Bitcoin Core adds sixth core code maintainer, TheCharlatan

On January 8, 2026, the pseudonymous developer TheCharlatan (also known as "sedated") became the sixth trusted key holder in the main branch of Bitcoin Core software, marking the first time this permission has been added since May 2023. It is reported that in group chats with other core contributors, at least 20 members agreed to their nomination and no one raised any objections. The Charlatan has been recognized for its contributions in key areas of the code repository, careful consideration of content, and profound understanding of the technical consensus process. He graduated from the University of Zurich with a major in Computer Science, focusing on software reproducible construction and Bitcoin Core verification logic development.