diff --git a/.github/workflows/PR-build-image-rust.yml b/.github/workflows/PR-build-image-rust.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e2a1a7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/PR-build-image-rust.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+env:
+  IMAGE_NAME: devcontainer-smart-contracts-rust
+  REGISTRY_HOSTNAME: multiversx
+
+name: Build Docker image - rust (PR)
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+
+jobs:
+  build-docker-image:
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        runner: [ubuntu-latest, ubuntu-24.04-arm]
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.runner }}
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out the repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v5
+
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Build image
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6 
+        with:
+          context: ./resources/smart-contracts-rust
+          push: false
+          file: ./resources/smart-contracts-rust/Dockerfile
+          tags: ${{ env.REGISTRY_HOSTNAME }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:pr-test
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-image-rust.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-image-rust.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 865cac7..0000000
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-image-rust.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,52 +0,0 @@
-name: Publish Docker image (rust)
-
-on:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-    inputs:
-      latest:
-        description: "Push with tag 'latest'"
-        required: false
-        type: boolean
-
-jobs:
-  push_to_registry:
-    name: Push Docker image to Docker Hub
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Check out the repo
-        uses: actions/checkout@v5
-
-      - name: Set environment variables
-        run: |
-          VERSION=v$(jq -r '.["version"]' ./src/smart-contracts-rust/devcontainer-template.json)
-          echo "VERSION=$VERSION" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-
-      - name: Set up QEMU
-        uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3
-
-      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
-        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-
-      - name: Log in to Docker Hub
-        uses: docker/login-action@v3
-        with:
-          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
-          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
-
-      - name: Build and push
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6 
-        with:
-          context: ./resources/smart-contracts-rust
-          push: true
-          platforms: linux/amd64
-          file: ./resources/smart-contracts-rust/Dockerfile
-          tags: multiversx/devcontainer-smart-contracts-rust:${{ env.VERSION }}
-
-      - name: Push to "latest"
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
-        with:
-          context: ./resources/smart-contracts-rust
-          push: ${{ inputs.latest }}
-          platforms: linux/amd64
-          file: ./resources/smart-contracts-rust/Dockerfile
-          tags: multiversx/devcontainer-smart-contracts-rust:latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-publish-image-rust.yml b/.github/workflows/release-publish-image-rust.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..11fe7a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-publish-image-rust.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+env:
+  IMAGE_NAME: devcontainer-smart-contracts-rust
+  REGISTRY_HOSTNAME: multiversx
+
+name: Publish Docker image - rust (release)
+
+on:
+  release:
+    types: [published]
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      version:
+        description: 'Simulate release version (e.g., v0.4.2)'
+        required: false
+        default: ''
+        type: string
+
+jobs:
+  prepare:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
+      tags-json: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.json }}
+      labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out the repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Compute version from template (release)
+        id: version
+        if: github.event_name == 'release'
+        run: |
+          VERSION=v$(jq -r '.["version"]' ./src/smart-contracts-rust/devcontainer-template.json)
+          echo "VERSION=$VERSION" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      - name: Extract metadata
+        id: meta
+        env:
+          VERSION: ${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
+        uses: docker/metadata-action@v5
+        with:
+          images: ${{ env.REGISTRY_HOSTNAME }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}
+          tags: |
+            type=raw,value=latest
+            ${{ (github.event_name == 'release' && format('type=raw,value={0}', env.VERSION)) || (github.event.inputs.version != '' && format('type=raw,value={0}', github.event.inputs.version)) || '' }}
+
+  build:
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        arch:
+          - { runner: ubuntu-latest, platform: linux/amd64, platform_tag: linux_amd64 }
+          - { runner: ubuntu-24.04-arm, platform: linux/arm64, platform_tag: linux_arm64 }
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.arch.runner }}
+    needs: prepare
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out the repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Log in to Docker Hub
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
+
+      - name: Build and push by digest
+        id: build
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
+        with:
+          context: ./resources/smart-contracts-rust
+          file: ./resources/smart-contracts-rust/Dockerfile
+          platforms: ${{ matrix.arch.platform }}
+          labels: ${{ needs.prepare.outputs.labels }}
+          outputs: type=image,name=${{ env.REGISTRY_HOSTNAME }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }},push-by-digest=true,name-canonical=true,push=true
+
+      - name: Export digest
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p /tmp/digests
+          digest="${{ steps.build.outputs.digest }}"
+          touch "/tmp/digests/${digest#sha256:}"
+
+      - name: Upload digest
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: digests-${{ matrix.arch.platform_tag }}
+          path: /tmp/digests/*
+          if-no-files-found: error
+          retention-days: 1
+
+  manifest:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: [prepare, build]
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Download digests
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          path: /tmp/digests
+          pattern: digests-*
+          merge-multiple: true
+
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Log in to Docker Hub
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
+
+      - name: Create and push manifest
+        working-directory: /tmp/digests
+        env:
+          TAGS_JSON: ${{ needs.prepare.outputs.tags-json }}
+        run: |
+          docker buildx imagetools create $(jq -cr '.tags | map("-t " + .) | join(" ")' <<< "$TAGS_JSON") \
+            $(printf '${{ env.REGISTRY_HOSTNAME }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}@sha256:%s ' *)
diff --git a/resources/smart-contracts-rust/Dockerfile b/resources/smart-contracts-rust/Dockerfile
index 6b3ae8d..bb6f6f0 100644
--- a/resources/smart-contracts-rust/Dockerfile
+++ b/resources/smart-contracts-rust/Dockerfile
@@ -1,64 +1,59 @@
-FROM ubuntu:22.04
+FROM ubuntu:24.04
 
