diff --git a/.github/release-pr-template.ejs b/.github/release-pr-template.ejs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..749f193b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/release-pr-template.ejs
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+This is a release PR for version **<%= version.actual %>**<%
+    if (version.actual != version.desired) {
+%> (performing a <%= version.desired %> bump).<%
+    } else {
+%>.<%
+    }
+%>
+
+You will still need to manually publish the cargo crate:
+
+```
+$ make VERSION=<latest version> release
+```
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release_pr.yml b/.github/workflows/release_pr.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eb536afad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release_pr.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+name: Open a release PR
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      version:
+        description: Version to release
+        required: true
+        type: choice
+        # Currently only alpha and patch releases are supported by this workflow, due to https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/issues/4242
+        options: 
+          - alpha
+          - patch
+
+jobs:
+  make-release-pr:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Install cargo-release
+        uses: taiki-e/install-action@v1
+        with:
+          tool: cargo-release
+
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: cargo-bins/release-pr@v2
+        with:
+          pr-template-file: .github/release-pr-template.ejs
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          version: ${{ inputs.version }}
+          crate-release-all: true
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bb65f2694..7904a03f6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@
 
 ### Breaking changes
 
+### Features
+
+### Improvements
+
+### Bugfixes
+
+## v0.4.0
+
+### Breaking changes
+
 - [\#300](https://github.com/arkworks-rs/algebra/pull/300) (`ark-ec`) Change the implementation of `Hash` trait of `GroupProjective` to use the affine coordinates.
 - [\#302](https://github.com/arkworks-rs/algebra/pull/302) (`ark-ff`) Rename `find_wnaf` to `find_naf`.
 - [\#310](https://github.com/arkworks-rs/algebra/pull/310) (`ark-ec`, `ark-ff`) Remove unnecessary internal `PhantomData`.
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index a991e234e..9497db724 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -42,6 +42,5 @@ incremental = true
 debug-assertions = true
 debug = true
 
-# To be removed in the new release.
-[patch.crates-io]
-ark-std = { git = "https://github.com/arkworks-rs/std"}
+[workspace.metadata.release]
+dependent-version = "fix"
diff --git a/bench-templates/Cargo.toml b/bench-templates/Cargo.toml
index 84e110341..a149624ea 100644
--- a/bench-templates/Cargo.toml
+++ b/bench-templates/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ark-algebra-bench-templates"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.4.0-alpha.6"
 authors = [ "arkworks contributors" ]
 description = "A benchmark library for finite fields and elliptic curves"
 homepage = "https://arkworks.rs"
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ edition = "2021"
 
 [dependencies]
 criterion = { version = "0.4.0", features = [ "html_reports" ] }
-ark-std = { version = "^0.3.0", default-features = false }
-ark-ec = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../ec", default-features = false }
-ark-ff = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../ff", default-features = false }
-ark-serialize = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../serialize", default-features = false }
+ark-std = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", default-features = false }
+ark-ec = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../ec", default-features = false }
+ark-ff = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../ff", default-features = false }
+ark-serialize = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../serialize", default-features = false }
 paste = { version = "1.0" }
 
 [features]
diff --git a/ec/Cargo.toml b/ec/Cargo.toml
index 6f8b0427f..849e33a46 100644
--- a/ec/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ec/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ark-ec"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.4.0-alpha.6"
 authors = [ "arkworks contributors" ]
 description = "A library for elliptic curves and pairings"
 homepage = "https://arkworks.rs"
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.57"
 
