Bitcoin Core feature freeze nears as rebase issues hit unencrypted-connection proposal

Bitcoin Core, the top software client for running a Bitcoin node, is scheduled to enter its v32 feature freeze on Thursday, Aug. 20. The deadline shifts the release line to bug fixes and gives new v32 features their final normal window before the project's October release target.

The v32 milestone listed 17 items open and 79 closed on Aug. 17, putting the work at 82% complete. Those 17 entries span feature pull requests, bug reports, build and logging work, a private-broadcast test failure, and the release-schedule ticket itself. GitHub publishes no blocker ranking for the queue, so the raw count says more about unfinished scope than release risk.

Under the proposed schedule, source-language translation strings also freeze on Thursday. Maintainers then aim to split the 32.x branch and issue v32.0rc1 on Sept. 10, while new v33 work resumes on the master branch. The target for tagging v32.0 is Oct. 10.

The Bitcoin Core v32 freeze changes what can still enter the release. A feature pull request that misses Thursday moves beyond the normal v32 route, while qualifying fixes can still be reviewed during the run to rc1. An open milestone entry can represent release administration, a bug that remains eligible after the freeze, or unfinished feature code facing Thursday's cutoff.