diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index aadf01a5b5..0dae9a37d7 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-bootstrap"
-version = "0.1.4"
+version = "0.1.5-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "ant-logging",
  "ant-protocol",
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-build-info"
-version = "0.1.23"
+version = "0.1.24-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "chrono",
  "tracing",
@@ -805,7 +805,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-cli"
-version = "0.3.6"
+version = "0.3.7-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "ant-bootstrap",
  "ant-build-info",
@@ -836,7 +836,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-evm"
-version = "0.1.8"
+version = "0.1.9-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "custom_debug",
  "evmlib",
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-logging"
-version = "0.2.45"
+version = "0.2.46-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "chrono",
  "color-eyre",
@@ -883,7 +883,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-metrics"
-version = "0.1.24"
+version = "0.1.25-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "clap",
  "color-eyre",
@@ -897,7 +897,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-networking"
-version = "0.3.4"
+version = "0.3.5-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "aes-gcm-siv",
  "ant-bootstrap",
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-node"
-version = "0.3.5"
+version = "0.3.6-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "ant-bootstrap",
  "ant-build-info",
@@ -993,7 +993,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-node-manager"
-version = "0.11.7"
+version = "0.11.8-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "ant-bootstrap",
  "ant-build-info",
@@ -1036,7 +1036,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-node-rpc-client"
-version = "0.6.41"
+version = "0.6.42-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "ant-build-info",
  "ant-logging",
@@ -1060,7 +1060,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-protocol"
-version = "0.3.3"
+version = "0.3.4-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "ant-build-info",
  "ant-evm",
@@ -1111,7 +1111,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-service-management"
-version = "0.4.7"
+version = "0.4.8-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "ant-bootstrap",
  "ant-evm",
@@ -1138,7 +1138,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-token-supplies"
-version = "0.1.62"
+version = "0.1.63-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "dirs-next",
  "reqwest 0.11.27",
@@ -1547,7 +1547,7 @@ checksum = "ace50bade8e6234aa140d9a2f552bbee1db4d353f69b8217bc503490fc1a9f26"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "autonomi"
-version = "0.3.5"
+version = "0.3.6-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "alloy",
  "ant-bootstrap",
@@ -3135,7 +3135,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "evm-testnet"
-version = "0.1.8"
+version = "0.1.9-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "ant-evm",
  "clap",
@@ -3146,7 +3146,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "evmlib"
-version = "0.1.8"
+version = "0.1.9-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "alloy",
  "dirs-next",
@@ -5944,7 +5944,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "nat-detection"
-version = "0.2.15"
+version = "0.2.16-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "ant-build-info",
  "ant-networking",
@@ -6061,7 +6061,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "node-launchpad"
-version = "0.5.3"
+version = "0.5.4-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "ant-bootstrap",
  "ant-build-info",
@@ -8652,7 +8652,7 @@ checksum = "8f50febec83f5ee1df3015341d8bd429f2d1cc62bcba7ea2076759d315084683"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "test-utils"
-version = "0.4.15"
+version = "0.4.16-rc.1"
 dependencies = [
  "bytes",
  "color-eyre",
diff --git a/ant-bootstrap/Cargo.toml b/ant-bootstrap/Cargo.toml
index ca56af8558..60a907a0c5 100644
--- a/ant-bootstrap/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-bootstrap/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,14 +7,14 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "ant-bootstrap"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.1.4"
+version = "0.1.5-rc.1"
 
 [features]
 local = []
 
 [dependencies]
-ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.45" }
-ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.3" }
+ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.46-rc.1" }
+ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.4-rc.1" }
 atomic-write-file = "0.2.2"
 chrono = { version = "0.4", features = ["serde"] }
 clap = { version = "4.2.1", features = ["derive", "env"] }
diff --git a/ant-build-info/Cargo.toml b/ant-build-info/Cargo.toml
index f664ce5419..bc03812a29 100644
--- a/ant-build-info/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-build-info/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "ant-build-info"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.1.23"
+version = "0.1.24-rc.1"
 build = "build.rs"
 include = ["Cargo.toml", "src/**/*", "build.rs"]
 
