diff --git a/.github/workflows/beta_artifacts.yml b/.github/workflows/beta_artifacts.yml
index 6ec44e2f..edb67e28 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/beta_artifacts.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/beta_artifacts.yml
@@ -34,11 +34,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Generate the new tag
         id: tag_gen
         run: |
-          (
-              source ci/actions/dev-build-tag-gen.sh
-              echo "::set-output name=build_tag::$build_tag"
-              echo "::set-output name=build_number::$build_number"
-          )
+          output_var_file="variable_list.txt"
+          ci/actions/dev-build-tag-gen.sh -o "${output_var_file}"
+          cat "${output_var_file}"
+          cat "${output_var_file}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
       - name: Push the new tag
         run: |
           # Set the tag locally
diff --git a/.github/workflows/beta_artifacts_latest_release_branch.yml b/.github/workflows/beta_artifacts_latest_release_branch.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..02fc8782
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/beta_artifacts_latest_release_branch.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+name: Beta (Latest Release Branch)
+on:
+  schedule:
+    - cron: "0 0 * * 3,6"
+env:
+  BETA: 1
+  artifact: 1
+
+jobs:
+  build_auto_setup_job:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    outputs:
+      build_tag: ${{ steps.tag_gen.outputs.build_tag }}
+      build_number: ${{ steps.tag_gen.outputs.build_number }}
+      release_branch: ${{ steps.tag_gen.outputs.release_branch }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@93ea575cb5d8a053eaa0ac8fa3b40d7e05a33cc8 #v3.1.0
+        with:
+          ref: "develop"
+          repository: "nanocurrency/nano-node"
+      - name: Fetch the repository tags
+        run: |
+          git fetch --tags
+      - name: Generate the new tag
+        id: tag_gen
+        run: |
+          output_var_file="variable_list.txt"
+          ci/actions/dev-build-tag-gen.sh -r -o "${output_var_file}"
+          cat "${output_var_file}"
+          cat "${output_var_file}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+      - name: Push the new tag
+        run: |
+          # Set the tag locally
+          TAG="${{ steps.tag_gen.outputs.build_tag }}"
+          # Set git configuration
+          git config user.name "${GITHUB_ACTOR}"
+          git config user.email "${GITHUB_ACTOR}@users.noreply.github.com"
+          # Set to the specified release branch
+          git checkout origin/${{ steps.tag_gen.outputs.release_branch }} -b ${{ steps.tag_gen.outputs.release_branch }}
+          # Create and push the tag
+          git tag -a "${TAG}" -m "This tag was automatically generated by the Beta workflow"
+          git push origin "${TAG}"
+
+  osx_job:
+    needs: build_auto_setup_job
+    runs-on: macOS-11
+    timeout-minutes: 90
+    env:
+      BOOST_ROOT: /tmp/boost
+    steps:
+      - name: Set the tag and the pre-release version
+        run: |
+          echo "TAG=${{ github.event.inputs.ref == '' && needs.build_auto_setup_job.outputs.build_tag || github.event.inputs.ref }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "VERSION_PRE_RELEASE=${{ github.event.inputs.ref == '' && needs.build_auto_setup_job.outputs.build_number || 'OFF' }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      - uses: actions/checkout@93ea575cb5d8a053eaa0ac8fa3b40d7e05a33cc8 #v3.1.0
+        with:
+          submodules: "recursive"
+          ref: ${{ env.TAG }}
+          repository: ${{ github.event.inputs.repo }}
+      - name: Fetch Deps
+        run: ci/actions/osx/install_deps.sh
+      - name: Build Artifact
+        run: CI_TAG=${TAG} CI_VERSION_PRE_RELEASE=${VERSION_PRE_RELEASE} ci/build-deploy.sh "/tmp/qt/lib/cmake/Qt5";
+      - name: Deploy Artifact
+        run: ci/actions/deploy.sh
+        env:
+          S3_BUILD_DIRECTORY: ${{ secrets.S3_BUILD_DIRECTORY }}
+          AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: ${{ secrets.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
+          AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY }}
+          AWS_DEFAULT_REGION: us-east-2
+
+  linux_job:
+    needs: build_auto_setup_job
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    timeout-minutes: 90
+    steps:
+      - name: Set the tag and the pre-release version
+        run: |
+          echo "TAG=${{ github.event.inputs.ref == '' && needs.build_auto_setup_job.outputs.build_tag || github.event.inputs.ref }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "VERSION_PRE_RELEASE=${{ github.event.inputs.ref == '' && needs.build_auto_setup_job.outputs.build_number || 'OFF' }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      - uses: actions/checkout@93ea575cb5d8a053eaa0ac8fa3b40d7e05a33cc8 #v3.1.0
+        with:
+          submodules: "recursive"
+          ref: ${{ env.TAG }}
+          repository: ${{ github.event.inputs.repo }}
+      - name: Fetch Deps
+        env:
+          COMPILER: gcc
+        run: ci/actions/linux/install_deps.sh
