ZEC $1,246.7924H +1.04%CAP $21.21BRANK #10BLOCK 3,539,310GRANTS 144 ZEC PER DAYCOINHOLDER FUND 216 ZEC PER DAYISSUANCE 1,800 ZEC PER DAYPRICE AS OF 12:53 UTC 2026-11-02ZEC $1,246.7924H +1.04%CAP $21.21BRANK #10BLOCK 3,539,310GRANTS 144 ZEC PER DAYCOINHOLDER FUND 216 ZEC PER DAYISSUANCE 1,800 ZEC PER DAYPRICE AS OF 12:53 UTC 2026-11-02
zcashupdates

Rescue old Sprout coins before NU7.

Used Zcash between 2016 and 2018 and had a shielded address starting zc? Check it now.

3days until NU7, planned for 5 Nov
12.3KZEC still in Sprout · about $15.3M, unspendable after NU7 as drafted

Checked 6 Oct 2026 · NU7 activates at block 3,543,405

Are you affected?

zc…Affected: act nowSprout, the 2016 shielded pool. See the steps ↓
zs… u1…Not affectedNewer shielded addresses
t1… t3…Not affectedTransparent addresses

Not sure? Check your address.

A recovery phrase alone doesn't bring back Sprout keys. You need the old wallet.dat file, a backup made with z_exportwallet, or the Sprout spending key itself.

What still works

The original zcashd software retired on 18 Jul 2026, Zallet doesn't support Sprout, and Zkool doesn't handle Sprout keys. The tool that does is Argos, a desktop recovery app made by Sovright and audited by Least Authority. Coins go from Sprout to Sapling to Ironwood: there's no direct route.

  1. Find the old wallet.dat or Sprout key, and back it up offline.
  2. Download Argos only from its official site or GitHub. Use version 1.3.0 or later; the latest is 1.5.1. argos.sovright.comOfficial site github.com/sovright/argosReleases
  3. Open the wallet file or enter the key in the desktop app and run the Sprout scan to the chain tip. It downloads about 26 GB.
  4. Sweep the coins. The sweep has an optional donation step: check the percentage before you confirm.
  5. Check the coins arrived in your wallet before deleting anything.
  6. Shielded in the newest pool from hereIf they land in Sapling, move them on to Ironwood in an up-to-date wallet. Zingo calls this Upgrade funds to newest version.

Also before NU7

Used Ledger's old Zcash Shielded app through Ywallet or Zkool? It stops working at NU7 and leaves Ledger's download list on 5 Nov. Move those coins now.

Never paste a key, wallet file or recovery phrase into a website, form or chat. Anyone who messages you offering to recover coins is a scammer. Argos itself says there is nowhere to enter a seed on its site, and there never will be.

Sources