diff --git a/ant-build-info/src/release_info.rs b/ant-build-info/src/release_info.rs
index a05a19a3f1..25086119dd 100644
--- a/ant-build-info/src/release_info.rs
+++ b/ant-build-info/src/release_info.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-pub const RELEASE_YEAR: &str = "2024";
-pub const RELEASE_MONTH: &str = "12";
+pub const RELEASE_YEAR: &str = "2025";
+pub const RELEASE_MONTH: &str = "1";
 pub const RELEASE_CYCLE: &str = "1";
-pub const RELEASE_CYCLE_COUNTER: &str = "11";
+pub const RELEASE_CYCLE_COUNTER: &str = "1";
diff --git a/ant-cli/Cargo.toml b/ant-cli/Cargo.toml
index 1491096318..2a62a5baa2 100644
--- a/ant-cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ authors = ["MaidSafe Developers <dev@maidsafe.net>"]
 name = "ant-cli"
 description = "CLI client for the Autonomi network"
 license = "GPL-3.0"
-version = "0.3.6"
+version = "0.3.7-rc.1"
 edition = "2021"
 homepage = "https://maidsafe.net"
 readme = "README.md"
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@ name = "files"
 harness = false
 
 [dependencies]
-ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.4" }
-ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.23" }
-ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.45" }
-ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.3" }
-autonomi = { path = "../autonomi", version = "0.3.5", features = [ "loud" ] }
+ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.5-rc.1" }
+ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.24-rc.1" }
+ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.46-rc.1" }
+ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.4-rc.1" }
+autonomi = { path = "../autonomi", version = "0.3.6-rc.1", features = [ "loud" ] }
 clap = { version = "4.2.1", features = ["derive"] }
 color-eyre = "0.6.3"
 const-hex = "1.13.1"
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ tracing = { version = "~0.1.26" }
 walkdir = "2.5.0"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
-autonomi = { path = "../autonomi", version = "0.3.5" }
+autonomi = { path = "../autonomi", version = "0.3.6-rc.1" }
 criterion = "0.5.1"
 eyre = "0.6.8"
 rand = { version = "~0.8.5", features = ["small_rng"] }
diff --git a/ant-evm/Cargo.toml b/ant-evm/Cargo.toml
index 6ccb20a4f4..1975758284 100644
--- a/ant-evm/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-evm/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "ant-evm"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.1.8"
+version = "0.1.9-rc.1"
 
 [features]
 external-signer = ["evmlib/external-signer"]
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ test-utils = []
 
 [dependencies]
 custom_debug = "~0.6.1"
-evmlib = { path = "../evmlib", version = "0.1.8" }
+evmlib = { path = "../evmlib", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
 hex = "~0.4.3"
 lazy_static = "1.4.0"
 libp2p = { version = "0.54.1", features = ["identify", "kad"] }
diff --git a/ant-logging/Cargo.toml b/ant-logging/Cargo.toml
index d5c9cb318c..770f7e259a 100644
--- a/ant-logging/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-logging/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "ant-logging"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.2.45"
+version = "0.2.46-rc.1"
 
 [dependencies]
 chrono = "~0.4.19"
diff --git a/ant-metrics/Cargo.toml b/ant-metrics/Cargo.toml
index 4457f887b7..7db626ccaf 100644
--- a/ant-metrics/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-metrics/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "ant-metrics"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.1.24"
+version = "0.1.25-rc.1"
 
 [[bin]]
 path = "src/main.rs"
diff --git a/ant-networking/Cargo.toml b/ant-networking/Cargo.toml
index 9bf2458212..6ea2437d90 100644
--- a/ant-networking/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-networking/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "ant-networking"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.3.4"
+version = "0.3.5-rc.1"
 
 [features]
 default = []
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ open-metrics = ["libp2p/metrics", "prometheus-client", "hyper", "sysinfo"]
 
 [dependencies]
 aes-gcm-siv = "0.11.1"
-ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.4" }
-ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.23" }
-ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.8" }
-ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.3" }
+ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.5-rc.1" }
+ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.24-rc.1" }
+ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
+ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.4-rc.1" }
 async-trait = "0.1"
 bls = { package = "blsttc", version = "8.0.2" }
 bytes = { version = "1.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
@@ -82,4 +82,4 @@ uuid = { version = "1.5.0", features = ["v4"] }
 workspace = true
 
