Gemini has replaced Zebra with Zakura software to run its Zcash nodes, cutting network synchronization time from nearly a day to just over six hours, the crypto exchange said Tuesday. The migration comes ahead of a planned Zcash upgrade that would accelerate block confirmation.
Zcash’s NU7 upgrade, scheduled for mainnet activation on November 5, would reduce block time from 75 seconds to 25 seconds, tripling transaction processing frequency. The upgrade reaches Zcash’s test network on October 6.
Faster block times require exchanges to keep their nodes synchronized more quickly. “Gemini said Tuesday that Zakura caught up with the latest block in a little over six hours during its deployments,” according to the exchange’s statement. Under the prior Zebra software, synchronization took nearly a day.
Zakura developers reported even faster catch-up in separate testing: 4 hours 20 minutes, compared to Zebra’s 21 hours in the same environment. Using a saved copy of network data accelerates synchronization roughly 680 times faster than a standard sync.
Winklevoss Connections to Zcash Mining
Gemini is controlled by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. The Winklevoss investment firm led a $59 million financing round for Cypherpunk Technologies, a publicly traded company that holds and mines ZEC. A Winklevoss affiliate sold Cypherpunk a Zcash mining fleet for $33 million in August 2026.
Cypherpunk says Gemini handles trading and custody for its ZEC holdings. Every exchange that lists a cryptocurrency runs its own computer following that network; if an exchange’s node crashes or falls behind, deposits and withdrawals are typically paused until synchronization completes.
The faster block schedule under NU7 will increase demands on exchange infrastructure. Gemini’s switch to Zakura positions the exchange to handle the tighter confirmation windows without interrupting customer access to Zcash deposits and withdrawals.
