We’re now turning the last lap to get the Core v2.6 engine to the finish line! In this blog post, we’ll cover the current state of the Core v2.6 testing and the plans for pushing the update live. This is the last step of the long journey and the most exciting part for users who will be able to start using all the new transaction types and features.
We have come a long way since starting development on our biggest Core update so far, and a big part of that is thanks to you, our contributors and testers.
During the course of v2.6 testing on our Development Network, there were more than **60 issues opened (and resolved) **by our community, which shows just how valuable our community is. With your help, we continue to make ARK’s software and products better. The current projection of payouts is well over **$3,000 **split between current participants according to their contributions. But it's not over yet, there’s still time to earn ARK in exchange for testing and to get your name on that leaderboard!
You can see current leaderboard at http://leaderboard.ark.io/
This is the last chance to take part in our special Core v2.6 Testing Bounty phase, which will end on January 6th, 2020 at 0:00 UTC (midnight).
Every accepted issue related to Core v2.6 (you can open an issue **here**) is eligible for up to $100 reward depending on the impact and scope of it. Even if you’re not a developer you can still contribute (and earn) by testing our Core on the Development Network and reporting issues.
To learn how to participate visit https://blog.ark.io/76d776fa55f
When Will Core V2.6 Go Live on Public Network?
On the 6th or 7th of January, we will prepare a ‘Release Candidate’ (RC), which is the last step before we deploy Core v2.6 live on Public Network.
This ‘RC’ will run on the Development network for approximately 7–10 days, after which, Core v2.6 will officially be released around mid-January (exact date and time will be announced).
If you missed what Core v2.6 brings and what has been achieved so far, check out these blog posts for more details:
Hash Time-Locked Contracts (still in an experimental phase, won’t get fully enabled on Public Network right at the beginning).
We’ll be announcing more regarding the official Core v2.6 release soon, so stay tuned to the blog for more info.
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