 [dependencies]
-ark-std = { version = "^0.3.0", default-features = false }
-ark-serialize = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../serialize", default-features = false }
-ark-ff = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../ff", default-features = false }
-ark-poly = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../poly", default-features = false }
+ark-std = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", default-features = false }
+ark-serialize = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../serialize", default-features = false }
+ark-ff = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../ff", default-features = false }
+ark-poly = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../poly", default-features = false }
 derivative = { version = "2", features = ["use_core"] }
 num-traits = { version = "0.2", default-features = false }
 rayon = { version = "1", optional = true }
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ hashbrown = "0.13.1"
 itertools = { version = "0.10", default-features = false }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
-ark-test-curves = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../test-curves", default-features = false, features = ["bls12_381_curve"] }
+ark-test-curves = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../test-curves", default-features = false, features = ["bls12_381_curve"] }
 sha2 = { version = "0.10", default-features = false }
 libtest-mimic = "0.6.0"
 serde = "1.0.110"
diff --git a/ff-asm/Cargo.toml b/ff-asm/Cargo.toml
index 56b375a77..504f29fdc 100644
--- a/ff-asm/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ff-asm/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ark-ff-asm"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.4.0-alpha.6"
 authors = [ "arkworks contributors" ]
 description = "A library for generating x86-64 assembly for finite field multiplication"
 homepage = "https://arkworks.rs"
diff --git a/ff-macros/Cargo.toml b/ff-macros/Cargo.toml
index 1e8c82db2..240962f91 100644
--- a/ff-macros/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ff-macros/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ark-ff-macros"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.4.0-alpha.6"
 authors = [ "arkworks contributors" ]
 description = "A library for generating x86-64 assembly for finite field multiplication"
 homepage = "https://arkworks.rs"
diff --git a/ff/Cargo.toml b/ff/Cargo.toml
index 32c8af5ee..61dfae485 100644
--- a/ff/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ff/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ark-ff"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.4.0-alpha.6"
 authors = [ "arkworks contributors" ]
 description = "A library for finite fields"
 homepage = "https://arkworks.rs"
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.59"
 
 [dependencies]
-ark-ff-asm = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../ff-asm" }
-ark-ff-macros = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../ff-macros" }
-ark-std = { version = "^0.3.0", default-features = false }
-ark-serialize = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../serialize", default-features = false }
+ark-ff-asm = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../ff-asm" }
+ark-ff-macros = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../ff-macros" }
+ark-std = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", default-features = false }
+ark-serialize = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../serialize", default-features = false }
 derivative = { version = "2", features = ["use_core"] }
 num-traits = { version = "0.2", default-features = false }
 paste = "1.0"
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ digest = { version = "0.10", default-features = false, features = ["alloc"] }
 itertools = { version = "0.10", default-features = false }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
-ark-test-curves = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../test-curves", default-features = false, features = [ "bls12_381_curve", "mnt6_753", "secp256k1"] }
+ark-test-curves = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../test-curves", default-features = false, features = [ "bls12_381_curve", "mnt6_753", "secp256k1"] }
 blake2 = { version = "0.10", default-features = false }
 sha3 = { version = "0.10", default-features = false }
 sha2 = { version = "0.10", default-features = false }
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index aa01af3f7..c84735e2b 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,16 @@
 doc:
 	RUSTDOCFLAGS="--html-in-header doc/katex-header.html" cargo doc --no-deps
 
-.PHONY: doc
\ No newline at end of file
+.PHONY: doc
+
+# Since the master branch is protected, the current workflow is to create a PR with the version changes,
+# and once the PR is merged, run the `make VERSION=<version> release` to publish the new crates.
+release:
+ifndef VERSION
+	$(error VERSION is not set. Run with `make VERSION=<version> release`)
+endif
+	git pull
+	cargo update
+	git tag $(VERSION) 
+	git push origin $(VERSION)
+	cargo release publish --execute --verbose --allow-branch "master"
diff --git a/poly-benches/Cargo.toml b/poly-benches/Cargo.toml
index 52aa9f71b..2bca3e63c 100644
--- a/poly-benches/Cargo.toml
+++ b/poly-benches/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ark-poly-benches"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.4.0-alpha.5"
 authors = [ "arkworks contributors" ]
 description = "A library for benchmarking finite-field FFTs"
 include = ["Cargo.toml", "src", "README.md", "LICENSE-APACHE", "LICENSE-MIT"]
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ publish = false
 rust-version = "1.56"
 
 [dependencies]
-ark-ff = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../ff" }
-ark-poly = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../poly" }
-ark-std = { version = "^0.3.0", default-features = false }
-ark-test-curves = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../test-curves", default-features = false, features = [ "bls12_381_scalar_field", "mnt4_753_curve" ] }
+ark-ff = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../ff" }
+ark-poly = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../poly" }
+ark-std = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", default-features = false }
+ark-test-curves = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../test-curves", default-features = false, features = [ "bls12_381_scalar_field", "mnt4_753_curve" ] }
 criterion = "0.4.0"
 rayon = { version = "1", optional = true }
 
diff --git a/poly/Cargo.toml b/poly/Cargo.toml
index 00ce7af05..734b12cbb 100644
--- a/poly/Cargo.toml
+++ b/poly/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ark-poly"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.4.0-alpha.6"
 authors = [ "arkworks contributors" ]
 description = "A library for efficient polynomial arithmetic via FFTs over finite fields"
 homepage = "https://arkworks.rs"
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.57"
 
