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+26.0 Release Notes
+==================
+
+Bitcoin Core version 26.0 is now available from:
+
+  <https://bitcoincore.org/bin/bitcoin-core-26.0/>
+
+This release includes new features, various bug fixes and performance
+improvements, as well as updated translations.
+
+Please report bugs using the issue tracker at GitHub:
+
+  <https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/issues>
+
+To receive security and update notifications, please subscribe to:
+
+  <https://bitcoincore.org/en/list/announcements/join/>
+
+How to Upgrade
+==============
+
+If you are running an older version, shut it down. Wait until it has completely
+shut down (which might take a few minutes in some cases), then run the
+installer (on Windows) or just copy over `/Applications/Bitcoin-Qt` (on macOS)
+or `bitcoind`/`bitcoin-qt` (on Linux).
+
+Upgrading directly from a version of Bitcoin Core that has reached its EOL is
+possible, but it might take some time if the data directory needs to be migrated. Old
+wallet versions of Bitcoin Core are generally supported.
+
+Compatibility
+==============
+
+Bitcoin Core is supported and extensively tested on operating systems
+using the Linux kernel, macOS 11.0+, and Windows 7 and newer.  Bitcoin
+Core should also work on most other Unix-like systems but is not as
+frequently tested on them.  It is not recommended to use Bitcoin Core on
+unsupported systems.
+
+Notable changes
+===============
+
+P2P and network changes
+-----------------------
+
+- Experimental support for the v2 transport protocol defined in
+  [BIP324](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0324.mediawiki) was added.
+  It is off by default, but when enabled using `-v2transport` it will be negotiated
+  on a per-connection basis with other peers that support it too. The existing
+  v1 transport protocol remains fully supported.
+
+- Nodes with multiple reachable networks will actively try to have at least one
+  outbound connection to each network. This improves individual resistance to
+  eclipse attacks and network level resistance to partition attacks. Users no
+  longer need to perform active measures to ensure being connected to multiple
+  enabled networks. (#27213)
+
+Pruning
+-------
+
+- When using assumeutxo with `-prune`, the prune budget may be exceeded if it is set
+  lower than 1100MB (i.e. `MIN_DISK_SPACE_FOR_BLOCK_FILES * 2`). Prune budget is normally
+  split evenly across each chainstate, unless the resulting prune budget per chainstate
+  is beneath `MIN_DISK_SPACE_FOR_BLOCK_FILES` in which case that value will be used. (#27596)
+
+Updated RPCs
+------------
+
+- Setting `-rpcserialversion=0` is deprecated and will be removed in
+  a future release. It can currently still be used by also adding
+  the `-deprecatedrpc=serialversion` option. (#28448)
+
+- The `hash_serialized_2` value has been removed from `gettxoutsetinfo` since the value it
+  calculated contained a bug and did not take all data into account. It is superseded by
+  `hash_serialized_3` which provides the same functionality but serves the correctly calculated hash. (#28685)
+
+- New fields `transport_protocol_type` and `session_id` were added to the `getpeerinfo` RPC to indicate
+  whether the v2 transport protocol is in use, and if so, what the session id is.
+
+- A new argument `v2transport` was added to the `addnode` RPC to indicate whether a v2 transaction connection
+  is to be attempted with the peer.
+
+- [Miniscript](https://bitcoin.sipa.be/miniscript/) expressions can now be used in Taproot descriptors for all RPCs working with descriptors. (#27255)
+
+- `finalizepsbt` is now able to finalize a PSBT with inputs spending [Miniscript](https://bitcoin.sipa.be/miniscript/)-compatible Taproot leaves. (#27255)
+
+Changes to wallet related RPCs can be found in the Wallet section below.
+
+New RPCs
+--------
+
+- `loadtxoutset` has been added, which allows loading a UTXO snapshot of the format
+  generated by `dumptxoutset`. Once this snapshot is loaded, its contents will be
+  deserialized into a second chainstate data structure, which is then used to sync to
+  the network's tip.
+
+  Meanwhile, the original chainstate will complete the initial block download process in
+  the background, eventually validating up to the block that the snapshot is based upon.
+
+  The result is a usable bitcoind instance that is current with the network tip in a
+  matter of minutes rather than hours. UTXO snapshot are typically obtained via
+  third-party sources (HTTP, torrent, etc.) which is reasonable since their contents
+  are always checked by hash.
+
+  You can find more information on this process in the `assumeutxo` design
+  document (<https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/design/assumeutxo.md>).
+
+  `getchainstates` has been added to aid in monitoring the assumeutxo sync process.
