diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6fe856a6..bf76aaca 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [2.18.0] - 2024-01-09
+
 ### Added
 
 - Introduce option to pass the installation codename which is then use to recognize when the management cluster is being handled.
@@ -446,7 +448,8 @@ cluster.
 
 - Initial version based on app related logic extracted from cluster-operator.
 
-[Unreleased]: https://github.com/giantswarm/cluster-apps-operator/compare/v2.17.0...HEAD
+[Unreleased]: https://github.com/giantswarm/cluster-apps-operator/compare/v2.18.0...HEAD
+[2.18.0]: https://github.com/giantswarm/cluster-apps-operator/compare/v2.17.0...v2.18.0
 [2.17.0]: https://github.com/giantswarm/cluster-apps-operator/compare/v2.16.0...v2.17.0
 [2.16.0]: https://github.com/giantswarm/cluster-apps-operator/compare/v2.15.0...v2.16.0
 [2.15.0]: https://github.com/giantswarm/cluster-apps-operator/compare/v2.14.2...v2.15.0
diff --git a/pkg/project/project.go b/pkg/project/project.go
index 2f48849e..0d01649b 100644
--- a/pkg/project/project.go
+++ b/pkg/project/project.go
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ var (
 	gitSHA      = "n/a"
 	name        = "cluster-apps-operator"
 	source      = "https://github.com/giantswarm/cluster-apps-operator"
-	version     = "2.17.1-dev"
+	version     = "2.18.0"
 )
 
 func Description() string {