+      - name: Build Artifact
+        run: docker run -v ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}:/workspace nanocurrency/nano-env:gcc /bin/bash -c "cd /workspace && BETA=1 CI_TAG=${TAG} CI_VERSION_PRE_RELEASE=${VERSION_PRE_RELEASE} ci/build-deploy.sh /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt5"
+      - name: Deploy Artifact
+        run: ci/actions/deploy.sh
+        env:
+          S3_BUILD_DIRECTORY: ${{ secrets.S3_BUILD_DIRECTORY }}
+          AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: ${{ secrets.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
+          AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY }}
+          AWS_DEFAULT_REGION: us-east-2
+
+  linux_docker_job:
+    needs: build_auto_setup_job
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    timeout-minutes: 90
+    steps:
+      - name: Set the tag and the pre-release version
+        run: |
+          echo "TAG=${{ github.event.inputs.ref == '' && needs.build_auto_setup_job.outputs.build_tag || github.event.inputs.ref }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "VERSION_PRE_RELEASE=${{ github.event.inputs.ref == '' && needs.build_auto_setup_job.outputs.build_number || 'OFF' }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      - uses: actions/checkout@93ea575cb5d8a053eaa0ac8fa3b40d7e05a33cc8 #v3.1.0
+        with:
+          submodules: "recursive"
+          ref: ${{ env.TAG }}
+          repository: ${{ github.event.inputs.repo }}
+      - name: Fetch Deps
+        env:
+          COMPILER: gcc
+        run: ci/actions/linux/install_deps.sh
+      - name: Build Docker (nanocurrency/nano-beta)
+        run: CI_TAG=${TAG} CI_VERSION_PRE_RELEASE=${VERSION_PRE_RELEASE} ci/actions/linux/docker-build.sh
+      - name: Deploy Docker Hub (nanocurrency/nano-beta)
+        if: ${{ github.repository == 'nanocurrency/nano-node' }}
+        run: CI_TAG=${TAG} ci/actions/linux/docker-deploy.sh
+        env:
+          DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
+      - name: Login to ghcr.io
+        uses: docker/login-action@f4ef78c080cd8ba55a85445d5b36e214a81df20a #v2.1.0
+        with:
+          registry: ghcr.io
+          username: ${{ github.repository_owner }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+      - name: Deploy Docker (ghcr.io)
+        run: ci/actions/linux/ghcr_push.sh
+
+  windows_job:
+    needs: build_auto_setup_job
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 90
+    steps:
+      - name: Set the tag and the pre-release version
+        run: |
+          Write-Output "TAG=${{ github.event.inputs.ref == '' && needs.build_auto_setup_job.outputs.build_tag || github.event.inputs.ref }}" | Out-File -FilePath $env:GITHUB_ENV -Encoding utf8 -Append
+          Write-Output "VERSION_PRE_RELEASE=${{ github.event.inputs.ref == '' && needs.build_auto_setup_job.outputs.build_number || 'OFF' }}" | Out-File -FilePath $env:GITHUB_ENV -Encoding utf8 -Append
+      - uses: actions/checkout@93ea575cb5d8a053eaa0ac8fa3b40d7e05a33cc8 #v3.1.0
+        with:
+          submodules: "recursive"
+          ref: ${{ env.TAG }}
+          repository: ${{ github.event.inputs.repo }}
+      - name: Fetch Deps
+        run: ci/actions/windows/install_deps.ps1
+      - name: Build Artifact
+        run: ci/actions/windows/build.ps1
+        env:
+          CSC_LINK: ${{ secrets.CSC_LINK }}
+          CSC_KEY_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.CSC_KEY_PASSWORD }}
+      - name: Deploy Artifact
+        run: ci/actions/windows/deploy.ps1
+        env:
+          S3_BUILD_DIRECTORY: ${{ secrets.S3_BUILD_DIRECTORY }}
+          AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: ${{ secrets.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
+          AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: ${{ secrets.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY }}
+          AWS_DEFAULT_REGION: us-east-2
diff --git a/ci/actions/dev-build-tag-gen.sh b/ci/actions/dev-build-tag-gen.sh
index 0a136f82..d62ab60b 100755
--- a/ci/actions/dev-build-tag-gen.sh
+++ b/ci/actions/dev-build-tag-gen.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-# This script gets the last DB tag for the next release version and checks whether the develop branch contains new
-# commits since the last develop build. If so, it sets and exports the variable $build_tag with the correct numbering
-# for the next DB build.
+# This script gets the last DB tag for the current release version and checks whether the develop branch contains new
+# commits since the last develop build. If so, it sets and outputs the variable $build_tag with the correct numbering
+# for the next DB build, and the build number used for it as $build_number variable.
+# If the option -r is set, then it looks for the latest release branch, numbered as '<current major version>-1'.
+# The -r option also outputs the release branch name as $release_branch.
 # Error exit codes:
 # 0: success, the build tag was generated!
 # 1: branch error or invalid usage of the script.
@@ -10,16 +12,27 @@
 