+
+- A new `getprioritisedtransactions` RPC has been added. It returns a map of all fee deltas created by the
+  user with prioritisetransaction, indexed by txid. The map also indicates whether each transaction is
+  present in the mempool. (#27501)
+
+- A new RPC, `submitpackage`, has been added. It can be used to submit a list of raw hex
+transactions to the mempool to be evaluated as a package using consensus and mempool policy rules.
+These policies include package CPFP, allowing a child with high fees to bump a parent below the
+mempool minimum feerate (but not minimum relay feerate). (#27609)
+
+  - Warning: successful submission does not mean the transactions will propagate throughout the
+    network, as package relay is not supported.
+
+  - Not all features are available. The package is limited to a child with all of its
+    unconfirmed parents, and no parent may spend the output of another parent.  Also, package
+    RBF is not supported. Refer to doc/policy/packages.md for more details on package policies
+    and limitations.
+
+  - This RPC is experimental. Its interface may change.
+
+- A new RPC `getaddrmaninfo` has been added to view the distribution of addresses in the new and tried table of the
+  node's address manager across different networks(ipv4, ipv6, onion, i2p, cjdns). The RPC returns count of addresses
+  in new and tried table as well as their sum for all networks. (#27511)
+
+- A new `importmempool` RPC has been added. It loads a valid `mempool.dat` file and attempts to
+  add its contents to the mempool. This can be useful to import mempool data from another node
+  without having to modify the datadir contents and without having to restart the node. (#27460)
+    - Warning: Importing untrusted files is dangerous, especially if metadata from the file is taken over.
+    - If you want to apply fee deltas, it is recommended to use the `getprioritisedtransactions` and
+      `prioritisetransaction` RPCs instead of the `apply_fee_delta_priority` option to avoid
+      double-prioritising any already-prioritised transactions in the mempool.
+
+Updated settings
+----------------
+
+- `bitcoind` and `bitcoin-qt` will now raise an error on startup
+ if a datadir that is being used contains a bitcoin.conf file that
+ will be ignored, which can happen when a datadir= line is used in
+ a bitcoin.conf file. The error message is just a diagnostic intended
+ to prevent accidental misconfiguration, and it can be disabled to
+ restore the previous behavior of using the datadir while ignoring
+ the bitcoin.conf contained in it. (#27302)
+
+- Passing an invalid `-debug`, `-debugexclude`, or `-loglevel` logging configuration
+  option now raises an error, rather than logging an easily missed warning. (#27632)
+
+Changes to GUI or wallet related settings can be found in the GUI or Wallet section below.
+
+New settings
+------------
+
+Tools and Utilities
+-------------------
+
+- A new `bitcoinconsensus_verify_script_with_spent_outputs` function is available in libconsensus which optionally accepts the spent outputs of the transaction being verified.
+- A new `bitcoinconsensus_SCRIPT_FLAGS_VERIFY_TAPROOT` flag is available in libconsensus that will verify scripts with the Taproot spending rules.
+
+Wallet
+------
+
+- Wallet loading has changed in this release. Wallets with some corrupted records that could be
+  previously loaded (with warnings) may no longer load. For example, wallets with corrupted
+  address book entries may no longer load. If this happens, it is recommended
+  load the wallet in a previous version of Bitcoin Core and import the data into a new wallet.
+  Please also report an issue to help improve the software and make wallet loading more robust
+  in these cases. (#24914)
+
+- The `gettransaction`, `listtransactions`, `listsinceblock` RPCs now return
+  the `abandoned` field for all transactions. Previously, the "abandoned" field
+  was only returned for sent transactions. (#25158)
+
+- The `listdescriptors`, `decodepsbt` and similar RPC methods now show `h` rather than apostrophe (`'`) to indicate
+  hardened derivation. This does not apply when using the `private` parameter, which
+  matches the marker used when descriptor was generated or imported. Newly created
+  wallets use `h`. This change makes it easier to handle descriptor strings manually.
+  E.g. the `importdescriptors` RPC call is easiest to use `h` as the marker: `'["desc": ".../0h/..."]'`.
+  With this change `listdescriptors` will use `h`, so you can copy-paste the result,
+  without having to add escape characters or switch `'` to 'h' manually.
+  Note that this changes the descriptor checksum.
