12 files changed, 441 insertions, 9 deletions
diff --git a/doc/build-freebsd.md b/doc/build-freebsd.md
index aa10e4a891..bf86a0ee4b 100644
--- a/doc/build-freebsd.md
+++ b/doc/build-freebsd.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # FreeBSD Build Guide
 
-**Updated for FreeBSD [12.3](https://www.freebsd.org/releases/12.3R/announce/)**
+**Updated for FreeBSD [14.0](https://www.freebsd.org/releases/14.0R/announce/)**
 
 This guide describes how to build bitcoind, command-line utilities, and GUI on FreeBSD.
 
@@ -64,10 +64,11 @@ sh/bash: export BDB_PREFIX=[path displayed above]
 #### GUI Dependencies
 ###### Qt5
 
-Bitcoin Core includes a GUI built with the cross-platform Qt Framework. To compile the GUI, we need to install `qt5`. Skip if you don't intend to use the GUI.
+Bitcoin Core includes a GUI built with the cross-platform Qt Framework. To compile the GUI, we need to install the necessary parts of Qt. Skip if you don't intend to use the GUI.
 ```bash
-pkg install qt5
+pkg install qt5-buildtools qt5-core qt5-gui qt5-linguisttools qt5-testlib qt5-widgets
 ```
+
 ###### libqrencode
 
 The GUI can encode addresses in a QR Code. To build in QR support for the GUI, install `libqrencode`. Skip if not using the GUI or don't want QR code functionality.
diff --git a/doc/build-openbsd.md b/doc/build-openbsd.md
index 7ed83853a8..264d5f2d08 100644
--- a/doc/build-openbsd.md
+++ b/doc/build-openbsd.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # OpenBSD Build Guide
 
-**Updated for OpenBSD [7.4](https://www.openbsd.org/74.html)**
+**Updated for OpenBSD [7.5](https://www.openbsd.org/75.html)**
 
 This guide describes how to build bitcoind, command-line utilities, and GUI on OpenBSD.
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ export BDB_PREFIX="/path/to/bitcoin/depends/x86_64-unknown-openbsd"
 Bitcoin Core includes a GUI built with the cross-platform Qt Framework. To compile the GUI, Qt 5 is required.
 
 ```bash
-pkg_add qt5
+pkg_add qtbase qttools
 ```
 
 ## Building Bitcoin Core
diff --git a/doc/dependencies.md b/doc/dependencies.md
index 1e48d225b0..43973d0c15 100644
--- a/doc/dependencies.md
+++ b/doc/dependencies.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ You can find installation instructions in the `build-*.md` file for your platfor
 | --- | --- |
 | [Autoconf](https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/) | [2.69](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/17769) |
 | [Automake](https://www.gnu.org/software/automake/) | [1.13](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/18290) |
-| [Clang](https://clang.llvm.org) | [14.0](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/29208) |
+| [Clang](https://clang.llvm.org) | [15.0](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/29165) |
 | [GCC](https://gcc.gnu.org) | [11.1](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/29091) |
 | [Python](https://www.python.org) (scripts, tests) | [3.9](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/28211) |
 | [systemtap](https://sourceware.org/systemtap/) ([tracing](tracing.md))| N/A |
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ You can find installation instructions in the `build-*.md` file for your platfor
 ### Networking
 | Dependency | Releases | Version used | Minimum required | Runtime |
 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
-| [libnatpmp](../depends/packages/libnatpmp.mk) | [link](https://github.com/miniupnp/libnatpmp/) | commit [07004b9...](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/25917) | | No |
+| [libnatpmp](../depends/packages/libnatpmp.mk) | [link](https://github.com/miniupnp/libnatpmp/) | commit [f2433be...](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/29708) | | No |
 | [MiniUPnPc](../depends/packages/miniupnpc.mk) | [link](https://miniupnp.tuxfamily.org/) | [2.2.2](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/20421) | 2.1 | No |
 
