Zcash offers Ironwood Pool after Orchard Bug
Zcash developers are proposing a new gated pool called Ironwood after concerns that counterfeit ZEC could enter circulation undetected.
The Zcash Open Development Lab (ZODL) said on Saturday that it is working with Tachyon, Valar Group, Zcash Foundation and Shielded Labs on the proposed network upgrade, which will introduce formal verification and independent audits to the Orchard protocol, a privacy system that allows users to operate ZEC without revealing transaction details.
The proposal would close the current Orchard pool to new deposits and internal transactions before entering Ironwood.
The Zakash Foundation said Wednesday that auditors had discovered a vulnerability in the garden's covered pool. Developers say there is no evidence that users' funds have been compromised or that Zcash's overall supply has been altered.
Auditors at Shield Labs said the vulnerability could allow attackers to generate unlimited amounts of fake ZEC in Orchard without being detected.
Source: Zodel
Ironwood shows the presence of fake ZEC
In a separate X post, Shielded Labs claims that Ironwood could provide evidence that the Orchard bug was ever used, though the idea doesn't depend on proving the case again.
If users migrate from Orchard to Ironwood and no excess ZEC tries to leave the old pool, this is strong evidence that the vulnerability was never exploited, Shielded Labs said. If he tries to release too much ZEC, the circuit will reject it, which prevents fake coins from entering the supply.
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The difference has been a source of discussion among community members. Some have questioned whether Zcash is some kind of backdoor to ensure that the bug isn't used. Others have argued that if the Orchard is discontinued and funds can only be withdrawn through the fold, any surplus coins will be kept.
David Schwartz, Ripple's former chief technology officer, said on X that if there is no exploit, users will remain safe whether or not they move their coins. Users who stay in the pool may be “alone” there, but their funds will remain safe and accessible, he said.
Zcash 24-hour price chart. Source: CoinGecko
ZEC traded at $429 at the time of writing. According to CoinGecko, as traders reacted to the risk-taking statement on Friday, it fell above $600 from $303.
Zodel said it plans to target Ironwood activation for July 2026, pending testing, evaluation and coordination around the Zcash ecosystem.
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