Zcash is set to launch the Ironwood upgrade at the end of July, introducing a new Privacy Pool and enhancing overall supply verifiability

**Headline: Zcash Unveils Ironwood Network Upgrade & Shielded Pool, Slated to Launch Late July 2026** On June 6, the Zcash Open Development Lab (ZODL) — in partnership with Tachyon, Valar Group, Zcash Foundation, and Shielded Labs — announced a new network upgrade and shielded pool named Ironwood, set to go live by the end of July 2026. Exact timing depends on testing progress and alignment with ecosystem stakeholders. Ironwood builds on the existing Orchard protocol, adding formal verification and independent security audits to reinforce its security. A "Turnstile" mechanism will validate all ZEC supply transferred from Orchard to Ironwood, letting anyone audit Zcash’s circulating supply to boost protocol transparency and safety. ZODL also shared that a recent integrity vulnerability in Orchard was uncovered during ongoing security research and fixed via a coordinated upgrade. There is no evidence the flaw was exploited, no user funds were compromised, and the total ZEC supply remains unchanged. The issue did not affect the privacy of any shielded pools, and Orchard is operating normally. Post-upgrade, the Orchard pool will stop accepting new deposits and internal transactions. Funds can only be migrated to Ironwood through the Turnstile tool. Wallets supporting Orchard will offer a one-click migration feature, and new shielded pools will continue using users’ existing Orchard addresses — no need to update receiving addresses. Additionally, ZODL is phasing out zcashd: it’s developing a new command-line wallet called Zallet, assisting node operators in migrating to Zebrad, and updating wallets and SDKs to support the Ironwood upgrade.