diff --git a/.github/release-please/manifest.json b/.github/release-please/manifest.json
index 8e47d3d1a021..ea08d7199be1 100644
--- a/.github/release-please/manifest.json
+++ b/.github/release-please/manifest.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "sdk/zksync-web3.js": "0.15.4",
   "sdk/zksync-rs": "0.4.0",
-  "core": "16.0.2",
+  "core": "16.1.0",
   "prover": "7.1.1"
 }
diff --git a/core/CHANGELOG.md b/core/CHANGELOG.md
index 555722807c94..c3ebc55c5dd1 100644
--- a/core/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/core/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [16.1.0](https://github.com/matter-labs/zksync-era/compare/core-v16.0.2...core-v16.1.0) (2023-10-12)
+
+
+### Features
+
+* **vm:** Improve tracer trait ([#121](https://github.com/matter-labs/zksync-era/issues/121)) ([ff60138](https://github.com/matter-labs/zksync-era/commit/ff601386686cdae0ab4f227203a006816e7a49a5))
+
 ## [16.0.2](https://github.com/matter-labs/zksync-era/compare/core-v16.0.1...core-v16.0.2) (2023-10-12)