Zcash to Triple Transaction Speed in November
In early November, the Zcash network is planning the NU7 upgrade, which will reduce the block interval from 75 to 25 seconds. This will speed up transaction confirmations and increase the blockchain's throughput. The new mechanism has already been deployed on the public testnet.
The upgrade will also change how transaction fees are distributed: 60% will go into a reserve, while miners will retain 40%. A portion of the accumulated funds will then be distributed to miners as additional rewards. However, faster block production will not affect the rate at which new ZEC is issued.
Faster block production could improve network efficiency, but it will require participants to maintain reliable infrastructure. The overall impact of the upgrade will therefore depend not only on transaction speed but also on whether the network can maintain a balance between scalability, security, and decentralization.
Major ETH Holder to Halt Purchases Amid Growth Expectations
A major company accumulating Ethereum has announced plans to stop regular purchases once it reaches its target reserve level. It currently holds around 4.9% of the total ETH supply and needs to acquire approximately 100,000 more coins to reach its 5% cap.
The decision reflects a shift in strategy: the company plans to hold its accumulated assets and generate additional income through staking. At an annual yield of around 2%, staking $15.5 billion worth of ETH could theoretically generate approximately $300 million a year, although actual returns depend on staking conditions and market conditions.
The company's management also expects substantial growth in Ethereum and sees the price potentially increasing 25-fold. However, such forecasts remain speculative. ETH has experienced significant declines in the past, and large corporate reserves do not guarantee profits. Future price movements will depend on demand for the asset, market conditions, and the development of the Ethereum ecosystem.
BTC Mining Profitability Rises 27%
Mining conditions improved in the third quarter of 2026. BTC rose by around 39%, while Hashprice, a metric that measures potential revenue per unit of computing power, increased by 27% to $39.7 per PH/s per day. Meanwhile, network difficulty declined slightly over the quarter.
The profitability of the tested ASIC miners varied depending on computing power, equipment costs, and maintenance expenses. Among air-cooled models, the best results came from the Bitmain Antminer S21 XP 270 TH/s, with a quarterly return of 7.38%, the S21 PRO+ 245 TH/s at 7.27%, and the S21 PRO+ 234 TH/s at 6.78%.
Despite the improvement, mining profitability still depends on the market price of BTC, network difficulty, and operating costs. Results from a single quarter therefore do not guarantee similar returns in the future.
Crypto Market Enters a Correction as BTC Hits a New October Low
BTC fell by approximately 3.6% in 24 hours, dropping from $86,600 to $82,700. This was its lowest level since late September. Ethereum declined even further, losing 5.4% to trade at around $2,560.
The downturn affected almost the entire market, with most cryptocurrencies in the top 100 by market capitalization ending the day in negative territory. As prices fell, exchanges liquidated nearly $650 million in traders' long positions, including around $236 million in ETH positions.
Uncertainty in the broader economic environment and reduced activity among major buyers are adding to market pressure. In the near term, crypto prices will depend on investor sentiment and the ability of major assets to hold key price levels.
BTC Could Return to Its All-Time High in 2027
A year ago, BTC reached an all-time high of around $126,000, after which the market entered a prolonged correction. In the summer of 2026, the price fell to around $58,000-$59,000 before beginning to recover. Despite the rebound, the asset remains well below its record level.
Inflows into crypto investment products and a decline in the amount of BTC held on exchanges have provided some support. However, uncertainty in the global economy, interest rate policy, and liquidity conditions continue to influence investor sentiment.
Analysts consider a return to $126,000 by the end of 2026 unlikely. A new record in 2027 appears possible if macroeconomic conditions improve and the market recovery continues. However, historical cycles do not guarantee that previous patterns will repeat.
ETH Withdrawal Queue for Staking Exceeds $2 Billion
In early October, the amount of Ethereum waiting to exit staking surged to approximately 786,000 ETH, worth around $2.1 billion. Under the network's current limits, withdrawals take nearly 15 days, while the queue for new validators to enter staking is gradually shrinking.
One reason for the surge was the mass exit of validators following a security incident involving a staking service's infrastructure. This led to a significant amount of ETH being released from staking. No threat to users' wallet funds was identified.
Entry and exit queues are part of Ethereum's security mechanism. These limits help prevent sudden changes in the number of validators and maintain network stability. Around 43.7 million ETH, or nearly 36% of the total supply, is currently staked. A sharp increase in the withdrawal queue does not necessarily signal a large-scale sell-off, as exiting staking does not automatically mean that the coins will be sold.