 source_dir="$(pwd)"
 git_upstream="origin"
+previous_release_gen=false
+output_file=""
 
-print_usage() {
-    echo "$(basename ${0}) [OPTIONS]"
+function print_short_usage {
+    echo "$(basename ${0}) -o <output_file> [OPTIONS]"
+    echo "Specify -h to see the options."
+}
+
+function print_usage {
+    echo "$(basename ${0}) -o <output_file> [OPTIONS]"
+    echo "ARGUMENTS:"
+    echo "  -o <output_file>     Export the variables to an output file (sourcing this script is deprecated)."
+    echo
     echo "OPTIONS:"
     echo "  [-h]                 Print this help info."
     echo "  [-s <source_dir>]    Directory that contains the source-code. Default is \$PWD."
     echo "  [-u <git_upstream>]  Name of the git repository upstream. Default is \"${git_upstream}\"."
+    echo "  [-r]                 Generates build tag for the latest release branch."
 }
 
-while getopts 'hs:u:' OPT; do
+while getopts 'hs:u:ro:' OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     h)
         print_usage
@@ -28,14 +41,24 @@ while getopts 'hs:u:' OPT; do
     s)
         source_dir="${OPTARG}"
         if [[ ! -d "$source_dir" ]]; then
-            echo "Invalid source directory"
+            echo "error: invalid source directory"
             exit 1
         fi
         ;;
     u)
         git_upstream="${OPTARG}"
         if [[ -z "$git_upstream" ]]; then
-            echo "Invalid git upstream"
+            echo "error: invalid git upstream"
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        ;;
+    r)
+        previous_release_gen=true
+        ;;
+    o)
+        output_file="${OPTARG}"
+        if [[ -f "$output_file" ]]; then
+            echo "error: the provided output_file already exists"
             exit 1
         fi
         ;;
@@ -46,6 +69,34 @@ while getopts 'hs:u:' OPT; do
     esac
 done
 
+if [[ -z "$output_file" ]]; then
+    echo "error: invalid file name for exporting the variables"
+    print_short_usage >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+function get_first_item {
+    local list="$1"
+    for item in $list; do
+        if [[ -n "$item" ]]; then
+            echo "$item"
+            break
+        fi
+    done
+}
+
+function output_variable {
+    if [[ $# -ne 1 ]]; then
+        echo "illegal number of parameters"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    local var_name="$1"
+    local var_value=${!var_name}
+    if [[ -n "$output_file" ]]; then
+        echo "${var_name}=${var_value}" >> "$output_file"
+    fi
+}
+
 set -o nounset
 set -o xtrace
 
@@ -53,43 +104,81 @@ current_version_major=$(grep -P "(set)(.)*(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR)" "${sour
 current_version_minor=$(grep -P "(set)(.)*(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR)" "${source_dir}/CMakeLists.txt" | grep -oP "([0-9]+)")
 current_version_pre_release=$(grep -P "(set)(.)*(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PRE_RELEASE)" "${source_dir}/CMakeLists.txt" | grep -oP "([0-9]+)")
 
