Migrating from Sprout to Sapling in Zcash

What You Need to Know

As Zcash continues to evolve, one of its most significant upgrades has been the transition from the legacy Sprout shielded addresses to the newer, faster, and more secure Sapling addresses. This article walks you through why the migration matters and how it works.

https://z.cash/upgrade/sapling/

Sapling introduces a new type of shielded address that starts with “zs”, replacing the old “zc” prefix used by Sprout addresses. Sapling offers:

  • Better performance
  • Enhanced privacy
  • Compatibility with lighter wallets and modern tools

Why Migrate from Sprout to Sapling:

  • Sprout is outdated and no longer recommended for storing funds.
  • Sapling transactions are more efficient and offer greater privacy.
  • Zcash officially recommends all users migrate to Sapling for future compatibility and security.

Two Levels of Migration, User Level and Consensus level. Here is explained:

  • User Level Restrictions: Zcash’s wallet RPCs (e.g., z_sendmany, z_mergetoaddress) do not allow direct transactions between Sprout and Sapling addresses. Users must go through a transparent address as an intermediary, which exposes the amount being transferred, reducing privacy.
  • Consensus Level Mechanism: There is a way to move funds from Sprout to Sapling directly, but it still passes through the transparent value pool. This exposes the transferred amount on chain, even if a transparent address isn’t used. To avoid confusing users and preserve privacy, this method is disabled by default in standard wallet RPCs.

Instead, Zcash provides an official Migration Tool that handles this process in a safer, privacy preserving way.

Since version 2.0.5-2 of zcashd, Zcash includes a migration tool to help users move their funds from old Sprout addresses to modern Sapling addresses. Key Features:

  • Obfuscates individual transactions by mixing them with others migrating at the same time.
  • Sends funds in random amounts, across up to 5 transactions, every 500 blocks.

The full technical design is specified in ZIP 308.

Migrating to Sapling is more than a technical upgrade, it’s a step toward a more private, secure, and efficient Zcash ecosystem. If you still have funds in Sprout addresses, now is the time to transition. The migration tool makes the process smooth, safe, and privacy conscious.