diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index f88bf370..2e523c83 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -17,17 +17,6 @@ jobs:
 
       matrix:
         include:
-          - image: macos-latest
-            config: "release"
-            link: "dynamic"
-            cc: "clang"
-            cxx: "clang++"
-            flags: ""
-            coverage: ""
-            boost: "--build-boost"
-            secp256k1: "--build-secp256k1"
-            options: "--enable-isystem"
-
           - image: macos-latest
             config: "release"
             link: "static"
@@ -42,17 +31,18 @@ jobs:
           - image: ubuntu-24.04
             config: "debug"
             link: "dynamic"
-            cc: "clang-18"
-            cxx: "clang++-18"
+            cc: "clang-19"
+            cxx: "clang++-19"
             flags: ""
             coverage: ""
+            package: "clang-19 clang++-19"
             boost: "--build-boost"
             secp256k1: "--build-secp256k1"
             options: "--enable-isystem"
 
           - image: ubuntu-24.04
             config: "release"
-            link: "static"
+            link: "dynamic"
             cc: "clang-18"
             cxx: "clang++-18"
             flags: ""
@@ -62,23 +52,24 @@ jobs:
             options: "--enable-isystem"
 
           - image: ubuntu-24.04
-            config: "release"
-            link: "dynamic"
-            cc: "gcc-12"
-            cxx: "g++-12"
-            flags: ""
-            coverage: ""
+            config: "debug"
+            link: "static"
+            cc: "gcc-13"
+            cxx: "g++-13"
+            flags: "--coverage -fprofile-update=atomic"
+            coverage: "lcov"
             boost: "--build-boost"
             secp256k1: "--build-secp256k1"
             options: "--enable-isystem"
 
           - image: ubuntu-24.04
-            config: "debug"
+            config: "release"
             link: "static"
-            cc: "gcc"
-            cxx: "g++"
-            flags: "--coverage -fprofile-update=atomic"
-            coverage: "lcov"
+            cc: "gcc-15"
+            cxx: "g++-15"
+            flags: ""
+            coverage: ""
+            package: "g++-15 gcc-15"
             boost: "--build-boost"
             secp256k1: "--build-secp256k1"
             options: "--enable-isystem"
@@ -137,6 +128,13 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: |
           sudo apt-get update
+          if [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"g++-15"* ]] ||
+             [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"gcc-15"* ]] ||
+             [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"g++-16"* ]] ||
+             [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"gcc-16"* ]]; then
+            sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test -y
+            sudo apt-get update
+          fi
           sudo apt-get install git build-essential autoconf automake libtool pkg-config ${{ matrix.package || '' }}
           if [[ "${{ matrix.coverage }}" == "lcov" ]]; then
               sudo apt-get install lcov
@@ -249,32 +247,10 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         include:
           - image: macos-latest
-            config: "release"
+            config: "debug"
             link: "dynamic"
             cc: "clang"
             cxx: "clang++"
-            flags: "-DNDEBUG"
-            coverage: ""
-            boost: "--build-boost"
-            secp256k1: "--build-secp256k1"
-            options: "--verbose"
-
-          - image: macos-latest
-            config: "release"
-            link: "static"
-            cc: "clang"
-            cxx: "clang++"
-            flags: ""
-            coverage: ""
-            boost: "--build-boost"
-            secp256k1: "--build-secp256k1"
-            options: "--verbose"
-
-          - image: ubuntu-24.04
-            config: "debug"
-            link: "dynamic"
-            cc: "clang-18"
-            cxx: "clang++-18"
             flags: ""
             coverage: ""
             boost: "--build-boost"
@@ -284,10 +260,11 @@ jobs:
           - image: ubuntu-24.04
             config: "release"
             link: "static"
-            cc: "clang-18"
-            cxx: "clang++-18"
+            cc: "clang-19"
+            cxx: "clang++-19"
             flags: ""
             coverage: ""
+            package: "clang-19 clang++-19"
             boost: "--build-boost"
             secp256k1: "--build-secp256k1"
             options: ""
@@ -306,14 +283,26 @@ jobs:
           - image: ubuntu-24.04
             config: "debug"
             link: "static"
-            cc: "gcc"
-            cxx: "g++"
+            cc: "gcc-14"
+            cxx: "g++-14"
             flags: ""
             coverage: ""
             boost: "--build-boost"
             secp256k1: "--build-secp256k1"
             options: ""
 
