diff --git a/wp-includes/link-template.php b/wp-includes/link-template.php
index 61798c3798..a375b0ee06 100644
--- a/wp-includes/link-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/link-template.php
@@ -4289,7 +4289,7 @@ function the_shortlink( $text = '', $title = '', $before = '', $after = '' ) {
  *
  * @since 4.2.0
  *
- * @param mixed $id_or_email The avatar to retrieve a URL for. Accepts a user ID, Gravatar MD5 hash,
+ * @param mixed $id_or_email The avatar to retrieve a URL for. Accepts a user ID, Gravatar SHA-256 or MD5 hash,
  *                           user email, WP_User object, WP_Post object, or WP_Comment object.
  * @param array $args {
  *     Optional. Arguments to use instead of the default arguments.
@@ -4353,8 +4353,9 @@ function is_avatar_comment_type( $comment_type ) {
  *
  * @since 4.2.0
  * @since 6.7.0 Gravatar URLs always use HTTPS.
+ * @since 6.8.0 Gravatar URLs use the SHA-256 hashing algorithm. 
  *
- * @param mixed $id_or_email The avatar to retrieve. Accepts a user ID, Gravatar MD5 hash,
+ * @param mixed $id_or_email The avatar to retrieve. Accepts a user ID, Gravatar SHA-256 or MD5 hash,
  *                           user email, WP_User object, WP_Post object, or WP_Comment object.
  * @param array $args {
  *     Optional. Arguments to use instead of the default arguments.
@@ -4474,7 +4475,7 @@ function get_avatar_data( $id_or_email, $args = null ) {
 	 * @since 4.2.0
 	 *
 	 * @param array $args        Arguments passed to get_avatar_data(), after processing.
-	 * @param mixed $id_or_email The avatar to retrieve. Accepts a user ID, Gravatar MD5 hash,
+	 * @param mixed $id_or_email The avatar to retrieve. Accepts a user ID, Gravatar SHA-256 or MD5 hash,
 	 *                           user email, WP_User object, WP_Post object, or WP_Comment object.
 	 */
 	$args = apply_filters( 'pre_get_avatar_data', $args, $id_or_email );
@@ -4496,7 +4497,10 @@ function get_avatar_data( $id_or_email, $args = null ) {
 	if ( is_numeric( $id_or_email ) ) {
 		$user = get_user_by( 'id', absint( $id_or_email ) );
 	} elseif ( is_string( $id_or_email ) ) {
-		if ( str_contains( $id_or_email, '@md5.gravatar.com' ) ) {
+		if ( str_contains( $id_or_email, '@sha256.gravatar.com' ) ) {
+			// SHA-256 hash.
+			list( $email_hash ) = explode( '@', $id_or_email );
+		} else if ( str_contains( $id_or_email, '@md5.gravatar.com' ) ) {
 			// MD5 hash.
 			list( $email_hash ) = explode( '@', $id_or_email );
 		} else {
@@ -4530,7 +4534,7 @@ function get_avatar_data( $id_or_email, $args = null ) {
 		}
 
 		if ( $email ) {
-			$email_hash = md5( strtolower( trim( $email ) ) );
+			$email_hash = hash( 'sha256', strtolower( trim( $email ) ) );
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -4564,7 +4568,7 @@ function get_avatar_data( $id_or_email, $args = null ) {
 	 * @since 4.2.0
 	 *
 	 * @param string $url         The URL of the avatar.
-	 * @param mixed  $id_or_email The avatar to retrieve. Accepts a user ID, Gravatar MD5 hash,
+	 * @param mixed  $id_or_email The avatar to retrieve. Accepts a user ID, Gravatar SHA-256 or MD5 hash,
 	 *                            user email, WP_User object, WP_Post object, or WP_Comment object.
 	 * @param array  $args        Arguments passed to get_avatar_data(), after processing.
 	 */
@@ -4576,7 +4580,7 @@ function get_avatar_data( $id_or_email, $args = null ) {
 	 * @since 4.2.0
 	 *
 	 * @param array $args        Arguments passed to get_avatar_data(), after processing.
-	 * @param mixed $id_or_email The avatar to retrieve. Accepts a user ID, Gravatar MD5 hash,
+	 * @param mixed $id_or_email The avatar to retrieve. Accepts a user ID, Gravatar SHA-256 or MD5 hash,
 	 *                           user email, WP_User object, WP_Post object, or WP_Comment object.
 	 */
 	return apply_filters( 'get_avatar_data', $args, $id_or_email );
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 6c62a039a4..e33a5c3c10 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '6.8-alpha-59531';
+$wp_version = '6.8-alpha-59532';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.