diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 87d186b5..5d525c29 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -809,7 +809,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-node"
-version = "0.17.2"
+version = "0.18.0"
 dependencies = [
  "alloy",
  "ant-protocol",
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "reqwest",
  "rmp-serde",
  "saorsa-core",
- "saorsa-pqc 0.5.1",
+ "saorsa-pqc",
  "self-replace",
  "semver 1.0.28",
  "serde",
@@ -862,9 +862,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ant-protocol"
-version = "2.3.3"
+version = "2.3.4"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "20a8d4262f20934f579f1f37e7855718d75156e24b3441eabf089e3049d4c831"
+checksum = "e081248778491b063a97754d4ea6a5227bb03740f8de1b546bbb4b16e60c4c99"
 dependencies = [
  "blake3",
  "bytes",
@@ -873,7 +873,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "postcard",
  "rmp-serde",
  "saorsa-core",
- "saorsa-pqc 0.5.1",
+ "saorsa-pqc",
  "serde",
  "tokio",
  "tracing",
@@ -1320,7 +1320,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "miniz_oxide",
  "object",
  "rustc-demangle",
- "windows-link",
+ "windows-link 0.2.1",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1665,7 +1665,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "num-traits",
  "serde",
  "wasm-bindgen",
- "windows-link",
+ "windows-link 0.2.1",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2013,7 +2013,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
  "cpufeatures 0.2.17",
  "curve25519-dalek-derive",
- "digest 0.10.7",
  "fiat-crypto",
  "rustc_version 0.4.1",
  "subtle",
@@ -2210,15 +2209,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "dirs-sys 0.4.1",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "dirs"
-version = "5.0.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "44c45a9d03d6676652bcb5e724c7e988de1acad23a711b5217ab9cbecbec2225"
-dependencies = [
- "dirs-sys 0.4.1",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "dirs"
 version = "6.0.0"
@@ -2309,31 +2299,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "spki",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "ed25519"
-version = "2.2.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "115531babc129696a58c64a4fef0a8bf9e9698629fb97e9e40767d235cfbcd53"
-dependencies = [
- "pkcs8",
- "signature",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "ed25519-dalek"
-version = "2.2.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "70e796c081cee67dc755e1a36a0a172b897fab85fc3f6bc48307991f64e4eca9"
-dependencies = [
- "curve25519-dalek",
- "ed25519",
- "rand_core 0.6.4",
- "serde",
- "sha2",
- "subtle",
- "zeroize",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "educe"
 version = "0.6.0"
@@ -3106,7 +3071,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
  "percent-encoding",
  "pin-project-lite",
- "socket2 0.6.4",
+ "socket2",
  "tokio",
  "tower-service",
  "tracing",
@@ -3382,7 +3347,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "simd_cesu8",
  "thiserror 2.0.18",
  "walkdir",
- "windows-link",
+ "windows-link 0.2.1",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3969,7 +3934,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
  "redox_syscall",
  "smallvec",
- "windows-link",
+ "windows-link 0.2.1",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -4293,7 +4258,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "quinn-udp 0.5.15",
  "rustc-hash",
  "rustls",
- "socket2 0.6.4",
+ "socket2",
  "thiserror 2.0.18",
  "tokio",
  "tracing",
@@ -4332,7 +4297,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "cfg_aliases",
  "libc",
  "once_cell",
- "socket2 0.6.4",
+ "socket2",
  "tracing",
  "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
@@ -4345,7 +4310,7 @@ checksum = "76150b617afc75e6e21ac5f39bc196e80b65415ae48d62dbef8e2519d040ce42"
 dependencies = [
  "cfg_aliases",
  "libc",
- "socket2 0.6.4",
+ "socket2",
  "tracing",
  "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
@@ -4920,16 +4885,16 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "saorsa-core"
-version = "0.27.1"
