diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a15eb426..449c19c6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+## 6.17.9-rc101
+ Release date: *2026-05-13*
+
+### Changes
+- Android SDK 6.18.0
+- iOS SDK 6.18.0
+- TODO: Add specific changes before merging
+
 ## 6.17.9
  Release date: *2026-03-31*
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b11facb5..dc6be33d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ To do so, please follow [this article](https://support.appsflyer.com/hc/en-us/ar
 
 ### <a id="plugin-build-for"> This plugin is built for
 
-- Android AppsFlyer SDK **v6.17.6**
-- iOS AppsFlyer SDK **v6.17.9**
+- Android AppsFlyer SDK **v6.18.0**
+- iOS AppsFlyer SDK **v6.18.0**
 - Minimum tested with React-Native **v0.62.0** (older versions might be supported)
 
 ## <a id="release-updates"> Release Updates
diff --git a/android/build.gradle b/android/build.gradle
index b767abec..621c0060 100755
--- a/android/build.gradle
+++ b/android/build.gradle
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ repositories {
 dependencies {
     implementation "org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-stdlib:1.7.10" // Add Kotlin standard library
     implementation "com.facebook.react:react-native:${safeExtGet('reactNativeVersion', '+')}"
-    api "com.appsflyer:af-android-sdk:${safeExtGet('appsflyerVersion', '6.17.6')}"
+    api "com.appsflyer:af-android-sdk:${safeExtGet('appsflyerVersion', '6.18.0')}"
     implementation "com.android.installreferrer:installreferrer:${safeExtGet('installReferrerVersion', '2.2')}"
     if (includeConnector){
         implementation 'com.appsflyer:purchase-connector:2.1.1'
diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/appsflyer/reactnative/RNAppsFlyerConstants.java b/android/src/main/java/com/appsflyer/reactnative/RNAppsFlyerConstants.java
index d39fdc7f..2c469bf7 100755
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/appsflyer/reactnative/RNAppsFlyerConstants.java
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/appsflyer/reactnative/RNAppsFlyerConstants.java
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 public class RNAppsFlyerConstants {
 
-    final static String PLUGIN_VERSION = "6.17.9";
+    final static String PLUGIN_VERSION = "6.17.9-rc101";
     final static String NO_DEVKEY_FOUND = "No 'devKey' found or its empty";
     final static String UNKNOWN_ERROR = "AF Unknown Error";
     final static String SUCCESS = "Success";
diff --git a/ios/RNAppsFlyer.h b/ios/RNAppsFlyer.h
index e16136a5..ff7ab40a 100755
--- a/ios/RNAppsFlyer.h
+++ b/ios/RNAppsFlyer.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 @end
 
 
-static NSString *const kAppsFlyerPluginVersion      = @"6.17.9";
+static NSString *const kAppsFlyerPluginVersion      = @"6.17.9-rc101";
 static NSString *const NO_DEVKEY_FOUND              = @"No 'devKey' found or its empty";
 static NSString *const NO_APPID_FOUND               = @"No 'appId' found or its empty";
 static NSString *const NO_EVENT_NAME_FOUND          = @"No 'eventName' found or its empty";
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7d7016e7..a1067cef 100755
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "react-native-appsflyer",
-  "version": "6.17.9",
+  "version": "6.17.9-rc101",
   "description": "React Native Appsflyer plugin",
   "main": "index.js",
   "types": "index.d.ts",
diff --git a/react-native-appsflyer.podspec b/react-native-appsflyer.podspec
index 572ff89f..c2da2019 100644
--- a/react-native-appsflyer.podspec
+++ b/react-native-appsflyer.podspec
@@ -30,19 +30,19 @@ Pod::Spec.new do |s|
   # AppsFlyerPurchaseConnector
   if defined?($AppsFlyerPurchaseConnector) && ($AppsFlyerPurchaseConnector == true)
     Pod::UI.puts "#{s.name}: Including PurchaseConnector."
-    s.dependency 'PurchaseConnector', '6.17.9'
+    s.dependency 'PurchaseConnector', '6.18.1'
   end
 
   # AppsFlyerFramework
   if defined?($RNAppsFlyerStrictMode) && ($RNAppsFlyerStrictMode == true)
     Pod::UI.puts "#{s.name}: Using AppsFlyerFramework/Strict mode"
-    s.dependency 'AppsFlyerFramework/Strict', '6.17.9'
+    s.dependency 'AppsFlyerFramework/Strict', '6.18.0'
     s.xcconfig = {'GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS' => '$(inherited) AFSDK_NO_IDFA=1' }
   else
     if !defined?($RNAppsFlyerStrictMode)
       Pod::UI.puts "#{s.name}: Using default AppsFlyerFramework. You may require App Tracking Transparency. Not allowed for Kids apps."
       Pod::UI.puts "#{s.name}: You may set variable `$RNAppsFlyerStrictMode=true` in Podfile to use strict mode for kids apps."
     end
-    s.dependency 'AppsFlyerFramework', '6.17.9'
+    s.dependency 'AppsFlyerFramework', '6.18.0'
   end
 end