Zcash Devs Push for 20-Second Blocks After Orphan-Rate Data Holds Steady

Zcash developers are pushing for a further cut to the privacy-focused cryptocurrency's block times to 20 seconds, just days after a major speed upgrade took effect. The proposal follows early network data indicating that Zcash's orphan-block rate has remained close to pre-upgrade levels even as blocks now arrive roughly three times faster than before.

Orphan blocks—valid blocks that are mined but excluded from the main chain because another block wins the race—are a key gauge of whether a network can handle faster block production. Developers had flagged the risk that quicker blocks could increase competing blocks and waste mining effort. According to the early figures cited in the dispatch, that feared spike has not materialized, which proponents say supports testing another reduction toward 20-second intervals. Specific orphan-rate percentages and the exact timing of the prior upgrade were not detailed in the raw dispatch.

The proposal is preliminary and would likely require further data collection, technical review, and community consensus before any implementation. If pursued, faster blocks could improve transaction confirmation times for Zcash users, but the move would also renew scrutiny of trade-offs around network stability, mining incentives, and node performance. Developers are expected to continue monitoring orphan rates as the discussion advances.