ZODL proposes launching a new privacy pool Ironwood, scheduled to activate and enhance Zcash security by the end of July 2026.

Deep Tide TechFlow News, June 6th, Zcash ecosystem core contributor ZODL announced that they are collaborating with Tachyon, Valar Group, Zcash Foundation, and Shielded Labs to propose a new network upgrade plan and privacy pool Ironwood. Ironwood will be built based on the existing Orchard protocol and further enhanced with formal verification and additional independent audits.

According to the plan, all ZEC supply in Orchard will be migrated to Ironwood through a "Turnstile" mechanism, which allows anyone to independently verify Zcash circulation supply, ensuring that the amount of ZEC in circulation does not exceed the actual amount entering the new pool. After the upgrade, the Orchard pool will close new deposits and internal transactions, allowing funds to migrate to Ironwood only via Turnstile.

ZODL stated that recently discovered Orchard integrity issues have been fixed through responsible disclosure and coordinated upgrades. There is currently no evidence that the vulnerability was exploited, nor any signs that user funds, privacy, or the total ZEC supply were affected. It is reported that wallets supporting Orchard will offer a one-click migration feature after the upgrade, and existing Orchard receiving addresses can continue to be used. The team plans to activate Ironwood after July 2026, when zcashd support ends (block height 3,417,100), but the exact timing will depend on testing, review, and ecosystem coordination progress.