-ARG USERNAME=developer
-ARG USER_UID=1000
-ARG USER_GID=$USER_UID
+ARG USERNAME=ubuntu
+ARG VERSION_MXPY="11.3.1"
+ARG VERSION_RUST="1.90.0"
+ARG VERSION_SC_META="0.64.2"
 
-ARG VERSION_MXPY="v11.1.1"
-ARG VERSION_RUST="1.86.0"
-ARG VERSION_SC_META="0.62.0"
+ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
 
-# Create the user
-RUN groupadd --gid $USER_GID $USERNAME \
-    && useradd --uid $USER_UID --gid $USER_GID -m $USERNAME \
-    #
-    # [Optional] Add sudo support. Omit if you don't need to install software after connecting.
-    && apt-get update \
-    && apt-get install -y sudo \
-    && echo $USERNAME ALL=\(root\) NOPASSWD:ALL > /etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME \
-    && chmod 0440 /etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME
-
-# Install some dependencies as root
+# Base system dependencies
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
-    wget \ 
-    build-essential \
-    python3.10 python3-pip python3.10-venv \
+    sudo \
+    curl \
     git \
+    build-essential \
     pkg-config \
-    libssl-dev && \
-    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
-
-# Switch to regular user
-USER $USERNAME
+    libssl-dev \
+    python3 \
+    python3-venv \
+    python3-pip \
+    pipx \
+    ca-certificates \
+ && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Give sudo access to the user without password
+RUN echo ${USERNAME} ALL=\(root\) NOPASSWD:ALL > /etc/sudoers.d/${USERNAME} \
+    && chmod 0440 /etc/sudoers.d/${USERNAME}
+
+USER ${USERNAME}
 WORKDIR /home/${USERNAME}
 
+# Environment variables
 ENV MULTIVERSX="/home/${USERNAME}/multiversx-sdk"
 ENV PATH="/home/${USERNAME}/.local/bin:${PATH}"
 ENV PATH="/home/${USERNAME}/.cargo/bin:${PATH}"
 
-# Install pipx
-RUN python3 -m pip install --no-cache-dir --user pipx
-
-# Install mxpy
+# Install mxpy via pipx
 RUN pipx install multiversx-sdk-cli==${VERSION_MXPY}
 
-# Install rust
-RUN wget -O rustup.sh https://sh.rustup.rs && \
-    chmod +x rustup.sh && \
-    CARGO_HOME=/home/${USERNAME}/.cargo RUSTUP_HOME=/home/${USERNAME}/.rustup ./rustup.sh --verbose --default-toolchain ${VERSION_RUST} --profile minimal -y && \
-    rm rustup.sh
+# Install Rust
+RUN curl https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | \
+    sh -s -- -y --profile minimal --default-toolchain ${VERSION_RUST}
 
 # Install sc-meta tools
-RUN CARGO_HOME=/home/${USERNAME}/.cargo RUSTUP_HOME=/home/${USERNAME}/.rustup PATH="/home/${USERNAME}/.cargo/bin:${PATH}" \
-    cargo install multiversx-sc-meta --version ${VERSION_SC_META} --locked
-
-RUN CARGO_HOME=/home/${USERNAME}/.cargo RUSTUP_HOME=/home/${USERNAME}/.rustup PATH="/home/${USERNAME}/.cargo/bin:${PATH}" \
-    sc-meta install all
+RUN cargo install multiversx-sc-meta --version ${VERSION_SC_META} --locked \
+    && sc-meta install all
 
 # Install test wallets
-RUN mxpy deps install testwallets && rm ${MULTIVERSX}/*.tar.gz
+RUN mxpy deps install testwallets
+
+# Rust components + cleanup
+RUN rustup component add rustfmt \
+    && rm -rf /home/${USERNAME}/.cargo/registry \
+    && rm -rf /home/${USERNAME}/.cargo/git
 
-RUN rustup component add rustfmt && rm -rf /home/${USERNAME}/.cargo/registry/* && rm -rf /home/${USERNAME}/.cargo/git/*
+# Devcontainer resources
+COPY post_create_command.py ${MULTIVERSX}/devcontainer-resources/
 
-# This command will be executed once the devcontainer is created
-COPY "post_create_command.py" "${MULTIVERSX}/devcontainer-resources/"
+CMD ["bash"]
diff --git a/src/smart-contracts-rust/devcontainer-template.json b/src/smart-contracts-rust/devcontainer-template.json
index e10a53e..524d77b 100644
--- a/src/smart-contracts-rust/devcontainer-template.json
+++ b/src/smart-contracts-rust/devcontainer-template.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "id": "smart-contracts-rust",
-    "version": "0.4.0",
+    "version": "0.5.0",
     "name": "MultiversX: Smart Contracts Development (Rust)",
     "description": "Develop smart contracts for MultiversX. Includes Rust, mxpy, VSCode extensions etc.",
     "documentationURL": "https://github.com/multiversx/mx-template-devcontainers/blob/main/src/smart-contracts-rust",