bond fund on Avalanche through Centrifuge. Related moves involving Paxos, Aave, and Janus Henderson have also strengthened expectations around compliance-oriented growth and real-world asset applications in the Avalanche ecosystem.

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Avalanche

2026-09-20 01:53:04

Avalanche sets Helicon mainnet upgrade for Sept. 22, requires node updates

Avalanche has scheduled its next mainnet upgrade, with the Helicon network upgrade set to activate at 15:00 UTC on Sept. 22 through AvalancheGo v1.15.0. According to Techub News, mainnet node operators are required to complete the update before the activation time. The Helicon release bundles a series of new Avalanche community proposals into the network and also raises the plugin versions used by Avalanche applications. The upgrade is mandatory for operators, meaning all mainnet nodes must be updated ahead of activation, and plugins also need to move to newly compatible versions. For end users, the change may pass with little visible impact at the activation moment if validators update on time. The report said the rollout continues Avalanche’s practice of packaging protocol improvements into scheduled activation windows.

340

Zcash

2026-09-18 04:51:29

Zcash sets Nov. 5 target for NU7 mainnet upgrade, with 25-second blocks planned

Zcash developers are aiming to activate the NU7 upgrade on mainnet on Nov. 5 after organizations and engineering teams reached unanimous agreement on the package and its estimated schedule. Testnet activation is set for Oct. 6, while a final decision on the mainnet rollout and activation height is scheduled for Oct. 20 after the team reviews testnet performance. NU7 would cut Zcash’s target block spacing from 75 seconds to 25 seconds, disable version 4 transactions and integrate the Network Sustainability Mechanism, or NSM. Under the selected NSM configuration, Zcash’s halving schedule would remain intact, and previously removed supply would begin to be reintroduced in February 2031. Developer Sean Bowe said the upgrade would not add new transaction formats and should not materially affect wallets, though full nodes, indexers and block explorers may need changes. The timeline follows a strong vote from ZEC holders, with 98.9% backing the existing halving schedule and 99.9% of ZEC-weighted votes supporting the faster block cadence. It also comes as ZEC jumped about 20% over 24 hours on Thursday and privacy coins outperformed the broader market, according to Glassnode data cited in the report.

340

Solana

2026-09-18 08:44:36

Solana cuts mainnet slot time to 250ms, speeding block production without raising total capacity

Solana mainnet reduced its slot time from 300 milliseconds to 250 milliseconds on Sept. 18, lifting block production speed by roughly 17% and increasing the network’s block cadence from about 3.3 blocks per second to 4. The change marks the third phase in a series of slot-time reductions, following earlier moves from 400 milliseconds to 350 milliseconds and then to 300 milliseconds. Under the SIMD-0525 proposal, however, the compute and data allowance per slot shrinks in proportion to the shorter slot window. That means the network’s overall wall-clock processing ceiling remains largely unchanged even as blocks arrive more frequently. The immediate effect is faster transaction confirmation and fresher on-chain pricing, which is particularly relevant for decentralized exchanges, automated market makers, and oracle-based markets. At the same time, the upgrade shortens validator leadership windows, reduces the real-time validity window of blockhashes, and may create new operational pressure for offline signing, delayed approvals, and infrastructure that relies on hard-coded slot multipliers. Solana developers are also watching whether a future move to 200 milliseconds can proceed, but said the next step depends on stable operation at 250 milliseconds and an acceptable block-skip rate.

370

Jump Crypto

2026-09-11 11:28:54

Jump Crypto to end Frankendancer support after Alpenglow goes live on Solana mainnet

According to SolanaFloor, the Firedancer team at Jump Crypto said it will stop supporting Frankendancer, Solana’s transitional validator client, after Alpenglow is activated on the Solana mainnet. The change is expected to arrive with v4.3 in October. The team said the decision was driven by the maintenance and security burden tied to Frankendancer, and that future resources will be directed to the full Firedancer client instead. The update lays out a clear shift in development focus once the mainnet activation takes place, with the team moving away from the interim client and concentrating on the complete version of Firedancer.

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