 [dependencies]
-ark-ff = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../ff", default-features = false }
-ark-serialize = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../serialize", default-features = false, features = ["derive"] }
-ark-std = { version = "^0.3.0", default-features = false }
+ark-ff = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../ff", default-features = false }
+ark-serialize = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../serialize", default-features = false, features = ["derive"] }
+ark-std = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", default-features = false }
 rayon = { version = "1", optional = true }
 derivative = { version = "2", default-features = false, features = [ "use_core" ] }
 hashbrown = { version = "0.13.1"}
diff --git a/serialize-derive/Cargo.toml b/serialize-derive/Cargo.toml
index 6e877955c..b918f714d 100644
--- a/serialize-derive/Cargo.toml
+++ b/serialize-derive/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ark-serialize-derive"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.4.0-alpha.6"
 authors = [ "arkworks Contributors" ]
 description = "A library for deriving serialization traits for the arkworks ecosystem"
 homepage = "https://arkworks.rs"
diff --git a/serialize/Cargo.toml b/serialize/Cargo.toml
index d007dc700..febb79875 100644
--- a/serialize/Cargo.toml
+++ b/serialize/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ark-serialize"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.4.0-alpha.6"
 authors = [ "arkworks contributors" ]
 description = "A library for serializing types in the arkworks ecosystem"
 homepage = "https://arkworks.rs"
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.56"
 
 [dependencies]
-ark-serialize-derive = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../serialize-derive", optional = true }
-ark-std = { version = "^0.3.0", default-features = false }
+ark-serialize-derive = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../serialize-derive", optional = true }
+ark-std = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", default-features = false }
 digest = { version = "0.10", default-features = false }
 num-bigint = { version = "0.4", default-features = false }
 
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ num-bigint = { version = "0.4", default-features = false }
 sha2 = { version = "0.10", default-features = false}
 sha3 = { version = "0.10", default-features = false}
 blake2 = { version = "0.10", default-features = false}
-ark-test-curves = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../test-curves", default-features = false, features = [ "bls12_381_curve"] }
+ark-test-curves = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../test-curves", default-features = false, features = [ "bls12_381_curve"] }
 
 
 [features]
diff --git a/test-curves/Cargo.toml b/test-curves/Cargo.toml
index 4abfa4d7d..19563155e 100644
--- a/test-curves/Cargo.toml
+++ b/test-curves/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ark-test-curves"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.4.0-alpha.6"
 authors = [ "arkworks contributors" ]
 description = "A library for testing ark-ec & ark-poly"
 homepage = "https://arkworks.rs"
@@ -14,14 +14,14 @@ edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.56"
 
 [dependencies]
-ark-std = { version = "^0.3.0", default-features = false }
-ark-ff = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../ff", default-features = false }
-ark-ec = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../ec", default-features = false }
+ark-std = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", default-features = false }
+ark-ff = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../ff", default-features = false }
+ark-ec = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../ec", default-features = false }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
-ark-serialize = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../serialize", default-features = false }
-ark-algebra-test-templates = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../test-templates", default-features = false }
-ark-algebra-bench-templates =  { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../bench-templates", default-features = false }
+ark-serialize = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../serialize", default-features = false }
+ark-algebra-test-templates = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../test-templates", default-features = false }
+ark-algebra-bench-templates =  { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../bench-templates", default-features = false }
 
 [features]
 default = []
diff --git a/test-templates/Cargo.toml b/test-templates/Cargo.toml
index 94bed0ec1..2c49a716d 100644
--- a/test-templates/Cargo.toml
+++ b/test-templates/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ark-algebra-test-templates"
-version = "0.3.0"
+version = "0.4.0-alpha.6"
 authors = [ "arkworks contributors" ]
 description = "A library for tests for finite fields, elliptic curves, and pairings"
 homepage = "https://arkworks.rs"
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.56"
 
 [dependencies]
-ark-std = { version = "^0.3.0", default-features = false }
-ark-serialize = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../serialize", default-features = false }
-ark-ff = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../ff", default-features = false }
-ark-ec = { version = "^0.3.0", path = "../ec", default-features = false }
+ark-std = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", default-features = false }
+ark-serialize = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../serialize", default-features = false }
+ark-ff = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../ff", default-features = false }
+ark-ec = { version = "0.4.0-alpha", path = "../ec", default-features = false }
 num-bigint = { version = "0.4", default-features = false }
 num-integer = { version = "0.1", default-features = false }
 num-traits = { version = "0.2", default-features = false }