 [lib]
-crate-type = ["cdylib", "rlib"]
\ No newline at end of file
+crate-type = ["cdylib", "rlib"]
diff --git a/ant-node-manager/Cargo.toml b/ant-node-manager/Cargo.toml
index 626bef82ea..49a2ff60b2 100644
--- a/ant-node-manager/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-node-manager/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "ant-node-manager"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.11.7"
+version = "0.11.8-rc.1"
 
 [[bin]]
 name = "antctl"
@@ -29,13 +29,13 @@ tcp = []
 websockets = []
 
 [dependencies]
-ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.4" }
-ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.23" }
-ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.8" }
-ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.45" }
-ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.3" }
+ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.5-rc.1" }
+ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.24-rc.1" }
+ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
+ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.46-rc.1" }
+ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.4-rc.1" }
 ant-releases = { version = "0.4.0" }
-ant-service-management = { path = "../ant-service-management", version = "0.4.7" }
+ant-service-management = { path = "../ant-service-management", version = "0.4.8-rc.1" }
 chrono = "~0.4.19"
 clap = { version = "4.4.6", features = ["derive", "env"] }
 colored = "2.0.4"
diff --git a/ant-node-rpc-client/Cargo.toml b/ant-node-rpc-client/Cargo.toml
index cdb463fc28..a88703f638 100644
--- a/ant-node-rpc-client/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-node-rpc-client/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "ant-node-rpc-client"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.6.41"
+version = "0.6.42-rc.1"
 
 [[bin]]
 name = "antnode_rpc_client"
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ path = "src/main.rs"
 nightly = []
 
 [dependencies]
-ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.23" }
-ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.45" }
-ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.3", features=["rpc"] }
-ant-node = { path = "../ant-node", version = "0.3.5" }
-ant-service-management = { path = "../ant-service-management", version = "0.4.7" }
+ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.24-rc.1" }
+ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.46-rc.1" }
+ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.4-rc.1", features=["rpc"] }
+ant-node = { path = "../ant-node", version = "0.3.6-rc.1" }
+ant-service-management = { path = "../ant-service-management", version = "0.4.8-rc.1" }
 async-trait = "0.1"
 bls = { package = "blsttc", version = "8.0.1" }
 clap = { version = "4.2.1", features = ["derive"] }
diff --git a/ant-node/Cargo.toml b/ant-node/Cargo.toml
index 5a18568821..1420cf1dc9 100644
--- a/ant-node/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-node/Cargo.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 authors = ["MaidSafe Developers <dev@maidsafe.net>"]
 description = "The Autonomi node binary"
 name = "ant-node"
-version = "0.3.5"
+version = "0.3.6-rc.1"
 edition = "2021"
 license = "GPL-3.0"
 homepage = "https://maidsafe.net"
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@ open-metrics = ["ant-networking/open-metrics", "prometheus-client"]
 otlp = ["ant-logging/otlp"]
 
 [dependencies]
-ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.4" }
-ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.23" }
-ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.8" }
-ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.45", features = ["process-metrics"] }
-ant-networking = { path = "../ant-networking", version = "0.3.3" }
-ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.3" }
-ant-service-management = { path = "../ant-service-management", version = "0.4.7" }
+ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.5-rc.1" }
+ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.24-rc.1" }
+ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
+ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.46-rc.1", features = ["process-metrics"] }
+ant-networking = { path = "../ant-networking", version = "0.3.5-rc.1" }
+ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.4-rc.1" }
+ant-service-management = { path = "../ant-service-management", version = "0.4.8-rc.1" }
 async-trait = "0.1"
 bls = { package = "blsttc", version = "8.0.1" }
 bytes = { version = "1.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
@@ -77,10 +77,10 @@ walkdir = "~2.5.0"
 xor_name = "5.0.0"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
-ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.3", features = ["rpc"] }
+ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.4-rc.1", features = ["rpc"] }
 assert_fs = "1.0.0"
-evmlib = { path = "../evmlib", version = "0.1.8" }
-autonomi = { path = "../autonomi", version = "0.3.5" }
+evmlib = { path = "../evmlib", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
+autonomi = { path = "../autonomi", version = "0.3.6-rc.1" }
 reqwest = { version = "0.12.2", default-features = false, features = [
     "rustls-tls-manual-roots",
 ] }
diff --git a/ant-protocol/Cargo.toml b/ant-protocol/Cargo.toml
index d6f0538564..09787b5269 100644
--- a/ant-protocol/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-protocol/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,15 +7,15 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "ant-protocol"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.3.3"
+version = "0.3.4-rc.1"
 
