Zano is preparing to replace its hybrid proof-of-work and proof-of-stake system with Zenith, a privacy-preserving pure proof-of-stake protocol promising 15-second blocks, faster confirmations, and lower token issuance.
Key Takeaways
Zano’s Zenith targets 15-second blocks and four to six confirmations in 2027.Zano could eliminate 262,800 ZANO in annual proof-of-work issuance.Andrey Sabelnikov says Zenith builds on more than 12 years of privacy research.Alongside the Zenith announcement, Zano launched a new forum.The collaboration produced two research paths, StakeNote and Zenith. Zano selected Zenith because it extends the privacy machinery already built into the network through Zarcanum rather than requiring a separate architecture.
Private Staking Moves to the Center“Privacy projects should not have to choose between stronger consensus security and protecting their users’ privacy,” Andrey Sabelnikov, co-founder and core developer of Zano remarked.
The Zano developer added:
Blocks Accelerate to 15 SecondsUnder the proposed design, Zano’s block time would fall from about one minute to roughly 15 seconds. The recommended confirmation threshold would decline from 10 blocks to between four and six, cutting typical confirmation time to about 60 to 90 seconds. Zano detailed that six Zenith confirmations are expected to provide stronger security guarantees than the 10 confirmations used today, although those figures remain targets until testing is complete.
Faster settlement could improve private payments, wallet transfers, decentralized trading, bridge activity, and application integrations. For users, the main change would be quicker confidence that a transaction has become part of the accepted chain without weakening the privacy protections surrounding the transfer.
Ephemeral Blocks Aim to Control Chain GrowthIn the announcement, the team noted that a fourfold increase in block frequency could ordinarily increase storage and synchronization demands. Zenith addresses that issue through ephemeral blocks, which retain full data near the chain tip but become more compact after an epoch is finalized. Under the proposed parameters, each 10-minute epoch would contain 40 blocks.
After finalization and a retention period, most blocks would be reduced to compact cryptographic records that preserve the chain structure and essential commitments. One block reward per epoch would remain permanently recorded in Zano’s global output index, while the other 39 reward records would not require permanent indexing. An optional archival mode would preserve complete historical data for operators who want it.
Mining Emissions Face EliminationThe economic change may be equally significant. Proof-of-work miners currently receive about 720 newly created ZANO per day, equal to roughly 21,600 ZANO per month or 262,800 ZANO per year. Once Zenith activates and proof-of-work mining ends, that portion of issuance disappears.
Testing Now Becomes the Decisive Phase
