diff --git a/contrib/devtools/version-update.sh b/contrib/devtools/version-update.sh
new file mode 100755
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/devtools/version-update.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Update the software version number
+
+usage() {
+	echo "Usage: ${0} <version_number>"
+	echo
+	echo "Version number format should match the following pattern:"
+	echo "    MAJOR.MINOR.REVISION"
+	echo
+	echo "Example: ${0} 0.18.7"
+}
+
+if [ $# -ne 1 ]; then
+    usage
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check the version number is well-formed
+# Format: MAJOR.MINOR.REVISION
+VERSION=`echo "${1}" | grep -E '^(([[:digit:]])+\.){2}[[:digit:]]+$'`
+if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+	usage
+	exit 2
+fi
+
+echo "Updating to version ${VERSION}..."
+
+TOPDIR=${TOPDIR:-$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)}
+
+IFS='.' read -a VER_ARRAY <<< "${1}"
+MAJOR=${VER_ARRAY[0]}
+MINOR=${VER_ARRAY[1]}
+REVISION=${VER_ARRAY[2]}
+
+# configure.ac
+echo "Updating ${TOPDIR}/configure.ac"
+sed -ri "s/(define\(_CLIENT_VERSION_MAJOR, )[[:digit:]]+/\1${MAJOR}/g" ${TOPDIR}/configure.ac
+sed -ri "s/(define\(_CLIENT_VERSION_MINOR, )[[:digit:]]+/\1${MINOR}/g" ${TOPDIR}/configure.ac
+sed -ri "s/(define\(_CLIENT_VERSION_REVISION, )[[:digit:]]+/\1${REVISION}/g" ${TOPDIR}/configure.ac
+
+# Doxyfile
+echo "Updating ${TOPDIR}/doc/Doxyfile"
+sed -ri "s/^(PROJECT_NUMBER\s+= )[[:digit:]]+\.[[:digit:]]+\.[[:digit:]]+/\1${VERSION}/g" ${TOPDIR}/doc/Doxyfile
+
+# release-notes.md
+CURRENT_VERSION=`head -n1 ${TOPDIR}/doc/release-notes.md | grep -Eo '([[:digit:]]+\.){2}[[:digit:]]'`
+echo "Copying current release notes to ${TOPDIR}/doc/release-notes/release-notes-${CURRENT_VERSION}.md"
+cp ${TOPDIR}/doc/release-notes.md ${TOPDIR}/doc/release-notes/release-notes-${CURRENT_VERSION}.md
+echo "Creating new empty ${TOPDIR}/doc/release-notes.md"
+echo "Bitcoin ABC version ${VERSION} is now available from:" > ${TOPDIR}/doc/release-notes.md
+echo >> ${TOPDIR}/doc/release-notes.md
+echo "  <https://download.bitcoinabc.org/${VERSION}/>" >> ${TOPDIR}/doc/release-notes.md
+echo >> ${TOPDIR}/doc/release-notes.md
+echo "This release includes the following features and fixes:" >> ${TOPDIR}/doc/release-notes.md
+
+# CMakeLists.txt
+echo "Updating ${TOPDIR}/src/config/CMakeLists.txt"
+sed -ri "s/(set\(CLIENT_VERSION_MAJOR )[[:digit:]]+/\1${MAJOR}/g" ${TOPDIR}/src/config/CMakeLists.txt
+sed -ri "s/(set\(CLIENT_VERSION_MINOR )[[:digit:]]+/\1${MINOR}/g" ${TOPDIR}/src/config/CMakeLists.txt
+sed -ri "s/(set\(CLIENT_VERSION_REVISION )[[:digit:]]+/\1${REVISION}/g" ${TOPDIR}/src/config/CMakeLists.txt
+
+# gitian-OS.yml
+for OS in linux osx win
+do
+	echo "Updating ${TOPDIR}/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-${OS}.yml"
+	sed -ri "s/(bitcoin-abc-)[[:digit:]]+\.[[:digit:]]+(-${OS})/\1${MAJOR}.${MINOR}\2/g" ${TOPDIR}/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian-${OS}.yml
+done
+
+echo "...done."
+
diff --git a/doc/release-process.md b/doc/release-process.md
--- a/doc/release-process.md
+++ b/doc/release-process.md
@@ -45,12 +45,14 @@
 
 ## After Release
 
-9. Increment version number in:
-    - doc/Doxyfile
-    - doc/release-notes.md (and copy existing one to versioned doc/release-notes/*.md)
-    - configure.ac
-    - src/config/CMakeLists.txt
-    - contrib/gitian-descriptors/*.yml (before a new major release)
+9. Increment version number:
+    - Run the script: `contrib/devtools/version-update.sh <version>`
+    - Check that the following files are updated with the new version:
+        - doc/Doxyfile
+        - doc/release-notes.md (and the previous one get copied to versioned doc/release-notes/*.md)
+        - configure.ac
+        - src/config/CMakeLists.txt
+        - contrib/gitian-descriptors/*.yml (only after a new major release)
 
 10. Update version number on www.bitcoinabc.org