Key Takeaways
- Zano confirmed block 3,833,000 for Hard Fork 6 (HF6) activation, expected between Aug. 25 and 27, 2026.
- HF6 introduces Gateway Addresses, clearing a technical barrier that limited ZANO exchange and decentralized exchange ( DEX) platform access.
- Zano is in talks with Thorchain and other DEXs about post-HF6 integrations, with the updated wallet live now.
What Hard Fork 6 Adds
The centerpiece of HF6 is Gateway Addresses, a new account-based address type designed specifically for exchanges, decentralized exchanges, bridges, and other infrastructure providers.
Unlike standard Zano addresses, Gateway Addresses give services a directly tracked balance and faster sync, making it easier to connect with native ZANO and Confidential Assets without disrupting existing private address functionality for regular users.
Zano has long held a strong privacy model, but that same design created friction for platforms trying to integrate using conventional workflows. HF6 is the network’s answer to that problem.
“After more than a year of work, one of Zano’s most significant upgrades yet has arrived. Hard Fork 6 opens Zano up to the rest of crypto, while keeping the privacy at its core fully intact,” the Zano team said on X.
DeFi Access and Exchange Listings
“Hard Fork 6 could make a real difference for Zano’s adoption, as it opens an easier path for ZANO into DeFi liquidity pools and broader exchange listings, with Zano already in touch with platforms including Thorchain and other DEXs about post-HF6 integrations,” said Quinten van Welzen.
Those conversations point to concrete integration targets, not exploratory talks. Exchange listings and liquidity pool access have been persistent gaps for the project, and HF6 is positioned as the technical fix that removes the main barrier.
Two-Way Bridgeless Movement
HF6 also makes Bridgeless functionality two-way. Native ZANO and supported Confidential Assets will be able to move outward to Ethereum, TON, and Solana. External assets from those chains will be able to move into Zano. The result is a non-custodial path into public-chain liquidity, with users retaining the option to return to Zano for private transactions.
Security and Infrastructure Upgrades
Beyond connectivity, HF6 includes a set of security and reliability improvements:
- Stronger wallet-file encryption, making a stolen or copied wallet file considerably harder to crack
- Per-output payment IDs for cleaner exchange and merchant accounting, while keeping recipient privacy intact
- Safer encryption and decryption RPCs for developers
- P2P denial-of-service hardening with SOCKS5 proxy support to protect nodes from traffic-flooding attacks
What Operators Need to Do
Wallets, miners, pools, node operators, and infrastructure providers all need to upgrade before the fork activates. The updated wallet is available now. With the block height confirmed, operators have roughly eight weeks to complete that process ahead of the expected Aug. 25 window.
The countdown is running.
