diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f2de45972bf..6f43720f37b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ The latest stable SDK release can be retrieved from [Maven Central](https://sear
 ```gradle
 ext {
     versions = [
-        commercetools: "17.20.0"
+        commercetools: "17.21.0-alpha.1"
     ]
 }
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ dependencies {
 
 ```maven
 <properties>
-    <commercetools.version>17.20.0</commercetools.version>
+    <commercetools.version>17.21.0-alpha.1</commercetools.version>
 </properties>
 <dependencies>
     <dependency>
diff --git a/examples/maven-okhttp3/pom.xml b/examples/maven-okhttp3/pom.xml
index e200e7cede3..8b081bea383 100644
--- a/examples/maven-okhttp3/pom.xml
+++ b/examples/maven-okhttp3/pom.xml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
         </plugins>
     </build>
     <properties>
-        <commercetools.version>17.20.0</commercetools.version>
+        <commercetools.version>17.21.0-alpha.1</commercetools.version>
     </properties>
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
diff --git a/examples/maven-okhttp4/pom.xml b/examples/maven-okhttp4/pom.xml
index 26ca784e8ec..994f7ae3a31 100644
--- a/examples/maven-okhttp4/pom.xml
+++ b/examples/maven-okhttp4/pom.xml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
         </plugins>
     </build>
     <properties>
-        <commercetools.version>17.20.0</commercetools.version>
+        <commercetools.version>17.21.0-alpha.1</commercetools.version>
     </properties>
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
diff --git a/examples/spring-datadog-statsd/build.gradle b/examples/spring-datadog-statsd/build.gradle
index d293d1c4f2e..59f687e36d6 100644
--- a/examples/spring-datadog-statsd/build.gradle
+++ b/examples/spring-datadog-statsd/build.gradle
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ repositories {
 
 ext {
     versions = [
-            commercetools: "17.20.0",
+            commercetools: "17.21.0-alpha.1",
     ]
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/spring-datadog/build.gradle b/examples/spring-datadog/build.gradle
index 57d964807be..a05a761ab96 100644
--- a/examples/spring-datadog/build.gradle
+++ b/examples/spring-datadog/build.gradle
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ repositories {
 
 ext {
     versions = [
-            commercetools: "17.20.0",
+            commercetools: "17.21.0-alpha.1",
     ]
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/spring-dynatrace-oneagent/build.gradle b/examples/spring-dynatrace-oneagent/build.gradle
index 76947dca6b1..572e14b5c53 100644
--- a/examples/spring-dynatrace-oneagent/build.gradle
+++ b/examples/spring-dynatrace-oneagent/build.gradle
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ repositories {
 
 ext {
     versions = [
-            commercetools: "17.20.0",
+            commercetools: "17.21.0-alpha.1",
     ]
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/spring-newrelic/build.gradle b/examples/spring-newrelic/build.gradle
index 0ec07c81533..b10738e526a 100644
--- a/examples/spring-newrelic/build.gradle
+++ b/examples/spring-newrelic/build.gradle
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ repositories {
 
 ext {
     versions = [
-            commercetools: "17.20.0",
+            commercetools: "17.21.0-alpha.1",
             newrelic: "8.16.0"
     ]
 }
diff --git a/examples/spring-otel/build.gradle b/examples/spring-otel/build.gradle
index 792bebcf6b5..bf077f22f1a 100644
--- a/examples/spring-otel/build.gradle
+++ b/examples/spring-otel/build.gradle
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ repositories {
 
 ext {
     versions = [
-            commercetools: "17.20.0",
+            commercetools: "17.21.0-alpha.1",
     ]
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/spring/build.gradle b/examples/spring/build.gradle
index 2b3f6a3ec3d..20b229f6914 100644
--- a/examples/spring/build.gradle
+++ b/examples/spring/build.gradle
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ spotless {
 
 ext {
     versions = [
-        commercetools: "17.20.0"
+        commercetools: "17.21.0-alpha.1"
     ]
 }
 
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index 03ab4452627..d7e5f2f1814 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#Mon Dec 02 14:13:21 UTC 2024
+#Thu Dec 12 22:09:45 UTC 2024
 kotlinVersion=1.5.30
 org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2048m
-version=17.21.0-SNAPSHOT
+version=17.22.0-SNAPSHOT
diff --git a/reference.txt b/reference.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index bb5395f6f53..00000000000
--- a/reference.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-4737d71cc21da48de456b4b7d0b2c64112bf24b3