 ### Notifications
diff --git a/doc/descriptors.md b/doc/descriptors.md
index 1baf652f30..3b94ec03e4 100644
--- a/doc/descriptors.md
+++ b/doc/descriptors.md
@@ -243,7 +243,18 @@ Often it is useful to communicate a description of scripts along with the
 necessary private keys. For this reason, anywhere a public key or xpub is
 supported, a private key in WIF format or xprv may be provided instead.
 This is useful when private keys are necessary for hardened derivation
-steps, or for dumping wallet descriptors including private key material.
+steps, for signing transactions, or for dumping wallet descriptors
+including private key material.
+
+For example, after importing the following 2-of-3 multisig descriptor
+into a wallet, one could use `signrawtransactionwithwallet`
+to sign a transaction with the first key:
+```
+sh(multi(2,xprv.../84'/0'/0'/0/0,xpub1...,xpub2...))
+```
+Note how the first key is an xprv private key with a specific derivation path,
+while the other two are public keys.
+
 
 ### Compatibility with old wallets
 
diff --git a/doc/developer-notes.md b/doc/developer-notes.md
index 89c13600eb..cc3f0518e5 100644
--- a/doc/developer-notes.md
+++ b/doc/developer-notes.md
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ code.
     Use `reinterpret_cast` and `const_cast` as appropriate.
   - Prefer [`list initialization ({})`](https://isocpp.github.io/CppCoreGuidelines/CppCoreGuidelines#Res-list) where possible.
     For example `int x{0};` instead of `int x = 0;` or `int x(0);`
+  - Recursion is checked by clang-tidy and thus must be made explicit. Use
+    `NOLINTNEXTLINE(misc-no-recursion)` to suppress the check.
 
 For function calls a namespace should be specified explicitly, unless such functions have been declared within it.
 Otherwise, [argument-dependent lookup](https://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/language/adl), also known as ADL, could be
diff --git a/doc/dnsseed-policy.md b/doc/dnsseed-policy.md
index 55a5c28258..99f48f2670 100644
--- a/doc/dnsseed-policy.md
+++ b/doc/dnsseed-policy.md
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ related to the DNS seed operation.
 If these expectations cannot be satisfied the operator should
 discontinue providing services and contact the active Bitcoin
 Core development team as well as posting on
-[bitcoin-dev](https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/bitcoin-dev).
+[bitcoin-dev](https://groups.google.com/g/bitcoindev).
 
 Behavior outside of these expectations may be reasonable in some
 situations but should be discussed in public in advance.
diff --git a/doc/external-signer.md b/doc/external-signer.md
index de44cdd880..1468e852ef 100644
--- a/doc/external-signer.md
+++ b/doc/external-signer.md
@@ -150,6 +150,9 @@ Example, display the first native SegWit receive address on Testnet:
 
 The command MUST be able to figure out the address type from the descriptor.
 
+The command MUST return an object containing `{"address": "[the address]"}`.
+As a sanity check, for devices that support this, it SHOULD ask the device to derive the address.
+
 If <descriptor> contains a master key fingerprint, the command MUST fail if it does not match the fingerprint known by the device.
 
 If <descriptor> contains an xpub, the command MUST fail if it does not match the xpub known by the device.
diff --git a/doc/managing-wallets.md b/doc/managing-wallets.md
index 22e006c963..b99d88877b 100644
--- a/doc/managing-wallets.md
+++ b/doc/managing-wallets.md
@@ -122,6 +122,22 @@ $ bitcoin-cli -rpcwallet="restored-wallet" getwalletinfo
 
 The restored wallet can also be loaded in the GUI via `File` ->`Open wallet`.
 
