Zcash has launched the Zakura node, aiming to scale its transaction capacity to 50,000 per second, rivaling major payment networks.
Zakura Client Aims to Scale Zcash's Transaction Capacity
Zcash has launched the Zakura full node client, designed to enhance its transaction processing capabilities to match the scale of traditional payment networks like Visa and Mastercard. The new software aims to increase Zcash's current capacity from just one private transaction per second to a staggering 50,000 transactions per second.
Developed as a fast-syncing fork of the existing Zebra client, Zakura operates independently from the Zcash Foundation and is set to replace the legacy zcashd client, which will be phased out on July 18. The release of Zakura is part of a broader initiative that includes Project Tachyon and research into private information retrieval, all focused on improving Zcash's performance.
Sean Bowe, a key player in Zcash's development, and Dev Ojha, co-founder of Osmosis, lead the project, which is funded by private donations of ZEC rather than traditional corporate backing. Bowe emphasized the ambitious goal, stating, "Our vision is to facilitate global payments. To achieve that with Zcash's current cryptography, a node would need to handle over 500 MB/s of throughput."
Innovative Features and Fast Setup
The Zakura client includes several cutting-edge features aimed at improving performance. One such feature is pruning, which allows the removal of outdated blockchain data, thereby reducing storage requirements significantly. New nodes can download a trimmed version of the blockchain, which is approximately 11 gigabytes, cutting setup time to under two minutes—an impressive reduction of 680 times compared to previous methods.
Additionally, Zakura is designed to maintain compatibility with existing wallets and exchanges by mimicking the interface of the soon-to-be-retired zcashd client.
Addressing Throughput and Wallet Challenges
The development team is focused on achieving high transaction throughput, with Bowe's Project Tachyon working on recursive proofs to minimize data verification needs during consensus. This advancement could reduce the data requirement for consensus from 100 MB/s to a more manageable 500 MB/s.
Wallets, however, face their own challenges due to Zcash's privacy features. To resolve this, Valar Group is exploring private information retrieval methods that allow wallets to access their transaction data without compromising user privacy.
Upcoming Ironwood Upgrade
The Zakura client will support the upcoming Ironwood upgrade (NU6.3), scheduled to activate on July 28. This update is crucial as it addresses a significant vulnerability discovered in May that allowed for the potential creation of counterfeit ZEC. The Ironwood upgrade introduces a mechanism to control transactions in the shielded pools, ensuring that counterfeit coins cannot enter circulation.
Overall, the launch of Zakura marks a strategic move for Zcash as it seeks to position itself as a competitive player in the digital payments landscape while maintaining its commitment to privacy and security.
