Zcash Sets Ironwood Testnet Live as Wallet Speeds Surge 6x

TLDR:

• Ironwood testnet activates with two independent consensus implementations built by separate teams.
• Zcash reduced ten-note wallet migration times from around 15 minutes to about 2.5 minutes.
• Multi-transaction signing now supports more than 11 transactions through a single QR code.
• Mainnet activation could occur around July 21 as audits and ZIP specifications near completion.

Zcash is moving forward with its Ironwood network upgrade after confirming a scheduled testnet activation. The update introduces new consensus changes and major wallet performance improvements ahead of a planned mainnet deployment. 

Development teams have also completed two independent consensus implementations for the upgrade. The work marks one of the most advanced testnet preparations recorded for a Zcash network upgrade.

Zcash Ironwood Testnet Upgrade Brings Dual Consensus Implementations

Zcash developer Dev announced that the Ironwood testnet upgrade would activate on July 4. The release includes two independently developed consensus implementations.

One implementation came from Valar Group, while the other was built by the Zcash Foundation. According to Dev, the Valar Group version has already entered the audit process.

The teams also released a desktop wallet fork that supports migration testing on the testnet. Users with Keystone development devices can update firmware and test migration functions before the mainnet launch.

The upgrade introduces multi-transaction signing through a single QR code. Dev said the feature required extensive work behind the scenes and represented a major technical milestone for the testnet.

Contributors from zodl also participated in the process. The group worked on technical specifications, wallet libraries, circuit updates, and application programming interfaces supporting Ironwood.

Zcash Wallet Performance Improves Ahead of Mainnet Activation

Development updates shared by Dev showed major gains in wallet migration performance. The time needed to complete a ten-note migration fell from around 15 minutes to approximately two and a half minutes.

Inbound QR scanning dropped from three minutes to one minute. Loading and transaction review declined from two minutes to 45 seconds.

The signing process posted the largest improvement. Signing time fell from roughly nine minutes to about 37 seconds.

Outbound QR scanning also became faster. The process now takes about 10 seconds compared with roughly one minute previously.

In a separate update, Zcash developer Sean Bowe said all Ironwood consensus rule changes had been implemented and were undergoing audits. 

He added that the specifications and Zcash Improvement Proposals, known as ZIPs, were approaching their final state.

Bowe also said developers expected readiness for a mainnet activation around July 21. He confirmed that the official testnet activation was scheduled for the following day and noted that the Zebra release supporting Ironwood should become available around the same time.

According to Bowe, sufficient mining hash rate already signals technical readiness for the mainnet upgrade. He noted that some wallets may not support Ironwood immediately, although alternative options and testnet preparation time remain available before activation.