diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml b/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml
index a6f7ed2bdcfd1..952f10370e277 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml
@@ -45,12 +45,14 @@ jobs:
             'test-build-processes.yml'
         ]
         branch: [
-            '6.8', '6.7', '6.6', '6.5', '6.4', '6.3', '6.2', '6.1','6.0',
+            '6.9', '6.8', '6.7', '6.6', '6.5', '6.4', '6.3', '6.2', '6.1','6.0',
             '5.9', '5.8', '5.7', '5.6', '5.5', '5.4', '5.3', '5.2', '5.1', '5.0',
             '4.9', '4.8', '4.7'
         ]
         include:
           # PHP Compatibility testing was introduced in 5.5.
+          - branch: '6.9'
+            workflow: 'php-compatibility.yml'
           - branch: '6.8'
             workflow: 'php-compatibility.yml'
           - branch: '6.7'
@@ -83,6 +85,8 @@ jobs:
           # End-to-end testing was introduced in 5.3 but was later removed as there were no meaningful assertions.
           # Starting in 5.8 with #52905, some additional tests with real assertions were introduced.
           # Branches 5.8 and newer should be tested to confirm no regressions are introduced.
+          - branch: '6.9'
+            workflow: 'end-to-end-tests.yml'
           - branch: '6.8'
             workflow: 'end-to-end-tests.yml'
           - branch: '6.7'
@@ -109,6 +113,8 @@ jobs:
           # Performance testing was introduced in 6.2 using Puppeteer but was overhauled to use Playwright instead in 6.4.
           # Since the workflow frequently failed for 6.2 and 6.3 due to the flaky nature of the Puppeteer tests,
           # the workflow was removed from those two branches.
+          - branch: '6.9'
+            workflow: 'performance.yml'
           - branch: '6.8'
             workflow: 'performance.yml'
           - branch: '6.7'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml b/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml
index cdd004acaedf3..8d00334c38903 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ jobs:
         db-type: [ 'mysql' ]
         db-version: [ '5.7', '8.4' ]
         # WordPress 4.9 is the oldest version that supports PHP 7.2.
-        wp: [ '4.9', '6.6', '6.7', '6.8' ]
+        wp: [ '4.9', '6.7', '6.8', '6.9-RC1' ]
         multisite: [ false, true ]
 
         exclude:
diff --git a/.version-support-mysql.json b/.version-support-mysql.json
index a81bfbd8b27ee..0e1905d165b11 100644
--- a/.version-support-mysql.json
+++ b/.version-support-mysql.json
@@ -1,4 +1,16 @@
 {
+	"7-0": [
+		"9.4",
+		"9.3",
+		"9.2",
+		"9.1",
+		"9.0",
+		"8.4",
+		"8.0",
+		"5.7",
+		"5.6",
+		"5.5"
+	],
 	"6-9": [
 		"9.4",
 		"9.3",
diff --git a/.version-support-php.json b/.version-support-php.json
index b47e31965140c..6618a1680b9bf 100644
--- a/.version-support-php.json
+++ b/.version-support-php.json
@@ -1,4 +1,15 @@
 {
+	"7-0": [
+		"7.2",
+		"7.3",
+		"7.4",
+		"8.0",
+		"8.1",
+		"8.2",
+		"8.3",
+		"8.4",
+		"8.5"
+	],
 	"6-9": [
 		"7.2",
 		"7.3",
diff --git a/SECURITY.md b/SECURITY.md
index da1c8b444c90b..64003f8d70b4e 100644
--- a/SECURITY.md
+++ b/SECURITY.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Full details of the WordPress Security Policy and the list of covered projects a
 
 | Version | Supported |
 |---------| --------- |
+| 6.9.x   | Yes       |
 | 6.8.x   | Yes       |
 | 6.7.x   | Yes       |
 | 6.6.x   | Yes       |
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index c636b2e7e680f..9ba323a653a0a 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "wordpress/wordpress",
-	"version": "6.9.0",
+	"version": "7.0.0",
 	"license": "GPL-2.0-or-later",
 	"description": "WordPress is open source software you can use to create a beautiful website, blog, or app.",
 	"homepage": "https://wordpress.org",
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 3933b9ec7ec45..86a5cf6003d6a 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
 	"name": "WordPress",
-	"version": "6.9.0",
+	"version": "7.0.0",
 	"lockfileVersion": 3,
 	"requires": true,
 	"packages": {
 		"": {
 			"name": "WordPress",
-			"version": "6.9.0",
+			"version": "7.0.0",
 			"license": "GPL-2.0-or-later",
 			"dependencies": {
 				"@wordpress/a11y": "4.33.1",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c1ac4b691253d..31baedaa7a66b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "WordPress",
-	"version": "6.9.0",
+	"version": "7.0.0",
 	"description": "WordPress is open source software you can use to create a beautiful website, blog, or app.",
 	"repository": {
 		"type": "svn",
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/version.php b/src/wp-includes/version.php
index 878afa7e2efb7..fb46afd6789c5 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '6.9-RC1-61214-src';
+$wp_version = '7.0-alpha-61215-src';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.