+          - image: ubuntu-24.04
+            config: "debug"
+            link: "dynamic"
+            cc: "gcc-16"
+            cxx: "g++-16"
+            flags: ""
+            coverage: ""
+            package: "g++-16 gcc-16"
+            boost: "--build-boost"
+            secp256k1: "--build-secp256k1"
+            options: ""
+
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.image }}
 
     env:
@@ -368,6 +357,13 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: |
           sudo apt-get update
+          if [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"g++-15"* ]] ||
+             [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"gcc-15"* ]] ||
+             [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"g++-16"* ]] ||
+             [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"gcc-16"* ]]; then
+            sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test -y
+            sudo apt-get update
+          fi
           sudo apt-get install git build-essential autoconf automake libtool pkg-config ${{ matrix.package || '' }}
           if [[ "${{ matrix.coverage }}" == "lcov" ]]; then
               sudo apt-get install lcov
@@ -480,7 +476,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         include:
           - image: ubuntu-24.04
-            preset: "nix-gnu-debug-shared"
+            preset: "nix-gnu-release-shared"
             cc: "clang-18"
             cxx: "clang++-18"
             flags: ""
@@ -491,16 +487,6 @@ jobs:
 
           - image: ubuntu-24.04
             preset: "nix-gnu-release-static"
-            cc: "clang-18"
-            cxx: "clang++-18"
-            flags: ""
-            coverage: ""
-            boost: "--build-boost"
-            secp256k1: "--build-secp256k1"
-            options: ""
-
-          - image: ubuntu-24.04
-            preset: "nix-gnu-release-shared"
             cc: "gcc-12"
             cxx: "g++-12"
             flags: ""
@@ -563,6 +549,13 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: |
           sudo apt-get update
+          if [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"g++-15"* ]] ||
+             [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"gcc-15"* ]] ||
+             [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"g++-16"* ]] ||
+             [[ "${{ matrix.package }}" == *"gcc-16"* ]]; then
+            sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test -y
+            sudo apt-get update
+          fi
           sudo apt-get install git build-essential autoconf automake libtool pkg-config ${{ matrix.package || '' }}
           if [[ "${{ matrix.coverage }}" == "lcov" ]]; then
               sudo apt-get install lcov
@@ -669,25 +662,14 @@ jobs:
 
       matrix:
         include:
-          - image: windows-latest
-            configuration: "StaticRelease"
-            platform: "x64"
-            version: "vs2022"
-            tests: "*"
-
           - image: windows-latest
             configuration: "StaticDebug"
             platform: "x64"
             version: "vs2022"
             tests: "*"
-          - image: windows-2025-vs2026
-            configuration: "StaticRelease"
-            platform: "x64"
-            version: "vs2026"
-            tests: "*"
 
           - image: windows-2025-vs2026
-            configuration: "StaticDebug"
+            configuration: "StaticRelease"
             platform: "x64"
             version: "vs2026"
             tests: "*"
diff --git a/builds/msvc/build-msvc.cmd b/builds/msvc/build-msvc.cmd
index 8c6450b4..452ce3e6 100644
--- a/builds/msvc/build-msvc.cmd
+++ b/builds/msvc/build-msvc.cmd
@@ -509,8 +509,8 @@ if "!libbitcoin_node_TAG!" == "" (
         if "!CD_MODE!" == "-f" (
             call :msg_warn "Reinitializing '%CD_DIRECTORY%'..."
             rmdir /S /Q "!CD_DIRECTORY!"
-            if %ERRORLEVEL% neq 0 (
-                exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+            if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 (
+                exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
             )
 
             mkdir "!CD_DIRECTORY!"
@@ -520,40 +520,40 @@ if "!libbitcoin_node_TAG!" == "" (
     ) else (
         call :msg "Initializing '!CD_DIRECTORY!'..."
     )
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 :create_directory_force
     call :create_directory "%~1" -f
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 :pop_directory
     call :msg_verbose "*** move  pre: '!CD!'"
     popd
-    if %ERRORLEVEL% neq 0 (
-        exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 (
+        exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
     )
     call :msg_verbose "*** move post: '!CD!'"
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 :push_directory
     call :msg_verbose "*** move  pre: '!CD!'"
     pushd %1
-    if %ERRORLEVEL% neq 0 (
-        exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    if !ERRORLEVEL! neq 0 (
+        exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
     )
     call :msg_verbose "*** move post: '!CD!'"
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 :remove_directory_force
     call :msg_verbose "*** removing: '%~1'"
     rmdir /S /Q "%~1"
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 :msg_heading
     call :msg "***************************************************************************"
     call :msg "%~1"
     call :msg "***************************************************************************"
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 :msg
     if "%~1" == "" (
@@ -561,26 +561,26 @@ if "!libbitcoin_node_TAG!" == "" (
     ) else (
         echo %~1
     )
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 :msg_empty
     echo.
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 :msg_verbose
     if "!DISPLAY_VERBOSE!" == "yes" (
         echo %~1
     )
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 :msg_success
     echo %~1
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 :msg_warn
     echo %~1
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!
 
 :msg_error
     echo %~1
-    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
+    exit /b !ERRORLEVEL!