+version = "0.27.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "bd39dc71cd6ca7ec999ad4285a323fb5fbffc1b1c0554ff1dbf77176a68cf1db"
+checksum = "1b3c5cb6c2eaeab9645a0224735651d4fb034d9f4a8882d9c283de70b4905249"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-trait",
  "blake3",
  "bytes",
  "dashmap",
- "dirs 6.0.0",
+ "dirs",
  "futures",
  "hex",
  "libc",
@@ -4938,7 +4903,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "parking_lot",
  "postcard",
  "rand 0.8.6",
- "saorsa-pqc 0.5.1",
+ "saorsa-pqc",
  "saorsa-transport",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
@@ -4951,49 +4916,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "wyz",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "saorsa-pqc"
-version = "0.4.2"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "56d4bae22bfc65b379efcaae0c9ec5075916a79c05e97d595a4b78fb8ff6545b"
-dependencies = [
- "aead",
- "aes-gcm",
- "anyhow",
- "blake3",
- "bytes",
- "chacha20poly1305",
- "curve25519-dalek",
- "ed25519-dalek",
- "fips203",
- "fips204",
- "fips205",
- "futures",
- "hkdf",
- "hmac",
- "hpke",
- "libc",
- "log",
- "pbkdf2",
- "postcard",
- "rand 0.8.6",
- "rand_chacha 0.3.1",
- "rand_core 0.6.4",
- "rayon",
- "serde",
- "serde_json",
- "sha2",
- "sha3 0.10.9",
- "subtle",
- "thiserror 2.0.18",
- "time",
- "tokio",
- "tracing",
- "wide",
- "x25519-dalek",
- "zeroize",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "saorsa-pqc"
 version = "0.5.1"
@@ -5036,9 +4958,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "saorsa-transport"
-version = "0.36.1"
+version = "0.36.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "b88d73c4afc06975511b3e757e38bb9f57481a1219d013a48ea643f4850e6f7c"
+checksum = "eba15b6b5dcee750fe741edd08a0719f43274f9ceee2b9c0f595225a72dd021b"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-trait",
@@ -5049,7 +4971,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "clap",
  "core-foundation 0.9.4",
  "dashmap",
- "dirs 5.0.1",
+ "dirs",
  "enum_dispatch",
  "futures-util",
  "hex",
@@ -5073,12 +4995,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "rustls-pemfile",
  "rustls-platform-verifier",
  "rustls-post-quantum",
- "saorsa-pqc 0.4.2",
+ "saorsa-pqc",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
  "serde_yaml",
  "slab",
- "socket2 0.5.10",
+ "socket2",
  "system-configuration",
  "thiserror 2.0.18",
  "time",
@@ -5518,16 +5440,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "socket2"
-version = "0.5.10"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "e22376abed350d73dd1cd119b57ffccad95b4e585a7cda43e286245ce23c0678"
-dependencies = [
- "libc",
- "windows-sys 0.52.0",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "socket2"
 version = "0.6.4"
@@ -5837,7 +5749,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "parking_lot",
  "pin-project-lite",
  "signal-hook-registry",
- "socket2 0.6.4",
+ "socket2",
  "tokio-macros",
  "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
@@ -6430,32 +6342,55 @@ checksum = "712e227841d057c1ee1cd2fb22fa7e5a5461ae8e48fa2ca79ec42cfc1931183f"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "windows"
-version = "0.58.0"
+version = "0.61.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "dd04d41d93c4992d421894c18c8b43496aa748dd4c081bac0dc93eb0489272b6"
+checksum = "9babd3a767a4c1aef6900409f85f5d53ce2544ccdfaa86dad48c91782c6d6893"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-collections",
+ "windows-core",
+ "windows-future",
+ "windows-link 0.1.3",
+ "windows-numerics",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-collections"
+version = "0.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3beeceb5e5cfd9eb1d76b381630e82c4241ccd0d27f1a39ed41b2760b255c5e8"
 dependencies = [
  "windows-core",
- "windows-targets 0.52.6",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "windows-core"
-version = "0.58.0"
+version = "0.61.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "6ba6d44ec8c2591c134257ce647b7ea6b20335bf6379a27dac5f1641fcf59f99"
+checksum = "c0fdd3ddb90610c7638aa2b3a3ab2904fb9e5cdbecc643ddb3647212781c4ae3"
 dependencies = [
  "windows-implement",
  "windows-interface",
+ "windows-link 0.1.3",
