Four reports flag deployed contracts that could break, while possible specification changes are being prototyped, the Ethereum Foundation says.

Older nodes can accept soft-fork blocks without understanding every new rule. A hard fork requires upgraded software to follow the changed network, but does not automatically create another coin.

About 12,224 ZEC remained in the legacy shielded pool ahead of the cutoff. NU7 will also reduce target block spacing from 75 seconds to 25 seconds.

The upgrade is expected around Nov. 5 and will shorten target block times without materially increasing scheduled daily issuance. Node operators face a software-upgrade deadline.

Wallets and indexers must update their software, while smart contracts gain optional post-quantum signature verification.

The 24-month reduction would lower staking rewards, but Security Council ratification and a validator-adopted protocol upgrade still stand between the vote and activation.

Node operators are being told to use software without the scheduled fork, while mainnet activation remains undecided.

The patch updates certificate checks in Go. Obol's mainnet cluster balances totaled 422,862 ETH in its latest daily snapshot.

The upgrade targets 150-millisecond finality, while validators and block-data providers face software changes before the switch.

Per-block computing limits shrink to preserve overall capacity, while validators face more frequent voting and shorter production windows.