+version_tags=$(git tag | sort -V -r | grep -E "^(V([0-9]+).([0-9]+)(RC[0-9]+)?)$")
+last_tag=$(get_first_item "$version_tags")
+tag_version_major=$(echo "$last_tag" | grep -oP "\V([0-9]+)\." | grep -oP "[0-9]+")
+if [[ ${tag_version_major} -ge ${current_version_major} ]]; then
+    echo "error: this is not the develop branch or your higher tag version is not equivalent to the current major version."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ ${current_version_minor} != "0" ]]; then
+    echo "error: this is not the develop branch or the version-minor number is not properly set."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 if [[ ${current_version_pre_release} != "99" ]]; then
-    echo "This is not the develop branch or the pre-release version is not properly set."
+    echo "error this is not the develop branch or the pre-release version is not properly set."
     exit 1
 fi
 
 pushd "$source_dir"
+
 last_tag=""
-version_tags=$(git tag | sort -V -r | grep -E "^(V(${current_version_major}).(${current_version_minor})(DB[0-9]+))$")
-for tag in $version_tags; do
-    if [[ -n "$tag" ]]; then
-        last_tag=$tag
-        echo "Found tag: $tag"
-        break
-    fi
-done
+version_tags=""
+previous_release_major=0
+previous_release_minor=0
+if [[ $previous_release_gen == false ]]; then
+    version_tags=$(git tag | sort -V -r | grep -E "^(V(${current_version_major}).(${current_version_minor})(DB[0-9]+))$" || true)
+    last_tag=$(get_first_item "$version_tags")
+else
+    previous_release_major=$(( current_version_major - 1 ))
+    version_tags=$(git tag | sort -V -r | grep -E "^(V(${previous_release_major}).([0-9]+)(DB[0-9]+)?)$" || true)
+    last_tag=$(get_first_item "$version_tags")
+    previous_release_minor=$(echo "$last_tag" | grep -oP "\.([0-9]+)" | grep -oP "[0-9]+")
+    release_branch="releases/v${previous_release_major}"
+    output_variable release_branch
+fi
 popd
 
+build_tag=""
 if [[ -z "$last_tag" ]]; then
-    echo "No tag found"
-    export build_number=1
-    export build_tag="V${current_version_major}.${current_version_minor}DB${build_number}"
+    build_number=1
+    echo "info: no tag found, build_number=${build_number}"
+    if [[ $previous_release_gen == false ]]; then
+        build_tag="V${current_version_major}.${current_version_minor}DB${build_number}"
+    else
+        build_tag="V${previous_release_major}.${previous_release_minor}DB${build_number}"
+    fi
+    output_variable build_number
+    output_variable build_tag
     exit 0
 fi
 
 pushd "$source_dir"
-develop_head=$(git rev-parse "${git_upstream}/develop")
+develop_head=""
+if [[ $previous_release_gen == false ]]; then
+    develop_head=$(git rev-parse "${git_upstream}/develop")
+else
+    develop_head=$(git rev-parse "${git_upstream}/${release_branch}")
+fi
 tag_head=$(git rev-list "$last_tag" | head -n 1)
 popd
 
 if [[ "$develop_head" == "$tag_head" ]]; then
-    echo "No new commits for the develop build, the develop branch head matches the latest DB tag head!"
+    echo "error: no new commits for the develop build, the develop (or release) branch head matches the latest DB tag head!"
     exit 2
 fi
 
 latest_build_number=$(echo "$last_tag" | grep -oP "(DB[0-9]+)" | grep -oP "[0-9]+")
-export build_number=$(( latest_build_number + 1 ))
-export build_tag="V${current_version_major}.${current_version_minor}DB${build_number}"
+build_number=$(( latest_build_number + 1 ))
+if [[ $previous_release_gen == false ]]; then
+    build_tag="V${current_version_major}.${current_version_minor}DB${build_number}"
+else
+    build_tag="V${previous_release_major}.${previous_release_minor}DB${build_number}"
+fi
+output_variable build_number
+output_variable build_tag
 
 set +o nounset
 set +o xtrace