+## Wallet Passphrase
+
+Understanding wallet security is crucial for safely storing your Bitcoin. A key aspect is the wallet passphrase, used for encryption. Let's explore its nuances, role, encryption process, and limitations.
+
+- **Not the Seed:**
+The wallet passphrase and the seed are two separate components in wallet security. The seed, or HD seed, functions as a master key for deriving private and public keys in a hierarchical deterministic (HD) wallet. In contrast, the passphrase serves as an additional layer of security specifically designed to secure the private keys within the wallet. The passphrase serves as a safeguard, demanding an additional layer of authentication to access funds in the wallet.
+
+- **Protection Against Unauthorized Access:**
+The passphrase serves as a protective measure, securing your funds in situations where an unauthorized user gains access to your unlocked computer or device while your wallet application is active. Without the passphrase, they would be unable to access your wallet's funds or execute transactions. However, it's essential to be aware that someone with access can potentially compromise the security of your passphrase by installing a keylogger.
+
+- **Doesn't Encrypt Metadata or Public Keys:**
+It's important to note that the passphrase primarily secures the private keys and access to funds within the wallet. It does not encrypt metadata associated with transactions or public keys. Information about your transaction history and the public keys involved may still be visible.
+
+- **Risk of Fund Loss if Forgotten or Lost:**
+If the wallet passphrase is too complex and is subsequently forgotten or lost, there is a risk of losing access to the funds permanently. A forgotten passphrase will result in the inability to unlock the wallet and access the funds.
+
 ## Migrating Legacy Wallets to Descriptor Wallets
 
