diff --git a/lib/jwt/version.rb b/lib/jwt/version.rb
index ced5932a..113b5af6 100644
--- a/lib/jwt/version.rb
+++ b/lib/jwt/version.rb
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ def self.gem_version
     Gem::Version.new(VERSION::STRING)
   end
 
-  # @api private
+  # Version constants
   module VERSION
-    MAJOR = 2
-    MINOR = 10
-    TINY  = 1
-    PRE   = nil
+    MAJOR = 3
+    MINOR = 0
+    TINY  = 0
+    PRE   = 'beta1'
 
     STRING = [MAJOR, MINOR, TINY, PRE].compact.join('.')
   end
diff --git a/spec/jwt/version_spec.rb b/spec/jwt/version_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e7611c6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/jwt/version_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+RSpec.describe JWT do
+  describe '.gem_version' do
+    it 'returns the gem version' do
+      expect(described_class.gem_version).to eq(Gem::Version.new(JWT::VERSION::STRING))
+    end
+  end
+  describe 'VERSION constants' do
+    it 'has a MAJOR version' do
+      expect(JWT::VERSION::MAJOR).to be_a(Integer)
+    end
+
+    it 'has a MINOR version' do
+      expect(JWT::VERSION::MINOR).to be_a(Integer)
+    end
+
+    it 'has a TINY version' do
+      expect(JWT::VERSION::TINY).to be_a(Integer)
+    end
+
+    it 'has a PRE version' do
+      expect(JWT::VERSION::PRE).to be_a(String).or be_nil
+    end
+
+    it 'has a STRING version' do
+      expect(JWT::VERSION::STRING).to be_a(String)
+    end
+  end
+end