diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml b/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml
index c3c7d2fee00fe..74f9c2d43d54c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-old-branches.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ on:
 permissions: {}
 
 env:
-  CURRENTLY_SUPPORTED_BRANCH: '6.9'
+  CURRENTLY_SUPPORTED_BRANCH: '7.0'
 
 jobs:
   dispatch-workflows-for-old-branches:
@@ -45,12 +45,15 @@ jobs:
             'test-build-processes.yml'
         ]
         branch: [
+            '7.0',
             '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: '7.0'
+            workflow: 'php-compatibility.yml'
           - branch: '6.9'
             workflow: 'php-compatibility.yml'
           - branch: '6.8'
@@ -85,6 +88,8 @@ 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: '7.0'
+            workflow: 'end-to-end-tests.yml'
           - branch: '6.9'
             workflow: 'end-to-end-tests.yml'
           - branch: '6.8'
@@ -113,9 +118,9 @@ 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'
+          - branch: '7.0'
             workflow: 'performance.yml'
-          - branch: '6.8'
+          - branch: '6.9'
             workflow: 'performance.yml'
 
     # Run all branches monthly, but only the currently supported one twice per month.
diff --git a/.version-support-mysql.json b/.version-support-mysql.json
index 6a3385cf13e28..6e81f2eff0f09 100644
--- a/.version-support-mysql.json
+++ b/.version-support-mysql.json
@@ -1,4 +1,18 @@
 {
+	"7-1": [
+		"9.6",
+		"9.5",
+		"9.4",
+		"9.3",
+		"9.2",
+		"9.1",
+		"9.0",
+		"8.4",
+		"8.0",
+		"5.7",
+		"5.6",
+		"5.5"
+	],
 	"7-0": [
 		"9.6",
 		"9.5",
diff --git a/.version-support-php.json b/.version-support-php.json
index 5374052d2383c..de510694c65c9 100644
--- a/.version-support-php.json
+++ b/.version-support-php.json
@@ -1,4 +1,13 @@
 {
+	"7-1": [
+		"7.4",
+		"8.0",
+		"8.1",
+		"8.2",
+		"8.3",
+		"8.4",
+		"8.5"
+	],
 	"7-0": [
 		"7.4",
 		"8.0",
diff --git a/SECURITY.md b/SECURITY.md
index 64003f8d70b4e..20b9b8e4b3890 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 |
 |---------| --------- |
+| 7.0.x   | Yes       |
 | 6.9.x   | Yes       |
 | 6.8.x   | Yes       |
 | 6.7.x   | Yes       |
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index 17f53c2116f71..ee5c5d0c0aa03 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "wordpress/wordpress",
-	"version": "7.0.0",
+	"version": "7.1.0",
 	"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 775b43f66e925..a48bff6270b72 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
 	"name": "WordPress",
-	"version": "7.0.0",
+	"version": "7.1.0",
 	"lockfileVersion": 3,
 	"requires": true,
 	"packages": {
 		"": {
 			"name": "WordPress",
-			"version": "7.0.0",
+			"version": "7.1.0",
 			"hasInstallScript": true,
 			"license": "GPL-2.0-or-later",
 			"dependencies": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index bc9ddd279488f..82bb2d4f7a8c9 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "WordPress",
-	"version": "7.0.0",
+	"version": "7.1.0",
 	"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 0113e49d2a871..934e5d0bb5369 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '7.0-RC2-62153-src';
+$wp_version = '7.1-alpha-62161-src';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.