 Legacy wallets (traditional non-descriptor wallets) can be migrated to become Descriptor wallets
diff --git a/doc/release-notes-27679.md b/doc/release-notes-27679.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dbbb30428c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/release-notes-27679.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+- unix socket paths are now accepted for `-zmqpubrawblock` and `-zmqpubrawtx` with
+the format `-zmqpubrawtx=unix:/path/to/file`
+\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/doc/release-notes/release-notes-25.2.md b/doc/release-notes/release-notes-25.2.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3f050ebaef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/release-notes/release-notes-25.2.md
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+25.2 Release Notes
+==================
+
+Bitcoin Core version 25.2 is now available from:
+
+  <https://bitcoincore.org/bin/bitcoin-core-25.2>
+
+This release includes 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 10.15+, 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
+===============
+
+### Gui
+
+- gui#774 Fix crash on selecting "Mask values" in transaction view
+
+### RPC
+
+- #29003 rpc: fix getrawtransaction segfault
+
+### Wallet
+
+- #29176 wallet: Fix use-after-free in WalletBatch::EraseRecords
+- #29510 wallet: `getrawchangeaddress` and `getnewaddress` failures should not affect keypools for descriptor wallets
+
+### P2P and network changes
+
+- #29412 p2p: Don't process mutated blocks
+- #29524 p2p: Don't consider blocks mutated if they don't connect to known prev block
+
+Credits
+=======
+
+Thanks to everyone who directly contributed to this release:
+
+- Martin Zumsande
+- Sebastian Falbesoner
+- MarcoFalke
+- UdjinM6
+- dergoegge
+- Greg Sanders
+
+As well as to everyone that helped with translations on
+[Transifex](https://www.transifex.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/).
diff --git a/doc/release-notes/release-notes-26.1.md b/doc/release-notes/release-notes-26.1.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b5c6e63007
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/release-notes/release-notes-26.1.md
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+26.1 Release Notes
+==================
+
+Bitcoin Core version 26.1 is now available from:
+
+  <https://bitcoincore.org/bin/bitcoin-core-26.1/>
+
+This release includes 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
+===============
+
+### Wallet
+
+- #28994 wallet: skip BnB when SFFO is enabled
+- #28920 wallet: birth time update during tx scanning
+- #29176 wallet: Fix use-after-free in WalletBatch::EraseRecords
+- #29510 wallet: getrawchangeaddress and getnewaddress failures should not affect keypools for descriptor wallets
+
+### RPC
+
+- #29003 rpc: fix getrawtransaction segfault
+- #28784 rpc: keep .cookie file if it was not generated
+
+### Logs
+
+- #29227 log mempool loading progress
+
+### P2P and network changes
+
+- #29200 net: create I2P sessions using both ECIES-X25519 and ElGamal encryption
+- #29412 p2p: Don't process mutated blocks
+- #29524 p2p: Don't consider blocks mutated if they don't connect to known prev block
+
+### Build
+
+- #29127 Use hardened runtime on macOS release builds.
+- #29195 build: Fix -Xclang -internal-isystem option
+
+### CI
+
+- #28992 ci: Use Ubuntu 24.04 Noble for asan,tsan,tidy,fuzz
+- #29080 ci: Set HOMEBREW_NO_INSTALLED_DEPENDENTS_CHECK to avoid unrelated failures
+- #29610 ci: Fix "macOS native" job
+
+### Miscellaneous
+
+- #28391 refactor: Simplify CTxMempool/BlockAssembler fields, remove some external mapTx access
+- #29179 test: wallet rescan with reorged parent + IsFromMe child in mempool
+- #28791 snapshots: don't core dump when running -checkblockindex after loadtxoutset
+- #29357 test: Drop x modifier in fsbridge::fopen call for MinGW builds
+- #29529 fuzz: restrict fopencookie usage to Linux & FreeBSD
+
+Credits
+=======
+
+Thanks to everyone who directly contributed to this release:
+
+- dergoegge
+- fanquake
+- furszy
+- glozow
+- Greg Sanders
+- Hennadii Stepanov
+- Jon Atack
+- MarcoFalke
+- Mark Friedenbach
+- Martin Zumsande
+- Murch
+- Roman Zeyde
+- stickies-v
+- UdjinM6
+
+As well as to everyone that helped with translations on
+[Transifex](https://www.transifex.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/).
+
diff --git a/doc/release-notes/release-notes-27.0.md b/doc/release-notes/release-notes-27.0.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5060068328
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/release-notes/release-notes-27.0.md
@@ -0,0 +1,217 @@
+Bitcoin Core version 27.0 is now available from:
+
+  <https://bitcoincore.org/bin/bitcoin-core-27.0/>
+
+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 3.17+, 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
+===============
+
+libbitcoinconsensus
+-------------------
+
+- libbitcoinconsensus is deprecated and will be removed for v28. This library has
+  existed for nearly 10 years with very little known uptake or impact. It has
+  become a maintenance burden.
+
+  The underlying functionality does not change between versions, so any users of
+  the library can continue to use the final release indefinitely, with the
+  understanding that Taproot is its final consensus update.
+
