The leading cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has undergone a significant update with the release of Bitcoin Core version v26.0. This latest version, accessible from the official Bitcoin Core website, introduces new features, bug fixes, performance improvements, and updated translations.

Notable changes include experimental support for the v2 transport protocol defined in BIP324, impacting P2P and network dynamics. Nodes with multiple reachable networks will actively strive to establish at least one outbound connection to each network, enhancing individual resistance to eclipse attacks and network-level resistance to partition attacks.

The release also incorporates a new RPC (NYSE:RES) (Remote Procedure Call), “submitpackage,” enabling the submission of a list of raw hex transactions to the mempool for evaluation. Additionally, the ability to create legacy wallets has been removed.

Bitcoin Core version 25.0 was the predecessor to this recent release, launched in May of the current year.

In another development, the Swiss city of Lugano has joined other Swiss government entities in accepting cryptocurrency payments, allowing individuals and organizations to settle taxes, fines, and municipal invoices in Bitcoin or the Tether stablecoin. Users can make payments by scanning a QR code, which is now a standard feature on Swiss invoices. This move aligns Lugano with other cryptocurrency-friendly Swiss regions, such as the city and canton of Zug and the town of Zermatt.