 [features]
 default = []
 rpc = ["tonic", "prost"]
 
 [dependencies]
-ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.23" }
-ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.8" }
+ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.24-rc.1" }
+ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
 bls = { package = "blsttc", version = "8.0.1" }
 bytes = { version = "1.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
 color-eyre = "0.6.3"
diff --git a/ant-service-management/Cargo.toml b/ant-service-management/Cargo.toml
index 662634a107..c7f4af0961 100644
--- a/ant-service-management/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-service-management/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "ant-service-management"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.4.7"
+version = "0.4.8-rc.1"
 
 [dependencies]
-ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.4" }
-ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.8" }
-ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.45" }
-ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.3", features = ["rpc"] }
+ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.5-rc.1" }
+ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
+ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.46-rc.1" }
+ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.4-rc.1", features = ["rpc"] }
 async-trait = "0.1"
 dirs-next = "2.0.0"
 libp2p = { version = "0.54.1", features = ["kad"] }
diff --git a/ant-token-supplies/Cargo.toml b/ant-token-supplies/Cargo.toml
index 66a3661079..5cc2b93696 100644
--- a/ant-token-supplies/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ant-token-supplies/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "ant-token-supplies"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.1.62"
+version = "0.1.63-rc.1"
 
 
 [dependencies]
diff --git a/autonomi/Cargo.toml b/autonomi/Cargo.toml
index 7f0c7baeeb..7e2d6d0a6b 100644
--- a/autonomi/Cargo.toml
+++ b/autonomi/Cargo.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ authors = ["MaidSafe Developers <dev@maidsafe.net>"]
 description = "Autonomi client API"
 name = "autonomi"
 license = "GPL-3.0"
-version = "0.3.5"
+version = "0.3.6-rc.1"
 edition = "2021"
 homepage = "https://maidsafe.net"
 readme = "README.md"
@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ extension-module = ["pyo3/extension-module"]
 loud = []
 
 [dependencies]
-ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.4" }
-ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.8" }
-ant-networking = { path = "../ant-networking", version = "0.3.4" }
-ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.3" }
+ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.5-rc.1" }
+ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
+ant-networking = { path = "../ant-networking", version = "0.3.5-rc.1" }
+ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.4-rc.1" }
 bip39 = "2.0.0"
 blst = "0.3.13"
 blstrs = "0.7.1"
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ xor_name = "5.0.0"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 alloy = { version = "0.7.3", default-features = false, features = ["contract", "json-rpc", "network", "node-bindings", "provider-http", "reqwest-rustls-tls", "rpc-client", "rpc-types", "signer-local", "std"] }
-ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.45" }
+ant-logging = { path = "../ant-logging", version = "0.2.46-rc.1" }
 eyre = "0.6.5"
 serial_test = "3.2.0"
 sha2 = "0.10.6"
diff --git a/evm-testnet/Cargo.toml b/evm-testnet/Cargo.toml
index fcff5a809b..aada1c1b13 100644
--- a/evm-testnet/Cargo.toml
+++ b/evm-testnet/Cargo.toml
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ homepage = "https://maidsafe.net"
 license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "evm-testnet"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.1.8"
+version = "0.1.9-rc.1"
 
 [dependencies]
-ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.8" }
+ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
 clap = { version = "4.5", features = ["derive"] }
 dirs-next = "~2.0.0"
-evmlib = { path = "../evmlib", version = "0.1.8" }
+evmlib = { path = "../evmlib", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
 tokio = { version = "1.40", features = ["rt-multi-thread", "signal"] }
 
