Zcash (ZEC) rose 8.34% to around $1,325 on October 12, 2026, recovering part of its value following a correction from its September peak near $1,700. The price increase was accompanied by a surge in market turnover, with ZEC’s 24-hour trading volume jumping 175.80% to nearly $972 million.
However, behind the near-$1 billion capital turnover, chart data and derivatives markets indicate that the market is not yet firmly on a solid upward trajectory.
Test at the $1,330 Trendline
Analyst Austin Barack identified the $1,330 level as a critical point for ZEC’s price action. At that price zone, ZEC directly confronts a descending trendline that has capped the chart since September. A breakout above $1,330 is the primary prerequisite to clear the path toward the next resistance range between $1,420 and $1,500.
Futures markets, meanwhile, reflected caution amid the spot volume surge. ZEC open interest retreated to around 1.1 million ZEC following the correction from peak levels. The decline in open interest indicates a reduction in speculative leveraged positions on exchanges, meaning this price increase is not driven by excessive debt accumulation.
Market hesitation is also visible across daily trend indicators. ZEC’s daily MACD remains stuck in negative territory, with the MACD line at -0.21 below the 29.27 signal line and a histogram of minus 29.48. These figures confirm that ZEC’s rally momentum remains weak and has yet to establish a solid technical reversal.
NU7 Block Time Reduction Schedule
The rise in ZEC’s price coincides with a network overhaul agenda through the NU7 upgrade. This update targets a tentative mainnet launch on November 5, 2026. Its primary technical goal is to slash the block production interval from 75 seconds to 25 seconds to accelerate transaction confirmations.
The early phase of the update is already active on the test network. The NU7 upgrade is running on the testnet at block height 4,465,026. Although testing is underway, the mainnet launch date remains subject to the final decision and evaluation of network developers.
Zcash’s technology roadmap also includes long-term resilience plans. Zcash infrastructure developer Zakura plans to introduce post-quantum signature instructions (WOTS) in January 2027. Additionally, a private information retrieval (PIR) feature for private wallet queries is already experimentally available on the Vizor wallet.
What It Means for ZEC Holders
For market participants and ZEC holders, the near-$1 billion volume spike signals returning liquidity following the correction from the $1,700 level. However, resistance at the $1,330 trendline and a still-negative MACD serve as a reminder that the price recovery is not yet fully confirmed.
NU7’s testnet activation certainly promises a more efficient network, but the certainty of the mainnet date remains in developers’ hands. Waiting for a breakout above the $1,330 level offers a far more measured signal than rushing to chase daily volume spikes.
Reported via crypto.news.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
