Zcash NU7 Upgrade Locks $15M in Sprout Funds

Zcash’s recent NU7 upgrade has been activated, but it has left 12,224 ZEC—worth roughly $15 million—in the legacy Sprout pool. The upgrade’s design prevents spending of Sprout‑era funds until a future network change restores access.

Sprout, the original Zcash privacy protocol, has been superseded by newer shielded transaction methods. Holders who have not migrated their balances to newer addresses now face a temporary lock‑in, which could impact their ability to trade or use the coins.

Implications for Zcash users

While the stranded funds remain on the blockchain, they are still part of the total supply and could influence market perception of Zcash’s liquidity. If a subsequent upgrade unlocks these assets, it may trigger renewed trading activity and affect Zcash’s price dynamics.

Investors and traders may keep an eye on upcoming protocol updates to assess when the legacy funds can be accessed, as this could alter the available supply and trading volume.

The current lock does not affect the security of the network; it merely restricts the use of specific funds. This situation underscores the importance of staying current with protocol upgrades to avoid unintended asset immobilization.

Based on reporting from Cointelegraph. Read the original.