Dash Core 24: What to check before you move DASH or Bitcoin

Published 2026-11-10 UTC

Before sending DASH or Bitcoin around the Core 24 upgrade, check activation timing, your wallet version, and whether AltQuick deposits and withdrawals are open.

Official Dash wordmark in Dash blue on a white background

Public information checked November 9, 2026. This guide explains upgrade and transfer checks; it does not document a completed deposit, trade or withdrawal, and it does not state which Dash Core version AltQuick is running.

Dash Core 24.0.0 was released on November 5, 2026. It is a mandatory network upgrade (a hard fork). If you are about to sell DASH for Bitcoin, buy DASH with Bitcoin, or withdraw coins to a wallet you control, the useful questions are more specific than a headline price: when the upgrade can actually activate, whether the wallet that will receive DASH will still follow the valid chain, and whether the exchange functions you need are open right now.

November 28 is the earliest possible activation, not a fixed appointment

The official v24.0.0 release notes describe a masternode-activated Enhanced Hard Fork, following DIP-0023. Two deployments share the same start time: v24 (this release) and evo_shares. This release does not sign evo_shares, and that later deployment is not required for an ordinary DASH transfer.

On mainnet, the official start time is November 9, 2026, 00:00 UTC. After median time passes that start, masternodes running v24 can sign an activation signal, which needs 85% of the signing quorum on v24. Miner signaling then begins at the next 4,032-block window. If a window reaches its threshold—80% in the first window, falling later to a 60% floor—the fork locks in and activates one window later.

The notes give an earliest timetable, assuming 2.5-minute blocks: mainnet was expected near block 2,569,500 on November 9; the first window boundary after a successful signal is 2,572,416, around November 14; if that window meets the threshold, v24 would lock in at 2,576,448 and activate at block 2,580,480, around November 28, 2026. That is the earliest possible activation. Every missed window delays it by about one week, and the calendar dates are estimates. Do not treat November 28 as a guaranteed clock time, or rely on a third-party notice that presents it as a fixed instant.

As of this writing on November 9, 2026, the official start time has already passed. AltQuick's public system status feed, checked at 9:05:05 PM CST / America/Chicago, reported a Dash lastHeight of 2,569,728. That is the status API's figure. It is consistent with the official "near 2,569,500 on November 9" estimate and still below the notes' first window boundary of 2,572,416. This article does not independently confirm the network-wide chain tip, and it does not claim that the masternode signal has been mined or that lock-in has begun.

Upgrade the wallet that will send or receive DASH

The official notes say all masternodes were expected to upgrade before the November 9 start, and all other nodes must upgrade before activation, or they will follow an invalid chain. After activation, there is no supported downgrade: v23 and older cannot follow the network once v24 is active.

If you keep DASH in Dash Core or another full node, install official v24.0.0 and let it finish syncing before you depend on that wallet around activation. Installation guides are on docs.dash.org. The v24.0.0 GitHub release publishes the binaries and signature files; verify them before installing. When this article was checked, https://www.dash.org/downloads/ redirected to the Dash homepage, so that URL is not used here as the primary download link.

Official notes also say v24.0.0 binaries require macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later; v23.1.x supported macOS 11 or later. If you are on macOS 13 or older, upgrade the OS or move the wallet to a supported system before activation. Windows 10 or later is still required. Newly created Dash Core wallets are descriptor wallets by default, and RPCs such as dumpprivkey and importmulti cannot be used with them. If you create a new wallet to receive a withdrawal, expect that default unless you choose a legacy wallet. Existing wallets are not automatically migrated.

Use official software only. Never send a password, seed phrase or private key to exchange support, or to anyone offering to "fix" a transfer or an upgrade. Masternode registration, shared collateral and Platform features are part of v24, but they are not required for a normal DASH/BTC trade.

Check status before you deposit or withdraw

AltQuick lists a DASH/BTC market. A listing is not evidence of the software version the exchange is running, and it is not a promise that deposits or withdrawals will stay open through activation. Public AltQuick pages do not state which Dash Core version the exchange uses; this article does not infer that.

