What to Know
- Bitcoin Core added a new Trusted Keys maintainer for the first time since 2023.
- TheCharlatan was approved with broad support from other Core developers and no objections.
- The move reinforces Bitcoin Core’s slow, careful approach to sharing control over its main software.
For the first time in nearly three years, the Bitcoin Core development team has added a new person to one of its most important roles. According to reports, an anonymous contributor known as TheCharlatan was promoted to a Trusted Keys maintainer on January 8, 2026.
This is the first time since May 2023 that someone new has been given direct permission to make changes to Bitcoin Core’s main software branch. The move slightly expands a small group that plays a critical role in maintaining Bitcoin’s core code.
What Is a Trusted Keys Maintainer?
Bitcoin Core is the main software used to run the Bitcoin network. While many developers review and suggest changes, only a handful of people are trusted to approve and sign updates that are released to users.
These updates are signed using special digital keys. Only six such keys are currently accepted by the wider Bitcoin Core development community. Anyone holding one of these keys can officially approve changes to the software.
With TheCharlatan’s promotion, Bitcoin Core now has six Trusted Keys maintainers:
- Marco Falke
- Gloria Zhao
- Ryan Ofsky
- Hennadii Stepanov
- Ava Chow
- TheCharlatan
The previous addition to this group was Ryan Ofsky in May 2023.
How the Decision Was Made
The decision to promote TheCharlatan was discussed among Bitcoin Core contributors in a private group chat. At least 20 contributors supported the move, and no one objected.
In the nomination message, other developers described TheCharlatan as “a reliable reviewer” who has worked deeply on important parts of the code. They also said he is careful about what changes are shipped to users and understands how decisions are made within the Bitcoin development process. Bitcoin Core has around 25 active developers on GitHub, but only these six keys are trusted to sign off on final releases.
Who Is TheCharlatan?
TheCharlatan, also called “sedited” is a computer science graduate from the University of Zurich and is originally from South Africa. His work focuses on two key areas: reproducible builds and validation logic. Reproducible builds help ensure that anyone can independently check that the software being released matches the source code. This makes it harder for hidden or harmful changes to slip through. He has also worked on improving how Bitcoin Core checks and validates new blocks added to the blockchain. His efforts build on earlier work by developer Carl Dong to clean up and simplify how this validation logic is handled.
When Bitcoin first launched in 2009, only its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, had full control over the software. Over time, Nakamoto handed this responsibility to Gavin Andresen, who later passed it to Wladimir van der Laan. Under pressure from legal threats by Craig Wright, who claimed to be Satoshi but later lost multiple court cases Van der Laan helped push for more decentralized control. That effort led to the current system, where responsibility is shared among several trusted maintainers instead of one individual.
Bitcoin Price Action
While this development news grabbed attention, Bitcoin’s price also moved higher. Bitcoin rose about 1.5% in the last 24 hours, slightly outperforming the broader crypto market. At the time of writing BTC is trading at around $92,200.
One major factor was strong corporate buying. Strategy purchased roughly $1.25 billion worth of Bitcoin between January 5 and 11, adding over 13,600 BTC to its holdings. This reduces the available supply and signals long-term confidence from large investors. Another positive signal came from MSCI, which confirmed that Strategy would remain in its indexes. This avoided a potential forced sale of shares that could have weighed on Bitcoin’s price.
Final Thoughts
The appointment of a new Trusted Keys maintainer may seem quiet, but it’s a big deal for Bitcoin’s long-term stability. It shows that responsibility continues to be shared carefully and slowly, reinforcing trust in the software that underpins Bitcoin.
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