  "windows-result",
  "windows-strings",
- "windows-targets 0.52.6",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-future"
+version = "0.2.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "fc6a41e98427b19fe4b73c550f060b59fa592d7d686537eebf9385621bfbad8e"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-core",
+ "windows-link 0.1.3",
+ "windows-threading",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "windows-implement"
-version = "0.58.0"
+version = "0.60.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "2bbd5b46c938e506ecbce286b6628a02171d56153ba733b6c741fc627ec9579b"
+checksum = "053e2e040ab57b9dc951b72c264860db7eb3b0200ba345b4e4c3b14f67855ddf"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -6464,15 +6399,21 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "windows-interface"
-version = "0.58.0"
+version = "0.59.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "053c4c462dc91d3b1504c6fe5a726dd15e216ba718e84a0e46a88fbe5ded3515"
+checksum = "3f316c4a2570ba26bbec722032c4099d8c8bc095efccdc15688708623367e358"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
  "syn 2.0.118",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-link"
+version = "0.1.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "5e6ad25900d524eaabdbbb96d20b4311e1e7ae1699af4fb28c17ae66c80d798a"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows-link"
 version = "0.2.1"
@@ -6480,22 +6421,31 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "f0805222e57f7521d6a62e36fa9163bc891acd422f971defe97d64e70d0a4fe5"
 
 [[package]]
-name = "windows-result"
+name = "windows-numerics"
 version = "0.2.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "1d1043d8214f791817bab27572aaa8af63732e11bf84aa21a45a78d6c317ae0e"
+checksum = "9150af68066c4c5c07ddc0ce30421554771e528bde427614c61038bc2c92c2b1"
 dependencies = [
- "windows-targets 0.52.6",
+ "windows-core",
+ "windows-link 0.1.3",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-result"
+version = "0.3.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "56f42bd332cc6c8eac5af113fc0c1fd6a8fd2aa08a0119358686e5160d0586c6"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-link 0.1.3",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "windows-strings"
-version = "0.1.0"
+version = "0.4.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "4cd9b125c486025df0eabcb585e62173c6c9eddcec5d117d3b6e8c30e2ee4d10"
+checksum = "56e6c93f3a0c3b36176cb1327a4958a0353d5d166c2a35cb268ace15e91d3b57"
 dependencies = [
- "windows-result",
- "windows-targets 0.52.6",
+ "windows-link 0.1.3",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -6522,7 +6472,7 @@ version = "0.61.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ae137229bcbd6cdf0f7b80a31df61766145077ddf49416a728b02cb3921ff3fc"
 dependencies = [
- "windows-link",
+ "windows-link 0.2.1",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -6556,6 +6506,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows_x86_64_msvc 0.52.6",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "windows-threading"
+version = "0.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b66463ad2e0ea3bbf808b7f1d371311c80e115c0b71d60efc142cafbcfb057a6"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-link 0.1.3",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "windows_aarch64_gnullvm"
 version = "0.48.5"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 780ed96b..fb61fdd6 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ant-node"
-version = "0.17.2"
+version = "0.18.0"
 edition = "2021"
 authors = ["David Irvine <david.irvine@maidsafe.net>"]
 description = "Pure quantum-proof network node for the Autonomi decentralized network"
@@ -39,10 +39,10 @@ mimalloc = "0.1"
 # Until then, the git pin tracks the matching saorsa-core lineage
 # (the rc-2026.4.2 branch) so Cargo can unify the wire types here
 # with ant-protocol's re-exports.
-ant-protocol = "2.3.3"
+ant-protocol = "2.3.4"
 
 # Core (provides EVERYTHING: networking, DHT, security, trust, storage)
-saorsa-core = "0.27.1"
+saorsa-core = "0.27.2"
 saorsa-pqc = "0.5"
 
 # Payment verification - autonomi network lookup + EVM payment