+  In the future, libbitcoinkernel will provide a much more useful API that is
+  aware of the UTXO set, and therefore be able to fully validate transactions and
+  blocks. (#29189)
+
+mempool.dat compatibility
+-------------------------
+
+- The `mempool.dat` file created by -persistmempool or the savemempool RPC will
+  be written in a new format. This new format includes the XOR'ing of transaction
+  contents to mitigate issues where external programs (such as anti-virus) attempt
+  to interpret and potentially modify the file.
+
+  This new format can not be read by previous software releases. To allow for a
+  downgrade, a temporary setting `-persistmempoolv1` has been added to fall back
+  to the legacy format. (#28207)
+
+P2P and network changes
+-----------------------
+
+- BIP324 v2 transport is now enabled by default. It remains possible to disable v2
+  by running with `-v2transport=0`. (#29347)
+- Manual connection options (`-connect`, `-addnode` and `-seednode`) will
+  now follow `-v2transport` to connect with v2 by default. They will retry with
+  v1 on failure. (#29058)
+
+- Network-adjusted time has been removed from consensus code. It is replaced
+  with (unadjusted) system time. The warning for a large median time offset
+  (70 minutes or more) is kept. This removes the implicit security assumption of
+  requiring an honest majority of outbound peers, and increases the importance
+  of the node operator ensuring their system time is (and stays) correct to not
+  fall out of consensus with the network. (#28956)
+
+Mempool Policy Changes
+----------------------
+
+- Opt-in Topologically Restricted Until Confirmation (TRUC) Transactions policy
+  (aka v3 transaction policy) is available for use on test networks when
+  `-acceptnonstdtxn=1` is set. By setting the transaction version number to 3, TRUC transactions
+  request the application of limits on spending of their unconfirmed outputs. These
+  restrictions simplify the assessment of incentive compatibility of accepting or
+  replacing TRUC transactions, thus ensuring any replacements are more profitable for
+  the node and making fee-bumping more reliable. TRUC transactions are currently
+  nonstandard and can only be used on test networks where the standardness rules are
+  relaxed or disabled (e.g. with `-acceptnonstdtxn=1`). (#28948)
+
+External Signing
+----------------
+
+- Support for external signing on Windows has been disabled. It will be re-enabled
+  once the underlying dependency (Boost Process), has been replaced with a different
+  library. (#28967)
+
+Updated RPCs
+------------
+
+- The addnode RPC now follows the `-v2transport` option (now on by default, see above) for making connections.
+  It remains possible to specify the transport type manually with the v2transport argument of addnode. (#29239)
+
+Build System
+------------
+
+- A C++20 capable compiler is now required to build Bitcoin Core. (#28349)
+- MacOS releases are configured to use the hardened runtime libraries (#29127)
+
+Wallet
+------
+
+- The CoinGrinder coin selection algorithm has been introduced to mitigate unnecessary
+  large input sets and lower transaction costs at high feerates. CoinGrinder
+  searches for the input set with minimal weight. Solutions found by
+  CoinGrinder will produce a change output. CoinGrinder is only active at
+  elevated feerates (default: 30+ sat/vB, based on `-consolidatefeerate`×3). (#27877)
+- The Branch And Bound coin selection algorithm will be disabled when the subtract fee
+  from outputs feature is used. (#28994)
+- If the birth time of a descriptor is detected to be later than the first transaction
+  involving that descriptor, the birth time will be reset to the earlier time. (#28920)
+
+Low-level changes
+=================
+
+Pruning
+-------
+
+- When pruning during initial block download, more blocks will be pruned at each
+  flush in order to speed up the syncing of such nodes. (#20827)
+
+Init
+----
+
+- Various fixes to prevent issues where subsequent instances of Bitcoin Core would
+  result in deletion of files in use by an existing instance. (#28784, #28946)
+- Improved handling of empty `settings.json` files. (#29144)
+
+Credits
+=======
+
+Thanks to everyone who directly contributed to this release:
+
+- 22388o⚡️
+- Aaron Clauson
+- Amiti Uttarwar
+- Andrew Toth
+- Anthony Towns
+- Antoine Poinsot
+- Ava Chow
+- Brandon Odiwuor
+- brunoerg
+- Chris Stewart
+- Cory Fields
+- dergoegge
+- djschnei21
+- Fabian Jahr
+- fanquake
+- furszy
+- Gloria Zhao
+- Greg Sanders
+- Hennadii Stepanov
+- Hernan Marino
+- iamcarlos94
+- ismaelsadeeq
+- Jameson Lopp
+- Jesse Barton
+- John Moffett
+- Jon Atack
+- josibake
+- jrakibi
+- Justin Dhillon
+- Kashif Smith
+- kevkevin
+- Kristaps Kaupe
+- L0la L33tz
+- Luke Dashjr
+- Lőrinc
+- marco
+- MarcoFalke
+- Mark Friedenbach
+- Marnix
+- Martin Leitner-Ankerl
+- Martin Zumsande
+- Max Edwards
+- Murch
+- muxator
+- naiyoma
+- Nikodemas Tuckus
+- ns-xvrn
+- pablomartin4btc
+- Peter Todd
+- Pieter Wuille
+- Richard Myers
+- Roman Zeyde
+- Russell Yanofsky
+- Ryan Ofsky
+- Sebastian Falbesoner
+- Sergi Delgado Segura
+- Sjors Provoost
+- stickies-v
+- stratospher
+- Supachai Kheawjuy
+- TheCharlatan
+- UdjinM6
+- Vasil Dimov
+- w0xlt
+- willcl-ark
+
+
+As well as to everyone that helped with translations on
+[Transifex](https://www.transifex.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/).