Bitcoin Core31.1

Bitcoin Core lets you run a Bitcoin node that downloads, verifies, and relays blocks and transactions, while its integrated wallet manages private keys and sends or receives bitcoin. By validating the ledger independently, it reduces reliance on a third party to determine which transactions and balances are valid. The desktop interface provides controls for the node and wallet, while its JSON-RPC interface allows developers and other software to automate operations. A full node also maintains its own copy of the blockchain and participates directly in Bitcoin’s peer-to-peer network.

It suits people who want a self-custodied wallet, operators contributing an independently validating node, and developers testing applications against local Bitcoin infrastructure. Typical uses include verifying payments, broadcasting transactions, and connecting wallet or blockchain software to a node under the operator’s control.

Bitcoin Core 31.1 is the current version. A bug in the -privatebroadcast feature introduced in 31.0 may expose the sender’s IP address to the receiving peer, and a specially crafted block can remotely crash a node by exploiting a use-after-free in the script interpreter. These security considerations are particularly relevant to node operators choosing advanced networking features.

The program runs on macOS 14 Sonoma or later and requires Apple Silicon with arm64 architecture. It is freeware, and the official macOS build is distributed without extra software in its package.