@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ node_modules/
 .env.test.local
 .env.production.local
 .env.contract-ops
+/public-release.env
+/public-sync.env
+/release.env
+/release-refs.env
 
 # Rust-specific
 **/*.rs.bk
 
@@ -12,6 +12,34 @@ Entries are split by audience. A change appears under `### For Validators` when
 
 Compare and release-notes links resolve once the corresponding tag is published at [`circlefin/arc-node`](https://github.com/circlefin/arc-node).
 
+## [v0.7.2]
+
+**Changes:** [v0.7.1...v0.7.2](https://github.com/circlefin/arc-node/compare/v0.7.1...v0.7.2) -- [release notes](https://github.com/circlefin/arc-node/releases/tag/v0.7.2)
+
+*Note: testnet node operators must use v0.7.2 before timestamp `1781791200` (2026-06-18 14:00:00 UTC), when Zero7 activates on testnet. Earlier versions are not supported.*
+
+### For Node Operators
+
+- **[Config] `arc-node-execution`: JSON-RPC gas cap default lowered.**
+  - Old (`v0.7.1`): `--rpc.gascap` default `50000000` (Reth stock default).
+  - New (`v0.7.2`): `--rpc.gascap` default `30000000`.
+  - `eth_call` and `eth_estimateGas` requests that need more than 30M gas now fail with a gas-cap error. Pass `--rpc.gascap 50000000` (or higher) to restore the previous budget. Operators who never set the flag and do not rely on calls above 30M gas are unaffected.
+
+- **[CLI] `arc-node-execution`: replay-unprotected (pre-EIP-155) transactions are rejected over JSON-RPC by default.**
+  - Old (`v0.7.1`): pre-EIP-155 (replay-unprotected) transactions were accepted over JSON-RPC.
+  - New (`v0.7.2`): they are rejected by default with "only replay-protected (EIP-155) transactions allowed over RPC".
+  - Adds `--arc.rpc.allow-unprotected-txs` (default `false`); set it to accept legacy unprotected transactions over RPC.
+
+- **[Config] `arc-node-execution`: JSON-RPC batch requests are capped.**
+  - Old (`v0.7.1`): no limit on the number of entries in a JSON-RPC batch request.
+  - New (`v0.7.2`): `--arc.rpc.max-batch-entries` defaults to `100`; oversized batches are rejected with JSON-RPC error `-32600` before any per-entry handler runs. A value of `0` is rejected so the cap cannot be silently disabled.
+  - Operators whose tooling submits larger batches must raise `--arc.rpc.max-batch-entries <COUNT>`.
+
+- **[Config] `arc-node-execution`: the invalid-transaction list is enabled by default.**
+  - Old (`v0.7.1`): `--invalid-tx-list-enable` default `false`.
+  - New (`v0.7.2`): default `true`. On a payload-builder panic, all pending transactions are added to the list and removed from the mempool; resubmit them after investigating the panic.
+  - Opt out with `--invalid-tx-list-enable=false`.
+
 ## [v0.7.1]
 
 **Changes:** [v0.7.0...v0.7.1](https://github.com/circlefin/arc-node/compare/v0.7.0...v0.7.1) -- [release notes](https://github.com/circlefin/arc-node/releases/tag/v0.7.1)
 
@@ -2,6 +2,32 @@
 
 All notable changes to arc-node are documented in this file.
 
+## [v0.7.2]
+
+**Changes:** [v0.7.1...v0.7.2](https://github.com/circlefin/arc-node/compare/v0.7.1...v0.7.2) -- [release notes](https://github.com/circlefin/arc-node/releases/tag/v0.7.2)
+
+*Note: testnet node operators must use v0.7.2 before timestamp `1781791200` (2026-06-18 14:00:00 UTC), when Zero7 activates on testnet. Earlier versions are not supported.*
+
+### For Node Operators
+
+- **[Config] EL JSON-RPC gas cap default lowered to 30M.** `--rpc.gascap` now defaults to `30000000` (previously `50000000`). `eth_call` and `eth_estimateGas` requests that need more than 30M gas now fail unless the cap is raised. Operators who never set `--rpc.gascap` and do not rely on calls above 30M gas are unaffected; pass `--rpc.gascap <N>` to restore a larger budget. See [BREAKING_CHANGES.md](./BREAKING_CHANGES.md#v072) for migration details.
+- **[CLI] Replay-unprotected (pre-EIP-155) transactions are rejected over JSON-RPC by default.** The new `--arc.rpc.allow-unprotected-txs` flag defaults to `false`; raw transaction submission returns "only replay-protected (EIP-155) transactions allowed over RPC", matching Geth. Operators that must accept legacy unprotected transactions over RPC pass `--arc.rpc.allow-unprotected-txs`. See [BREAKING_CHANGES.md](./BREAKING_CHANGES.md#v072) for migration details.
+- **[Config] JSON-RPC batch requests are capped at 100 entries by default.** The new `--arc.rpc.max-batch-entries` flag defaults to `100`; batches with more entries are rejected with JSON-RPC error `-32600` before any per-entry handler runs, and `0` is rejected so the cap cannot be silently disabled. Operators whose tooling sends larger batches raise `--arc.rpc.max-batch-entries <COUNT>`. See [BREAKING_CHANGES.md](./BREAKING_CHANGES.md#v072) for migration details.
+- **[Config] The invalid-transaction list is enabled by default.** `--invalid-tx-list-enable` now defaults to `true` (previously `false`). On a payload-builder panic, all pending transactions are added to the list and removed from the mempool; resubmit them after investigating. Opt out with `--invalid-tx-list-enable=false`. See [BREAKING_CHANGES.md](./BREAKING_CHANGES.md#v072) for migration details.
+
+### Fixes
+
+- [CL] Stop stale proposal streams from blocking live proposals
+- [EL] Preserve cold account state when evaluating the SELFDESTRUCT beneficiary check
+- [EL] Charge gas before performing storage I/O in precompile helpers
+- [EL] Fail closed in the SELFDESTRUCT handler when a blocklist read fails
+
+### Docs
+
+Full documentation tree at this release: [`arc-node` v0.7.2 docs](https://github.com/circlefin/arc-node/tree/v0.7.2/docs). New or updated topics in this release:
+
+- Add an RPC provider node section to the public node-operation guide
+
 ## [v0.7.1]
 
 **Changes:** [v0.7.0...v0.7.1](https://github.com/circlefin/arc-node/compare/v0.7.0...v0.7.1) -- [release notes](https://github.com/circlefin/arc-node/releases/tag/v0.7.1)
 
@@ -269,72 +269,67 @@ wiremock = "0.6"
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-app]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-app"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-app-channel]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-app-channel"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-codec]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-codec"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-config]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-config"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-core-consensus]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-core-consensus"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-core-state-machine]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-core-state-machine"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-core-types]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-core-types"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
-
-[workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-engine]
-package = "arc-malachitebft-engine"
-git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "6d95e673"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-network]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-network"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-peer]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-peer"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-proto]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-proto"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-signing]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-signing"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-signing-ed25519]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-signing-ed25519"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.malachitebft-sync]
 package = "arc-malachitebft-sync"
 git = "https://github.com/circlefin/malachite.git"
-rev = "0422137f"
+rev = "8ee5d998"
 
 [profile.dev]
 # enable basic optimizations (otherwise reth can't process txs)