 [lints]
diff --git a/evmlib/Cargo.toml b/evmlib/Cargo.toml
index d8ece2f193..4d51227732 100644
--- a/evmlib/Cargo.toml
+++ b/evmlib/Cargo.toml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ homepage = "https://maidsafe.net"
 license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "evmlib"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.1.8"
+version = "0.1.9-rc.1"
 
 [features]
 external-signer = []
diff --git a/nat-detection/Cargo.toml b/nat-detection/Cargo.toml
index 2ad2fc2dcd..9f4271c662 100644
--- a/nat-detection/Cargo.toml
+++ b/nat-detection/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "nat-detection"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.2.15"
+version = "0.2.16-rc.1"
 
 [[bin]]
 name = "nat-detection"
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ path = "src/main.rs"
 nightly = []
 
 [dependencies]
-ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.23" }
-ant-networking = { path = "../ant-networking", version = "0.3.4" }
-ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.3" }
+ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.24-rc.1" }
+ant-networking = { path = "../ant-networking", version = "0.3.5-rc.1" }
+ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.4-rc.1" }
 clap = { version = "4.5.4", features = ["derive"] }
 clap-verbosity-flag = "2.2.0"
 color-eyre = { version = "0.6", default-features = false }
diff --git a/node-launchpad/Cargo.toml b/node-launchpad/Cargo.toml
index 465f7977fc..03581a6f2b 100644
--- a/node-launchpad/Cargo.toml
+++ b/node-launchpad/Cargo.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 authors = ["MaidSafe Developers <dev@maidsafe.net>"]
 description = "TUI for running nodes on the Autonomi network"
 name = "node-launchpad"
-version = "0.5.3"
+version = "0.5.4-rc.1"
 edition = "2021"
 license = "GPL-3.0"
 homepage = "https://maidsafe.net"
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ path = "src/bin/tui/main.rs"
 nightly = []
 
 [dependencies]
-ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.4" }
-ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.23" }
-ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.8" }
-ant-node-manager = { version = "0.11.7", path = "../ant-node-manager" }
-ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.3" }
+ant-bootstrap = { path = "../ant-bootstrap", version = "0.1.5-rc.1" }
+ant-build-info = { path = "../ant-build-info", version = "0.1.24-rc.1" }
+ant-evm = { path = "../ant-evm", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
+ant-node-manager = { version = "0.11.8-rc.1", path = "../ant-node-manager" }
+ant-protocol = { path = "../ant-protocol", version = "0.3.4-rc.1" }
 ant-releases = { version = "0.4.0" }
-ant-service-management = { version = "0.4.7", path = "../ant-service-management" }
+ant-service-management = { version = "0.4.8-rc.1", path = "../ant-service-management" }
 arboard = "3.4.1"
 atty = "0.2.14"
 better-panic = "0.3.0"
diff --git a/release-cycle-info b/release-cycle-info
index 54e44b5314..82ca5a5290 100644
--- a/release-cycle-info
+++ b/release-cycle-info
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 #
 # Both of these numbers are used in the packaged version number, which is a collective version
 # number for all the released binaries.
-release-year: 2024
-release-month: 12
+release-year: 2025
+release-month: 1
 release-cycle: 1
-release-cycle-counter: 11
+release-cycle-counter: 1
diff --git a/test-utils/Cargo.toml b/test-utils/Cargo.toml
index f76b8e7411..b2f59d261e 100644
--- a/test-utils/Cargo.toml
+++ b/test-utils/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ license = "GPL-3.0"
 name = "test-utils"
 readme = "README.md"
 repository = "https://github.com/maidsafe/autonomi"
-version = "0.4.15"
+version = "0.4.16-rc.1"
 
 [dependencies]
 bytes = { version = "1.0.1", features = ["serde"] }
 color-eyre = "0.6.3"
 dirs-next = "~2.0.0"
-evmlib = { path = "../evmlib", version = "0.1.8" }
+evmlib = { path = "../evmlib", version = "0.1.9-rc.1" }
 libp2p = { version = "0.54.1", features = ["identify", "kad"] }
 rand = "0.8.5"
 serde = { version = "1.0.133", features = ["derive"] }