Bitcoin Core Drops v31.1rc1, Finally Hides Your IP From Nosy Nodes 🕵️

Bitcoin Core developers have released version 31.1rc1, a release candidate for testing on the main network ahead of its official rollout. The update targets privacy, performance, and reliability for node operators and developers running the reference $BTC client.

The headline fix addresses a privacy flaw in PrivateBroadcast, a feature that routes transactions through anonymity networks such as Tor. Under certain conditions, the function could inadvertently expose a user's IP address when the software fell back to a non-anonymized connection. The patch tightens that behavior so private transaction broadcasting no longer leaks identifying information.

Additional changes touch the validation pipeline. The software now manages transaction data more thoroughly and streamlines the blockchain database, which developers said will reduce future storage growth and improve long-term performance. Networking code has also been reworked to better handle PrivateBroadcast connections and proxy settings, giving users of privacy tools more consistent behavior.

Wallet functionality received updates as well. Migration checks have been optimized, and wallet handling was refined alongside the broader validation and networking improvements. The release candidate, identified as v31.1rc1, is available for public testing so users and developers can flag issues before final deployment to the main network.