Before you send coins, open System Status and check Dash and Bitcoin deposits, withdrawals and trading. If a function you need is offline, do not send coins in the hope they will be credited later.

Snapshot, 9:05:05 PM CST / America/Chicago on November 9, 2026: the public status API listed Dash and Bitcoin deposits, withdrawals and trading as available, with no Dash maintenance message. Those flags can change. Recheck immediately before you transfer, especially as activation approaches. The FAQ lists current fees and the confirmation requirement for Dash deposits; this article does not reprint those figures. If information differs between pages, ask support to confirm it before sending coins.

Get the direction and the address type right

For DASH to Bitcoin, you need Dash deposits available (unless you already hold a Dash balance), a trade on the DASH/BTC book or through Swap, and Bitcoin withdrawals available if you want BTC in a wallet you control.

For Bitcoin to DASH, you need Bitcoin deposits available (unless you already hold a Bitcoin balance), a trade, and Dash withdrawals available. Withdraw DASH only to a wallet that will follow the valid chain after activation.

On the order book, the last trade price is not a guaranteed quote for your size. A limit order sets a price boundary. A marketable limit may fill immediately at that limit or better, and any unfilled remainder may rest on the book; not every limit order waits. A market order seeks available liquidity. Swap uses AltQuick's own books and does not create extra buyers or sellers.

Use the exact deposit address AltQuick shows for the coin you are sending—not a Bitcoin address for a Dash deposit, and not a deposit address for another coin. Official v24 notes also describe Dash Platform addresses (dash1… on mainnet). Paying those addresses is refused before activation. After activation, the related version 2 Asset Lock transactions become valid in a block, but the notes say they remain non-standard on mainnet under default policy and are not mempool-relayed. Do not assume an exchange deposit, a Core withdrawal, or a Swap destination should be a Platform address. Paste the address the destination actually displays. AltQuick's FAQ says it cannot help with a withdrawal sent to the wrong address; use extreme care.

A short checklist

If you run Dash Core or another full node, upgrade to official v24.0.0 and finish syncing before you depend on that wallet around activation.
If you use macOS 13 or older with official Dash Core binaries, move to a supported system before activation.
Recheck System Status for Dash and Bitcoin deposits, withdrawals and trading immediately before you send.
Confirm the trade direction and paste the exact address shown for that coin.
Recheck the current FAQ for fees and confirmation requirements rather than copying numbers from an older article.
Treat November 28 as the official earliest possible activation date, and recheck official sources if a signaling window is missed.

A software release date, a last trade price, or an exchange listing is not a completed transfer. If a deposit or withdrawal is unclear, contact support before sending more coins.

FAQ

Is November 28, 2026 a confirmed activation date? No. Official v24.0.0 release notes say the earliest possible activation is block 2,580,480, around November 28, 2026, if the first signaling windows succeed. Each missed window delays activation by about one week. The dates are estimates based on 2.5-minute blocks.

Do I need to upgrade if I only plan to trade on AltQuick? You still need the deposit, trading and withdrawal functions you intend to use to be available. If you withdraw DASH to your own wallet, that wallet must be able to follow the valid chain after activation. This article does not state whether AltQuick has already upgraded its own node.

Where should I get Dash Core 24? Use the official v24.0.0 release and the installation guides. Verify signatures. Do not install a binary from an unofficial source.

Can I withdraw or deposit to a dash1… Platform address? Do not assume that. Official notes say paying a Platform address is refused before activation, and that the related v24 transactions remain non-standard on mainnet under default policy even after activation. Use the ordinary Dash address provided by the wallet or exchange you are sending to.

Will AltQuick pause Dash deposits or withdrawals around the upgrade? That is not stated on the public pages checked for this article. Check the live status page before you transfer.

Sources

Hero image: official Dash wordmark from the Dash Brand Style Guidelines, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Credit: Dash.