diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fe3600e8d15..d10010bdddb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+## Version 1.68.0 (2026-11-06)
+
 ### API
 
 * Add null guards and API usage logging for tracing, metrics, propagation, and context APIs
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-api.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-api.txt
index d115649227c..fad7915f912 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-api.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-api.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-api-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-api-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-api-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-api-1.67.0.jar
 +++  NEW CLASS: PUBLIC(+) FINAL(+) io.opentelemetry.api.impl.Base16EncodingUtils  (not serializable)
 	+++  CLASS FILE FORMAT VERSION: 52.0 <- n.a.
 	+++  NEW SUPERCLASS: java.lang.Object
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-common.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-common.txt
index f0b66442b67..b9da61bd4e9 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-common.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-common.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-common-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-common-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-common-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-common-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-context.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-context.txt
index 024d184ffe3..bfda4ee1cc9 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-context.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-context.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-context-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-context-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-context-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-context-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-common.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-common.txt
index 9a2ea8e5a46..7536beda2f8 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-common.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-common.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-common-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-common-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-common-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-common-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-logging-otlp.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-logging-otlp.txt
index c80934b4be1..b54502d3e53 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-logging-otlp.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-logging-otlp.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-logging-otlp-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-logging-otlp-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-logging-otlp-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-logging-otlp-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-logging.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-logging.txt
index ddbdd288efa..a6983387c4e 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-logging.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-logging.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-logging-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-logging-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-logging-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-logging-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-common.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-common.txt
index 0365a99c685..bc84fc667e8 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-common.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-common.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-common-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-common-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-common-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-common-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-otlp.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-otlp.txt
index 883b3a4a0cf..15e10371505 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-otlp.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-otlp.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-otlp-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-grpc-managed-channel.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-grpc-managed-channel.txt
index e9cb2461140..77abbb9e90f 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-grpc-managed-channel.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-grpc-managed-channel.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-sender-grpc-managed-channel-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-sender-grpc-managed-channel-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-sender-grpc-managed-channel-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-sender-grpc-managed-channel-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-jdk.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-jdk.txt
index 511303f7653..7ccac88cb82 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-jdk.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-jdk.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-sender-jdk-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-sender-jdk-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-sender-jdk-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-sender-jdk-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-okhttp.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-okhttp.txt
index 985148a433b..a72474e9ba2 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-okhttp.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-exporter-sender-okhttp.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-sender-okhttp-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-sender-okhttp-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-exporter-sender-okhttp-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-exporter-sender-okhttp-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-extension-kotlin.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-extension-kotlin.txt
index 6b921096b53..95fa24cb722 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-extension-kotlin.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-extension-kotlin.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-extension-kotlin-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-extension-kotlin-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-extension-kotlin-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-extension-kotlin-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-extension-trace-propagators.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-extension-trace-propagators.txt
index 2a5fe9925a9..03958cee5e8 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-extension-trace-propagators.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-extension-trace-propagators.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-extension-trace-propagators-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-extension-trace-propagators-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-extension-trace-propagators-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-extension-trace-propagators-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-opentracing-shim.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-opentracing-shim.txt
index c4a389dda11..527962b3b12 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-opentracing-shim.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-opentracing-shim.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-opentracing-shim-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-opentracing-shim-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-opentracing-shim-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-opentracing-shim-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-common.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-common.txt
index 2ed1f86bc7c..ba53583724b 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-common.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-common.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-common-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-common-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-common-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-common-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-spi.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-spi.txt
index fa166d14326..7aa282551f5 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-spi.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-spi.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-spi-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-spi-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-spi-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-spi-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure.txt
index 038500a0987..48bd18fac05 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-jaeger-remote-sampler.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-jaeger-remote-sampler.txt
index 51864c7efbe..191ac045383 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-jaeger-remote-sampler.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-extension-jaeger-remote-sampler.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-extension-jaeger-remote-sampler-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-extension-jaeger-remote-sampler-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-extension-jaeger-remote-sampler-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-extension-jaeger-remote-sampler-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-logs.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-logs.txt
index 403941132b2..8e74a83cb57 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-logs.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-logs.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-logs-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-logs-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-logs-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-logs-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-metrics.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-metrics.txt
index 4c280bb03dd..5b2355f61f7 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-metrics.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-metrics.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-metrics-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-metrics-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-metrics-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-metrics-1.67.0.jar
 ***  MODIFIED CLASS: PUBLIC FINAL io.opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export.PeriodicMetricReaderBuilder  (not serializable)
 	===  CLASS FILE FORMAT VERSION: 52.0 <- 52.0
 	+++  NEW METHOD: PUBLIC(+) io.opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export.PeriodicMetricReaderBuilder setExporterTimeout(long, java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit)
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-testing.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-testing.txt
index 7688925ef3e..05a48b6f0e3 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-testing.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-testing.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-testing-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-testing-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-testing-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-testing-1.67.0.jar
 ***  MODIFIED CLASS: PUBLIC FINAL io.opentelemetry.sdk.testing.assertj.MetricAssert  (not serializable)
 	===  CLASS FILE FORMAT VERSION: 52.0 <- 52.0
 	+++  NEW METHOD: PUBLIC(+) FINAL(+) io.opentelemetry.sdk.testing.assertj.MetricAssert hasDoubleGaugePointsSatisfying(java.util.function.Consumer[]<io.opentelemetry.sdk.testing.assertj.DoublePointAssert>)
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-trace.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-trace.txt
index a3a4e8b6251..a46987a3ba0 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-trace.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk-trace.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-trace-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-trace-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-trace-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-trace-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk.txt b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk.txt
index 353095a521e..2cfa5d9d76a 100644
--- a/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk.txt
+++ b/docs/apidiffs/current_vs_latest/opentelemetry-sdk.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-1.68.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-1.67.0.jar
+Comparing source compatibility of opentelemetry-sdk-1.69.0-SNAPSHOT.jar against opentelemetry-sdk-1.67.0.jar
 No changes.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/version.gradle.kts b/version.gradle.kts
index 51f28903ab3..688d9cee827 100644
--- a/version.gradle.kts
+++ b/version.gradle.kts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ val snapshot = true
 val apidiffBaselineVersion = "1.67.0"
 
 allprojects {
-  var ver = "1.68.0"
+  var ver = "1.69.0"
   val release = findProperty("otel.release")
   if (release != null) {
     ver += "-" + release