Arborist Call #93 | Zcash R&D Updates
The meeting covered the latest Zebra developments, zcashd 6.1.0 release, zcashd deprecation status, NU7 ZIPs and updates on Zcash Shielded Assets!
The Zcash Arborist Calls are bi-weekly protocol development meetings focused on tracking upcoming protocol deployment logistics, consensus node implementation issues, and protocol research.
The meeting covered the latest Zebra developments, zcashd 6.1.0 release, zcashd deprecation status, NU7 ZIPs and updates on Zcash Shielded Assets!
This summary focuses on the last call that took place on 01/09/2025
The first R&D meeting of year began with updates on Zebra! The JSON RPC server has migrated to a new framework. Transaction verification optimization now implemented - Zebra doesn't verify txs that come in a new block if the tx is already in mempool - avoiding re-verification...
The getblock and getrawtransaction RPCs have also been updated to match zcashd more closely.
Since @KeystoneWallet work released in @Zashi_app before holidays, bug fixes related to it are happening now. zcashd 6.1.0 was released last week. 6.0.0 reaches end of support in 1 week, If you're running a Zcashd nodemake sure you update prior to then!
Another release will be made in the near future. The 6.2.0 release will have flags to enable deprecating RPC methods.
@nuttycom has spent time working on the support in the Zcash Rust crates for transparent gap limit scanning...
There was already some gap limit logic specifically for use around the ephemeral addresses. The rewrite expands for support of general T-address gap limit handling
This enables people to import transparent-only seed phrases into a zcash client sqlite based wallet such as Zashi, fixing the issue some users encountered importing funds from Ledger to Keystone.
@thecodebuffet is currently contacting @CoinMarketCap + @coingecko and several other ecosystem service providers through official channels to advise on Zcash API's.
Regarding Zaino, @thecodebuffet has started looking at some of the regtest problems - @ZingoLabs requested assistance with the errors as the testing environment is highly complex...
There is a consensus rule: spending Coinbase outputs in transactions that are less than 100 blocks away from the Coinbase transaction that zcashd likely breaks on Regtest.
@conradoplg and team have been working on adding support for running the distributed key generation for Frost, using the FROST server - now completed. Using a broadcast channel for security is the last component being worked on.
The team intends to do an audit though no start date has yet been set. Once the audit is completed, @ZcashFoundation, intends to ask for a developer to start on integration of FROST!
Pertaining to ZIP 233 it's vital to be clear whether burning permanently reduces the supply to be below the 21 million cap.
A proposed edit to ZIP 233 states: Burning ZEC through it or other means reduces the total supply of ZEC below the 21 million cap but the intention of ZIP 234 is to introduce a mechanism that allows ZEC to be systematically issued in future* block rewards.
The intention is for the NSM as a whole to be implemented. But in terms of prioritisation in NU7, there is still an open question.
@aquietinvestor underlining - There is no direct relationship between the coins that have been burned and the new coins issued.
An alternative ZIP 234 proposal made by @conradoplg preserves halvings. Community feedback on it is requested!
@JackGavigan noted concern in the potential for confusion due to different ways in which the term 'burn' is used in projects such as Ethereum. Burning in @Bitcoin, it affects total supply whereas @Zcash NSM similar to Ethereum, is a mechanism for altering the issuance curve.
Over the past month or so, the ZSA has been busy! ZIPs:
@Qeditzkp team is ready for the next round of the ZIP editor review. The audit report of ZSA from @LeastAuthority that was generally positive. Suggestions to run by @ElectricCoinCo before fixing.
Full updates on Zcash Shielded Assets:
Asset Swaps: A good portion of the implementation changes for librustzcash, Orchard changes were done in the last update. The ZSA ZIPs have moved ahead, as such, the asset swap ZIPs need to be changed accordingly....
User Control/Transaction Acceptance: Designs are prepared in a document posted to the community forum. A draft ZIP has also been written, although not yet posted.
@ZcashCommGrants have received a grant proposal for support for the work in getting the ZSAs ready & developing.
@qeditzkp recently held a demo of Zcash Shielded Assets, go check it out! Based on this demo. using the same functionality the team is near ready with the first Zcash Shielded Assets testnet.
The ZCAP poll on NU7 priorities is being discussed on the Community Forum & does not yet have a specified date: