Bitcoin Core 32.0 Release Candidate Sparks Node Update Warning

The first release candidate for Bitcoin Core 32.0 was made available on September 14, 2026. This marks the feature freeze and signals the end of maintenance for version 29.x by October 10, 2026. About 60% of reachable Bitcoin nodes currently run versions that will no longer receive security fixes once 32.0 is officially released.

Operators are urged to check their node versions and prepare for updates to maintain security and compatibility. The update focuses on operational improvements like better fee estimation and reduced disk space for the transaction index, without changing consensus rules or impacting Bitcoin's price.