+  For legacy wallets the `hdkeypath` field in `getaddressinfo` is unchanged,
+  nor is the serialization format of wallet dumps. (#26076)
+
+- The `getbalances` RPC now returns a `lastprocessedblock` JSON object which contains the wallet's last processed block
+  hash and height at the time the balances were calculated. This result shouldn't be cached because importing new keys could invalidate it. (#26094)
+
+- The `gettransaction` RPC now returns a `lastprocessedblock` JSON object which contains the wallet's last processed block
+  hash and height at the time the transaction information was generated. (#26094)
+
+- The `getwalletinfo` RPC now returns a `lastprocessedblock` JSON object which contains the wallet's last processed block
+  hash and height at the time the wallet information was generated. (#26094)
+
+- Coin selection and transaction building now accounts for unconfirmed low-feerate ancestor transactions. When it is necessary to spend unconfirmed outputs, the wallet will add fees to ensure that the new transaction with its ancestors will achieve a mining score equal to the feerate requested by the user. (#26152)
+
+- For RPC methods which accept `options` parameters ((`importmulti`, `listunspent`,
+  `fundrawtransaction`, `bumpfee`, `send`, `sendall`, `walletcreatefundedpsbt`,
+  `simulaterawtransaction`), it is now possible to pass the options as named
+  parameters without the need for a nested object. (#26485)
+
+This means it is possible make calls like:
+
+```sh
+src/bitcoin-cli -named bumpfee txid fee_rate=100
+```
+
+instead of
+
+```sh
+src/bitcoin-cli -named bumpfee txid options='{"fee_rate": 100}'
+```
+
+- The `deprecatedrpc=walletwarningfield` configuration option has been removed.
+  The `createwallet`, `loadwallet`, `restorewallet` and `unloadwallet` RPCs no
+  longer return the "warning" string field. The same information is provided
+  through the "warnings" field added in v25.0, which returns a JSON array of
+  strings. The "warning" string field was deprecated also in v25.0. (#27757)
+
+- The `signrawtransactionwithkey`, `signrawtransactionwithwallet`,
+  `walletprocesspsbt` and `descriptorprocesspsbt` calls now return the more
+  specific RPC_INVALID_PARAMETER error instead of RPC_MISC_ERROR if their
+  sighashtype argument is malformed. (#28113)
+
+- RPC `walletprocesspsbt`, and `descriptorprocesspsbt` return
+  object now includes field `hex` (if the transaction
+  is complete) containing the serialized transaction
+  suitable for RPC `sendrawtransaction`. (#28414)
+
+- It's now possible to use [Miniscript](https://bitcoin.sipa.be/miniscript/) inside Taproot leaves for descriptor wallets. (#27255)
+
+GUI changes
+-----------
+
+- The transaction list in the GUI no longer provides a special category for "payment to yourself". Now transactions that have both inputs and outputs that affect the wallet are displayed on separate lines for spending and receiving. (gui#119)
+
+- A new menu option allows migrating a legacy wallet based on keys and implied output script types stored in BerkeleyDB (BDB) to a modern wallet that uses descriptors stored in SQLite. (gui#738)
+
+- The PSBT operations dialog marks outputs paying your own wallet with "own address". (gui#740)
+
+- The ability to create legacy wallets is being removed. (gui#764)
+
+Low-level changes
+=================
+
+Tests
+-----
+
+- Non-standard transactions are now disabled by default on testnet
+  for relay and mempool acceptance. The previous behaviour can be
+  re-enabled by setting `-acceptnonstdtxn=1`. (#28354)
+
+Credits
+=======
+
+Thanks to everyone who directly contributed to this release:
+
+- 0xb10c
+- Amiti Uttarwar
+- Andrew Chow
+- Andrew Toth
+- Anthony Towns
+- Antoine Poinsot
+- Antoine Riard
+- Ari
+- Aurèle Oulès
+- Ayush Singh
+- Ben Woosley
+- Brandon Odiwuor
+- Brotcrunsher
+- brunoerg
+- Bufo
+- Carl Dong
+- Casey Carter
+- Cory Fields
+- David Álvarez Rosa
+- dergoegge
+- dhruv
+- dimitaracev
+- Erik Arvstedt
+- Erik McKelvey
+- Fabian Jahr
+- furszy
+- glozow
+- Greg Sanders
+- Harris
+- Hennadii Stepanov
+- Hernan Marino
+- ishaanam
+- ismaelsadeeq
+- Jake Rawsthorne
+- James O'Beirne
+- John Moffett
+- Jon Atack
+- josibake
+- kevkevin
+- Kiminuo
+- Larry Ruane
+- Luke Dashjr
+- MarcoFalke
+- Marnix
+- Martin Leitner-Ankerl
+- Martin Zumsande
+- Matthew Zipkin
+- Michael Ford
+- Michael Tidwell
+- mruddy
+- Murch
+- ns-xvrn
+- pablomartin4btc
+- Pieter Wuille
+- Reese Russell
+- Rhythm Garg
+- Ryan Ofsky
+- Sebastian Falbesoner
+- Sjors Provoost
+- stickies-v
+- stratospher
+- Suhas Daftuar
+- TheCharlatan
+- Tim Neubauer
+- Tim Ruffing
+- Vasil Dimov
+- virtu
+- vuittont60
+- willcl-ark
+- Yusuf Sahin HAMZA
+
+As well as to everyone that helped with translations on
+[Transifex](https://www.transifex.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/).